MARK Hughes was once again full of praise for his hard working side as Reading were brushed aside with comparative ease at Ewood Park this Saturday afternoon.

Benni McCarthy hit a brace and there were goals for Roque Santa Cruz and a stunner from Tugay, whilst Kevin Doyle headed a couple of consolation goals for the visitors in the final ten minutes.

For boss Mark Hughes, it was the first half performance in particular that had him drooling, claiming it was the best football seen at Ewood this season: "We were excellent today, certainly in that first half when some of our football was the best we've probably played this year, so I'm delighted with that," said Hughes exclusively on Radio Rovers after the game.

"We were really inventive with our play, I thought our passing, our movement and rotation of position caused them a real problem, they didn't really know who was supposed to be marking who, and that is what we have to do, we have to be really dynamic in games."

As many teams have so far this campaign, Reading came with a defensive formation, particularly in the first half, and the Rovers boss feels that that will happen on regular occasions at Ewood Park this season as a sign of respect for his sixth-place team.

"They (Reading) had a game plan today, more teams will come here and try and make it difficult and try to stop the threats that we've have. But if we work hard, are nice and dynamic, then we'll get on the ball in good areas.

"We've got players in good attacking areas who are technically very proficient and able to look after the football, to protect it and create things, and that makes it difficult for defenders when they know they are going up against not one, two or three good players on the ball, they've got a quartet that they have to cope with. So we are looking good at the moment, we've got threats from a lot of areas.

"The only disappointment was that we conceded a couple of poor goals from our point of view, but apart from that I thought the lads were magnificent, there were a lot of big performances today and a lot of great play.

"We are working extremely hard to be one of the top clubs in the Premier League and we are doing okay at the moment."

Rovers are next in action in eight days time with a tricky away trip to White Hart Lane to take on Martin Jol's under fire Tottenham Hotspur.