Swifty’s so nifty for boss Paunovic
READING manager Veljko Paunovic was quick to praise the influence of John Swift after the midfielder’s brilliant second-half goal.
Paunovic believes that losing Swift to a hamstring injury for much of last season cost his side a play-off spot.
Reading had seemed in danger of letting their early dominance slip as Daniel Johnson’s penalty cancelled out Femi Azeez’s first-half strike.
But Swift settled home nerves in the 69th minute with what turned out to be the winner.
The midfielder, 26, picked the ball up on the left wing, played a one-two with Josh Laurent before playing another one-two with Lucas Joao on the edge of the area and then stroking the ball into the bottom corner.
“Injuries were the main issue why John hasn’t done better in the past,” Paunovic said.
“Now he is back it is important to keep him healthy and motivated.
“He is super-talented and showed urgency – he wanted to decide the game.
“It is something we have missed in the past the slick combinations through the middle. We have to get more of Swifty on the ball.”
Two defeats in a week have meant a difficult start to the season for Preston manager Frankie McAvoy.
“Both goals defensively were poor and if we are going to concede like that it is going to be difficult,” he said.
“We need to look a lot more solid at the back.”
READING: Rafael 7; Morrison 5, Moore
6, McIntyre 6; Yiadom 7, Rinomhota 6, Laurent 7, Bristow 6; Swift 8; Azeez 7, Joao 8 (Puscas 85th)
PRESTON: Iversen 6; Storey 6, Lindsay
7, Hughes 6; Van den Berg 7, Browne
7, Ledson 6 (Whiteman (70th) 6), Cunningham 6 (Maguire 81st); Johnson 7; Riis 5 (Potts (63rd) 7), Sinclair 5
STAR MAN: John Swift
REF: J Smith