SEVEN AND HELL WON’T KILL GUNTER

NORWICH flattened a top-six side for the first time this season.

And they didn’t just KO heavyweight promotion contenders Reading – they knocked seven bells out of them.

But right-back Chris Gunter vowed Jaap Stam’s men would climb off the canvas to cement a spot in the play-offs.

Welsh international Gunter said: “Defeats are always difficult to take and obviously this one will be very hard.

“But it’s our job now to stay focused and we have worked too hard this season to let one bad result throw us off track. Losing 7-1 isn’t going to end our season and we are still in a fantastic position. It’s all still in our hands.”

But Gunter admitted the Royals face a torrid few days as the fall-out from this hiding hits home.

He said: “People will be saying we don’t care, we didn’t try and we aren’t good enough. So we just have to take our medicine.

“Some people will go overboard and be shocked and surprised, and all our supporters will be very disappointed.

“So we will take it on the chin and move on. We’ve had big defeats before and we’ve always responded really well.”

Wes Hoolahan (above) and Alex Pritchard scored two apiece while Nelson Oliveira, Cameron Jerome and Russell Martin also found the net with Reading striker Yann Kermorgant replying.

The Canaries scored six goals in the first half for the first time since 1908 and the first time ever at Carrow Road.

Skipper Martin dedicated victory to Peter Oldfield, who died recently after over 40 years behind the scenes at the club.

He handed his shirt to the Oldfield family after the final whistle and said: “This was for Pete. The family asked me for a goal and a performance – and we gave them that.

“Pete was a great guy, an amazing character and he meant a lot to me.”

WES HOOLAHAN (NORWICH)