READING FC midfield maestro John Swift is ready to put a frustrating year behind him after recapturing his best form in a 3-1 victory against Nottingham Forest.

The 22-year-old star bagged an impressive brace as Royals cut down an in-form Forest at Madejski Stadium on Tuesday night to end a run of back-to-back Championship defeats.

Swift got on the end of a Leandro Bacuna pull-back to put Royals in front before doubling their lead with 20 minutes to go.

And the ex-England Under 21 international opened up on a difficult 12 months which has seen him struggle with a string of injuries.

“It’s been tough,” stressed the ex-Chelsea schemer, who recently returned from a double hamstring problem. “I just wanted to get back out there.

“I need to recover well now, I don’t want injuries to keep creeping up and keeping me out any longer.

“Nobody wants to be injured, it’s the worst part of football.

“Last season it was game after game. I was resting right, but it took its toll on my body.

“I only had a three-week break and then it was straight back in to pre-season training.”

Bracknell News:

John Swift's second of the night gave Reading FC a 2-0 lead over Nottingham Forest.

Swift’s goals against Forest were his first of the season, and the talented midfielder is hungry for more.

“I’m always in and around the penalty spot if anything comes in there,” he continued.

“(Leandro) Bacuna has looked up and picked me out (for the first goal).

“It was a great ball from him and I had to keep the shot down, thankfully it went in.

“We showed the way we want to play and that we can play. It causes a lot of problems for the opposition. It was a footballing game and we came out on top.”

Swift’s scintillating performance earned him the man-of-the-match plaudits after the game.

However, he insisted goalkeeper Vito Mannone was the unsung hero of the night.

The Italian shot-stopper pulled off a string of fine saves to keep Royals ahead, and Swift praised the former Sunderland stopper’s performance.

“If he didn’t make those saves we would have been in trouble,” beamed Swift “I might of got man of the match, but Vito was definitely up there.

“You don’t really see what he does when you’re 3-0 up, but he was unbelievable.”

Reading, who remain 20th in the table, visit sixth-placed Derby County on Saturday (3pm).