Jamie Mackie’s 14th minute goal was the difference between the sides as Reading defeated the Blues 1-0 at Portman Road. The Scotland international was given time to shoot from 25 yards and his effort just crept inside the post, while the Blues never really looked like getting back on terms.

Town boss Mick McCarthy named an unchanged side with new signings Richard Chaplow and Luke Varney on the bench.

Teddy Bishop, who signed a new contract until 2018 yesterday, was on the right of midfield with Daryl Murphy up front wearing a mask to protect his nose, which he broke at Fulham last week.

The 21-goal Irishman was the first player to threaten when he brought the ball forward from halfway having been found by strike partner Freddie Sears in the sixth minute.

Murphy looked to return the ball to the ex-Colchester man but it ricocheted back into his path off a defender and he took it on into the the box before hitting a right-foot shot which failed to test Adam Federici in the Reading goal.

Three minutes later Kevin Bru unleashed a well-struck 25-yard effort which Federici saved down to his left with the Blues starting the stronger of the two sides.

On 13 Murphy broke away down the left and held off Alex Pearce before crossing to Sears, who flicked his header well wide. Moments later, after good work from Bru and Tabb, the ex-West Ham youngster hit a shot straight at Federici from the edge of the box.

Despite the Blues having had the better of the early stages, the Royals went in front in the 14th minute via their first shot of the game.

Tyrone Mings stood off Mackie and allowed him to shoot from 25 yards, the ball creeping into the corner of Bartosz Bialkowski’s net with the keeper likely to feel he might have done better.

Two minutes after going behind the Blues felt they ought to have been awarded a penalty when Murphy’s cross from the right struck Pearce on the arm. Spot-kicks have certainly been awarded for similar incidents in the past.

The Royals went close to going two up when Mackie beat Mings down the Reading right before cutting the ball across to Hal Robson-Kanu, who shot well over when he should have done better.

Town weren’t too far away from an equaliser in the 21st minute when Sears sent over a deep cross from the right and Tabb, facing his old club on his 31st birthday, headed wide from a tight angle.

There was another scare for the Blues in the 29th minute when Robson-Kanu played a chipped pass over the top for Mackie, whose first touch on what was a difficult dropping ball took it through to the advancing Bialkowski.

The Town players claimed another penalty in the 36th minute when Bishop fed in Mings on the left and the full-back sent over a cross to the far post from where skipper Luke Chambers nodded down to Sears, who turned his shot against Pearce. Referee Eddie Ilderton indicated that he felt the ball had struck the ex-Norwich loanee’s thigh.

Three minutes later Pavel Pogrebnyak sent Robson-Kanu away on the left but the Wales international failed to find Mackie with his cross with the former QPR man in acres of space breaking into the Town box.

On 40 Simon Cox hit a shot on the turn which scruffed through to Bialkowski, then at the other end a Sears effort from inside the box was blocked.

In the penultimate minute of scheduled time Sears again failed to get enough on a cross from the left, then Bishop skipped his way into space in the area but failed to trouble Federici with his shot. Neither side threatened again before referee Ilderton brought the half to a close.

Town had started brightly and had created a couple of openings before Mackie’s against-the-run-of-play goal. From there the Blues’ performance had deteriorated somewhat and with the Royals having carved out a couple of openings from which they might have increased their lead.

Three minutes after the restart Mings played a ball into Sears’s path on the left of the area, but the striker hit his shot wide.

On 50 Nathaniel Chalobah forced Bialkowski to save down to his left from a 25-yard freekick.

Town should have made more of a 53rd minute break after Sears had sent Murphy away down the centre. The striker cut back inside but couldn’t find space to shoot. Tabb eventually moved the ball on to Bru, whose effort from distance was straight at Federici.

Tabb had another chance to score against his old club - as he did on the opening day of last season - in the 54th minute after Sears had flicked on a long diagonal ball from the right to the left of the area. The midfielder slid in but cut the ball between the far post and his on-rushing team-mates.

Town were beginning to create chances with greater regularity and on 58 Bishop saw a strike from the edge of the box deflect wide. A minute later, after a Tabb freekick from the left had been half-cleared to the edge of the box, the 18-year-old screwed another effort well past the post.

With 25 minutes remaining Blues boss McCarthy switched Tabb and Bishop for Paul Anderson and Jonny Parr, the Norwegian going to left midfield. Two minutes later, Bru was booked for a foul on Danny Williams.

Cox shot through to Bialkowski, then at the other end Murphy fed Anderson, who failed to significantly test Federici with a low shot. The Australian keeper’s time-wasting was increasingly frustrating the home crowd but not yet leading referee Ilderton to take action.

