Reading boss Noel Hunt was left ruing another turned-down penalty appeal as his side lost 2-0 at Leyton Orient.

The Royals were second-best to Richie Wellens' in-form side, who now leapfrog Reading in the table.

However, Hunt believes Sam Smith was wrongly denied a penalty when goalkeeper Josh Keeley flattened the forward, something which has become a regular occurrence under the Irishman.

Speaking from East London, Hunt said: "I’m getting tired of it now [missed penalties] but we have to keep going and working hard. They can’t believe it in there [not given] but we have to keep going and keep asking the referees questions and getting in the opportunities to get these chances. Hopefully the harder we work, the luckier we get.

"It’s frustrating on our part because anywhere else on the pitch and they’re fouls all day. We can’t get caught up in that, we have to keep going and focusing on creating chances. We spent most of the first half in their half, probing, and they were defending a low block/. We come out, start the second half bright but give the corner away, don’t set early enough and we pay the price."

On the defeat itself, Hunt added: "I thought we were the better team in the first half and created a lot more problems for them. They get a breakaway and a goal from an individual error. In games like this, which are tight, you can’t give strong teams like Leyton Orient a leg up. We said it would be the first to blink and unfortunately it was us. We kept on going and showed great character in the first half. The early goal in the second half knocked the stuffing out of us but in these games, these moments matter, and we must address them quickly."

Reading lost defender Jeriel Dorsett within four minutes, Hunt believing it to be a hamstring issue.

"He said he felt his hamstring when we went to sprint. We will scan it. It’s a blow to us to happen so early in the game because he was getting himself fit. We thought if he could get 60 minutes today it would be good. He felt fine on Tuesday. We probably did more on Tuesday in terms of a session with the first-team boys than he would with the Under-21s so there’s nothing in that, it’s just one of those things."