Ipswich 2 (Stead 63, Walters 84)
Reading 0

The Royals went down 2-0 to Ipswich at Portman Road this afternoon, two second half goals giving the Tractor Boys a deserved victory.

Jim Magilton's side also hit the woodwork three times, but Reading did have chances, including one that Jimmy Kebe should have taken with only nine minutes gone and the score 0-0.

Pablo Counago then hit the crossbar with two efforts before the break, including a header that looked as if it may have crossed the line as it bounced downwards.

Alex Pearce also should have done better with an opportunity from a corner just before the interval, and Jon Stead curled in on 63 to give his side the advantage.

Alan Quinn soon hit the post, and Jon Walters ghosted in to head home with six minutes left.

It looked to be game over, but there was still time for Noel Hunt to hit the bar, Doyle to completely miskick a great chance and then Kebe see it cleared off the line as we tried to push.

It was a disappointing afternoon, and the chances that came our way went begging. Once Ipswich got in front it was always an uphill battle and so it proved.

Reading: Hahnemann; Rosenior, Armstrong (Convey 78), Ingimarsson, Pearce; Harper (c), Karacan (Bikey 81), Kebe, S Hunt; Doyle, Long (N Hunt 60)
Subs: Federici, Kelly
Booked: Karacan (foul 77), S Hunt (foul 85)

Ipswich: R Wright; Volz, D Wright, McAuley (Balkestein 26), Naylor; Garvan, Miller, Walters, Quinn; Counago (Campo 87), Stead (Lisbie 78)
Subs: Supple, Haynes

Attendance: 21,366

Ref: K Hill

Full report
Reading had a great chance with only nine minutes on the clock. Shane Long did well to find the onrushing Jimmy Kebe with a lovely lay-off, and the Malian was clean through. He got a decent shot away, but it was probably too close to Richard Wright and allowed him to make a decent save.

It was a very open game, and Ipswich were inches away from opening the scoring on 20, Pablo Counago heading an effort that hit the bar and came down right by the goalline. It could well have been in, but the linesman kept his flag down and the ball was hacked away.

Town were playing some nice stuff, and Jon Walters had a goal disallowed for offside as he and Counago were both flagged.

Kebe again went close inside the box but sub Pim Balkestein got in a cracking block. Almost immediatelt Stead went close, stabbing only a yard wide when perhaps he looked offside on 29 minutes.

It was end to end in the last five minutes, and Liam Rosenior got in a couple of cracking crosses that caused Town real problems.

Counago once again hit the bar though, this time turning in a top class volley that left Marcus Hahnemann as a spectator.

The first half action was still not over though, and Alex Pearce had a cracking chance from a corner as it dropped to him six yards out but he stabbed over.

Second half
Alan Quinn had a decent chance with ten minutes of the half gone, getting on the end of a nice one-two with Counago. Thankfully though Rosenior and Chris Armstrong were able to put him off and he didn't get a decent shot away.

Kebe should have put Jem Karacan clean through on 58, but his touch was poor as we broke and the chance went begging.

Ipswich were upping the tempo, and Marcus Hahnemann had to make a very good save to keep out Quinn's 25-yarder.

Our resistance was broken on 63 minutes though, Stead turning on the edge of the box, opening out nicely and curling in left footed off the far post, a very good finish indeed.

Reading tried to get level nine minutes later, but sub Noel Hunt and Kevin Doyle see an effort cleared off the line. A moment later Noel probably should have gone down under a challenge in the box but stayed on his feet.

Then Ipswich looked to have a great shout for a pen as Stephen Hunt was penalised. It looked a mile inside the box but somehow was given outside.

Then Quinn hit the post from inside the box as Ipswich really began to up the tempo and turn the screw.

With four minutes left Walters made it 2-0 and put the game out of sight. Sub Kevin Lisbie got a cross in and winger Walters nodded home at the back post. There was perhaps a shout for offside as Counago was miles off in the middle but left it for his teammate to nod in.

Right on 90 minutes though, Noel Hunt flicked a header onto the crossbar, getting onto the end of his brother's free kick.

Doyle should have scored in injury time but missed his kick, and it came to Kebe but his shot was blocked on the line.