The Blues continued to press and on 73 Anderson cut the ball back from the right to Sears but the striker turned the ball straight at Federici.

On 79, after the Royals had switched Garath McCleary for Robson-Kanu and Hope Akpan for Cox, Varney was handed his Town debut in place of Sears.

With seven minutes left on the clock Varney was fouled by Michael Hector just outside the area but Anderson curled his freekick just over.

Mackie missed a good chance to seal the win for his side in the 83rd minute when he scuffed wide at the far post after McCleary found him following a Reading break.

As the game entered four minutes of injury time Anderson sent over a freekick from the left but Murphy’s flicked header bounced just wide of Federici’s left post.

Federici blocked Murphy’s shot, Reading sub Jake Cooper doing well to get to the loose ball to nod it behind.

From the resultant corner, Chambers headed it back into the danger area, Varney nodded it down and Murphy shot against a defender, the Town players again appealing for a penalty, although perhaps more out of frustration on this occasion.

Soon after, referee Ilderton’s whistle went to confirm the Blues’ second home league defeat of 2015.

Having started on top, the visitors’ goal against the run of play rather knocked the wind out of Town’s sails.

In the second half the Blues huffed and puffed against a Reading side happy to sit back on their lead, but were never really convincing. Reading keeper Federici saw a lot of the ball but without having to make any over-taxing saves.

The defeat and results elsewhere see Town stay in fourth but now five points behind new leaders Derby, who beat Sheffield Wednesday 3-2.

Second-placed Middlesbrough were defeated 1-0 at home by Leeds and Bournemouth in third lost 3-1 to seventh-placed Brentford, who are now only two points behind the Blues, while Norwich, who Town face in the East Anglian derby at Norwich next Sunday, are now fifth just a point behind McCarthy's men.

Town: Bialkowski, Chambers (c), Smith, Berra, Smith, Skuse, Bru, Bishop (Parr 65), Tabb (Anderson 65), Murphy, Sears (Varney 79). Unused: Gerken, Stewart, Chaplow, Clarke.

Reading: Federici, Kelly, Obita, Pearce (c), Hector, Chalobah, Williams, Mackie (Cooper 90), Robson-Kanu (Akpan 77), Cox (McCleary 77), Pogrebnyak. Unused: Andersen, Norwood, Blackman. Referee: Eddie Ilderton (Tyne and Wear). Attendance: 21,298 (Reading: 433).

Photo: Action Images

Kesgraveblue57 added 18:00 - Feb 21 With a bunch of Has-Beens just be glad to be in the top half of the league, we will be hammered when we play Naarwich when you have a teenager as main play maker it's a sick joke, the lad has promise and should not be put in such a position. The two latest loans are simply reserves from other championship teams.
8

theman added 18:01 - Feb 21 I wish we had a plan B for when the long ball to Murphy isn't working. Plus why are we keeping Chambers at right back when we're losing 1-0? I think it's a far more attacking option to bring on Parr at right back and actually gives us a different option. We look far more dangerous when we work the ball to the byline but this isn't possible down our right with Chambers there. Think Parr in for Smith is a switch that needs to happen. Particularly for home games.

9

Geoff added 18:03 - Feb 21 Pay peanuts you get monkeys,just needed a midfield play maker Jonny and a striker Benty i agree with Mick Mills why keep worrying about FFP no one else seem to.We will never get a better chance to go up.
10

bluedart added 18:04 - Feb 21 Mings on todays performance is not even a league 1 player. Our defence needs a real shake up, attack starts from good defence play. Smith cannot play right sided, Parr Chambers Berra and Mings with a rocket up his arse needs to be Tuesday's back four.
8

TimmyH added 18:04 - Feb 21 Have to say Bishop right midfield then Parr left midfield and the continuation of Chambers at RB!...Mick's starting to leave and put players in some strange positions and doesn't seem that he has the confidence in some players who would fit naturally into these positions or perhaps just shuffling players round that have already got us so far this season. Other players losing form at the wrong time of the season i.e. Smith, Mings, McG etc

5

rachelsdad added 18:13 - Feb 21 very disappointing again, a good chance thrown away against a poor Reading side. It seem thats if Murphy does not score the rest have not got a clue. quality of passing is poor, no pace and light weight in midfield. Smith should have been taken off in the second half not Sears. we are in danger of throwing away a great opportunity this season of at least the play offs. some difficult away games ahead so three points against sides like Birmingham is essential. Come on Evans give the Manager more support

