Report: Town 2-1 Reading

Town moved up to 14th in the table following a 2-1 win against 10-man Reading at Portman Road earlier this afternoon.

Town made one change to the squad from last weeks draw with Swansea, David Healy replacing Shane O'Connor. Town started with a 4-4-2 formation Peters, Delaney, McAuley and David Wright in defence, Walters, Norris, Leadbitter and Colback in midfield, Healy and Murphy starting upfront.

The Royals controlled the early stages of the game, Brian Howard and Gylfi Sigurdsson both being denied by some good Town defending.

Town's first real chance of the game after 17 minutes, Murphy crossed into Healy whose shot was parried by Federici in the Reading goal before the Reading defence cleared the lose ball.

Town fans expected a penalty a minute later after David Norris went down in the box, but the Town midfielder was shown a yellow card for diving.

David Healy had his overhead kick turned round the post by Federici for a corner, which cleared by Reading allowing them to break, Brian Murphy denying Jobi McAnuff before David Wright cleared.

Reading were reduced to 10-men after 29 minutes, Matt Mills shown a straight red for a tackle on Town's David Norris.

Reading made their first change straight after that, Gunnarsson was replaced by Pearce. Despite being a man down Reading were still a threat, McAnuff firing just wide.

Federici pushed a Leadbitter effort round the post for a corner, which Leadbitter took with the ball being heading into the net by Gareth McAuley for his 4th goal of the season.

Town made it 2-0 in the 45th minute, David Wright crossing in from the right, Murphy heading the ball towards the centre for Jon Walters to head in for his 7th goal of the season.

Connor Wickham replaced David Healy at the start of the 2nd half.

Despite the 2 goal lead and the one man advantage Town's job was far from done as Reading came out for the 2nd half looking for a goal and they came close on a number of occasions. Kebe found himself free in the box but only managed to fire over.

Wickham thought he had scored Town's 3rd in the 66th minute when he headed a Leadbitter free-kick into the net only to see it ruled offside.

Reading pulled a goal back in the 89th minute, David Wright brought down Bertrand on the edge of the area, Sigurdsson took the free-kick which despite the best efforts of Brian Murphy it flew into the top corner.

Ipswich Town: B Murphy; D Wright, McAuley, Delaney, Peters; Walters, Norris (sub Martin 87 mins), Leadbitter, Colback; D Murphy (Counago 72), Healy (Wickham 46).
Substitutes: Lee-Barrett, Smith, Rosenior, Edwards.
Booked: Norris, Walters, Wright.
Goals: Healy (41), Walters (45)

Reading: Federici; Griffin, Khizanishvili, Mills, Bertrand; Kebe, Gunnarsson (Pearce 29), Sigurdsson, Howard, McAnuff (Robson-Kanu 77); Long (Church 72).
Substitutes: Hamer, Tabb, Karacan, Rasiak.
Booked: Bertrand, Gunnarsson, Sigurdsson.
Sent Off: Mills
Goal: Sigurdsson (90)

Referee: Mr K Stroud (Hampshire)
Attendance: 21,403