Hull manager Steve Bruce praised stand-in captain Jake Livermore after the midfielder scored the last-minute winner which earned a 2-1 victory over Reading at the KC Stadium.
Hull had come back from Nick Blackman's first-half goal to score through Abel Hernandez and Livermore who missed the start of the season after taking time out of the game.
Livermore had failed a drugs test for cocaine following the death of his baby but after seeking professional help he has commanded a starting place in the Hull team who are among the frontrunners for promotion to the Premier League.
Bruce admitted: "He's had his issues. To be fair since he's been back in the team we're obviously better for him.
"He does not score many but he will remember that one I am sure. It's been a long tough road for him. He still seeks the help which he needs.
"In the second half he was excellent because it was a difficult night for us."
Bruce was disappointed his team had to come from a goal behind.
"It's happened too many times that we haven't started. It's crept in the last month or so.
"We have to give Reading a bit of credit. I think they havegot some excellent players going forward."
Reading took the lead through Blackman in the first half and could have had more goals before then had Allan McGregor not saved from Daniel Williams and Blackman.
Hull had looked out of sorts in the opening 45 minutes but came back into the game after the break.
Hernandez made it eight Championship goals for the season with a close-range finish after Jonathan Bond had blocked a shot from Ahmed Elmohamady.
The game looked to be heading for a draw but as Reading failed to clear a Hull attack Livermore pounced to score a vital last-minute winner.
Reading caretaker manager Martin Kuhl wants Steve Clarke's successor to be appointed sooner rather than later.
"You would like it to be, one way or the other, to be sorted out," he said.
"The players want to know. The coaches want to know what is going on."
Kuhl admitted to being disappointed after his side had dominated the first half.
"I am very disappointed. The lads are in the dressing absolutely flat out. The endeavour and the commitment and some of the quality they played with in the first half was excellent."
Kuhl had expected Hull to respond after their poor first-half showing.
"I could see from their bench in the second half that they would come out stronger."
Reading had used all of their substitutes and had Chris Gunter off the pitch with a head wound when Hull scored the winner.
"That's the killer one for us because we were trying to get organised," admitted Kuhl.
Source: PA