7

HALLSJ added 18:16 - Feb 21 Absolutely gutted, what's made it worse us Bent scoring 'again' and the scum winning 'again' Birmingham now definitely a 6 pointer
5

PJH added 18:17 - Feb 21 Disappointed with the result and the missed opportunity. We were written off after the Rotherham game but found ourselves back in a position where we could have been in top 3 tonight. We are not the only ones dropping unexpected points so all we can do is win tuesday and try to build again.
0

BlueandTruesince82 added 18:17 - Feb 21 Arse
1

bellazzurri79 added 18:18 - Feb 21 We have a gameplan of going all out in the first 15 mins... If we fail to score we then haven't got a plan b... We are 1-0 down... Let's put on our playmaker and set piece specialist Paul Anderson!!!!!! Give me a break!!!!! Not a good day, I'm afraid scum will beat us next week and beat us bad.... I hope I'm wrong
9

HackneyBlue added 18:20 - Feb 21 Its the second half of the season and teams know our strengths (corners ,longball) and our weaknesses (players in strange positions ,longball) and are finding it easy to nullify us.We have no plan B ,no pacey wingers,yes we have punched above our weight and had the chance the improve the squad but decided to persevere just hope we can cope.
2

StochesStotasBlewe added 18:21 - Feb 21 Very disappointed today. Enough has already been said regarding playing Parr, giving Stewart a run out etc. Warktheline, I sympathise, will be numbing the pain with a bottle of red later & will be in a darkened room NOT watching the football league show later. Reading played with more aggression & got in our faces, had a good game plan & we had no idea how to break them down, so on that basis deserved to take the points.

6

Cloddyseedbed added 18:22 - Feb 21 Yet another dismal display of football. No different to watching Bury town or Needham market, in fact you could argue those 2 teams play more football on the deck. Chambers should not play at fullback because his main outlet is hoof. Tommy Smith playing on wrong side and his form is suffering and his only outlet is hoof. Berra good stopper but only outlet is hoof. Tyrone Mings, well what can you say, he is tiring badly and needs a rest. His 1st season of Championship footy has caught up with him, he is a shadow of his former self. I think the main reason hoof is used so much is the midfield run up to join the attackers ready for the hoof. Midfield yet again non existent, Bishop out of position and like Mings he's running on empty, season has caught up with him, rest him and feed him up, he needs more strength. Murphy and Sears left as usual having to cope with balls pinged in to them in the air from the back. Please change it Mr McCarthy, I maybe alone on this but I certainly am not a fan of hoofball. We have a team of hard workers and as I've said on many occasions it will only get you so far in life you need a little bit of skill to succeed. The subs were a change in personal but a continuation of the tactics that were getting us nowhere. Come on get back to playing football like we were when Parr was at right back, Smith made way for Chambers in the middle and we played through the midfield. We were in an excellent position for promotion and by not signing players that are better than we have now we will not succeed and I can not see us managing to keep in the top 6. I was so pleased earlier on in the season I had a bet on us beating Norwich at Carrow Road and finishing above them in the league, that now is looking like a waste of money. At the moment we are a one trick pony and teams have sussed us. This type of football is wearing away at me and I absolutely hate it. It does not have to be played that way. By the way Brenner Wooley, at the end of the game why are you so scared to ask probing questions to McCarthy on Radio Suffolk. At one stage of the interview you said to him the front 2 and midfield played well, are you for real?

23

EssexTractor added 18:25 - Feb 21 Have to face the truth today. No lack of effort, I never consider that is lacking, but when it's really called for there is no guile, no creativity, no pace. Our limitations are dreadfully exposed when Murphy is not firing fully up front, but he is totally exonerated from any criticism because of his fantastic contribution this season. Sadly there were others who were not at the races today. I have never been his greatest fan but I am now feeling sympathy for Tommy Smith. His constant selection on the right side must cease now. He is so obviously uncomfortable on the ball anyway but to consistently subject him to this lopsided positioning is seriously effecting his performance, the crowd is getting on his back. So no more Mick please The least said about Mings today the better. I am becoming increasingly concerned about him. I hope this was as poor as he can be. Ten Million, not today Tyrone. Back to the drawing board for you. I do really like to see " footballers" in midfield and so I am a fan of Bru and more so Bishop, but I felt the unfortunate truth today was that they, indeed the whole of the midfield were outmuscled by Readings counterparts. So what could have been a marvellous day, with Boro, Bournemouth and Watford losing turned out to be a day of long faces, cursing and " what might have beens" There are still 42 points to play for, let's not be too pessimistic, but please Mick improve the balance of the playing eleven.

7

Bluetone added 18:29 - Feb 21 I am wondering just how many of the managerial staff and players realise that if we achieve promotion that there will be no place for them in the Prem and playing to be just below the level needed to get there.
2

marco007 added 18:32 - Feb 21 Be realistic and without Murphy having a freakishly good season we would be in a relegation scrap. A midfield that scores zero goals should not be challenging for promotion. Go on Norwich, put us out of our misery and end our season next week......we are punching above our weight with the squad we have. Fail to invest and prepare to fail! I only have two words to end on.......Varney and Chaplow !!

1

billlm added 18:36 - Feb 21 Mings 10 million seriously to big for his boots more like £10 he was shi t
2

phillo added 18:37 - Feb 21 Was at game today & whilst trying not to be "one of the moaners" who do come on here every time we don't win 8-0 I do have 3 observations today. 1. Chambers is an exemplary captain, a leader, an excellent centre back & an all round damn fine member of our team ...... but a liability at left back ..... just hasn't got the pace/,footballing skills required for that position. Smith is struggling at the moment (looks low on confidence, always looking to pass back to goalkeeper and not making himself available for keeper throw outs) so Chambo back in the middle & Parr left back please. 2. What is the plan ? & is everyone in on it ?? Today Mings kept trying to play it round the back ( I assume to get it down the wings & cross it in) and seemed to be screaming this at the other players as well but the 2 centre back & keeper didn't seem to be in on this plan & just hoofed it up ( to which Mings often threw his hands in the air sulking!) ....... so who was right ? What was the plan ?!?!?? 3. Now I haven't always been the biggest supporter of Tabb but today Tabb & Bishop where great ( I had just mentioned to my son that the Bishop/Sears link up was going to pay off in a second) ... when both were substituted !!??? I think Bru is great but he looked knackered ..... but then had to stay on so Varney could get on. Strange ... All to play for still ....... though couilkd go either way now ..... but I do find some of these things puzzling. Just thoughts .......

0

oldegold added 18:39 - Feb 21 Today we saw the limitations of MM's style of football. I think my son's academy team would have beaten Town it was so poor and with no imagination. When we needed to chase the game, I thought "Yes, let's get an attacking player on and play 3 strikers and get those goals " and then I saw Anderson come on..my heart sank. This lack of imagination, and variation to our style of play will cost us as it did last season and fortune favours the brave. Totally devoid of any fantasy beyond hoofing the ball up. Maybe some people feel MM has to be credited with moulding a team of misfits but I remain of the idea that with MM, we are mid table at best.I can see the teams around us pulling away and us dropping..it was that bad today after a reasonably bright first 15 minutes.

12

firmfoundations added 18:43 - Feb 21 Can someone please explain to me why I waste my time and pension on a Season ticket to watch this rubbish. We seem to lack skill dynamism and tactics To win winnable teams.
9

blueboy1981 added 18:43 - Feb 21 Sorry people ........... But the truth is: ...... one dimensional GARBAGE, no effective Plan B, and we continue to place a square peg in a round hole at Right Back - hence we got what we deserved - NOWT. In terms of ability our rightful slot in the table is just about between sixth and half way - no good pretending otherwise. On present performance, looks like the 'Pride of East Anglia' and 'Bragging Rights' could well be in serious danger next weekend - I'm not even going to mention how many points we were, and had the chance to be even further, ahead of them just a few weeks back. Absolutely gut wrenching that. Let's not deny it, please - this was another dire home performance. Please again, no excuses about time wasting, the Referee, or whatever - we need to get OUR act back on track post haste.

12

Walk_the_Wark added 18:45 - Feb 21 Yawn- same old rubbish. Let's just get a better manager at the end of this season!
5

billlm added 18:53 - Feb 21 Phillip clearly not at the match today chambers never plays left back
4

blueboy1981 added 18:57 - Feb 21 warktheline .......... genuinely feel for you because your feeling for the Club, MM & Co, etc; is indeed to be admired - you consistently defend them all through thick and thin - but, we as the so called moaner's, knockers whatever they call us, CARE just as much. We portray it differently. I speak for myself and from personal experience, and maybe other's too, when I say that loyalty can sometimes wear thin, and kick you where it hurts. But we soldier on - once a blue, always a blue - condone, criticise or whatever.

15

Cloddyseedbed added 18:59 - Feb 21 Or ask the FA if we can go down the leagues where this type of football is fitting Walk the Walk.
7

Blogs 295 bloggers

Ipswich Town Polls