Boss Mick McCarthy was delighted with his side’s opening day performance at Reading, despite the Royals coming from behind to win 2-1.
McCarthy felt his team were playing well and on top having gone ahead through Jay Tabb’s first ever goal at his old home ground: "We were comfortable, I thought we played really well, I thought we played really well all the game. I’m delighted with the performance.
"I asked for a benchmark performance, if that’s the benchmark that’s a pretty high standard for us. If we play like that every week and compete, play the way we did and create the chances that we did, we’ll be fine.”
McCarthy says Reading’s first goal was a Tyrone Mings own goal: "I think it’s come off Ty, I think it’s come off his back, he got turned around, it’s looked like somebody’s pulled him.
"I know Adam Le Fondre is claiming it, he’s a centre forward but I’m not so sure he touched it at all. But I’m sure Ty would prefer him to have it than himself.
"It was a great delivery [from Garath McCleary], sometimes you have to give to bit of credit. But I thought we should have done better and cleared it. But unfortunately we didn’t.
The Blues boss confirmed that the Royals’ second goal, scored by Danny Guthrie, caught a Town player before beating keeper Loach: "It took a deflection off Luke Hyam. I don’t think he’s going to beat him with a shot from there but the deflection took it up and looped over Loachy and gave him no chance really.”
Reading manager Nigel Adkins was happy to gain his first home win as Royals boss and his team's first opening day three points for a while: "It’s pleasing, as a football club we haven’t won on the opening day of the season since 2006. We’ve changed that one now with the victory, which is really pleasing.
"We’ve got three points on the board and that was important because it was always going to be a challenging fixture today when you look at the opposition, the manager, the way he sets things up, they’re a hard team to beat, Ipswich.
"Obviously when we’ve gone behind in the first half, having started brightly, all of a sudden you’ve got a challenge on your hands.
"Alfie pops up with a great goal right on half-time to change the complexion of the scoreline, he’s done ever so well to get between the two centre-halves and get his head on the ball.”
The ex-Southampton and Scunthorpe boss was in no doubt that the goal was Le Fondre’s: "It’s his goal.”
He added: "In the second half I thought we looked strong pushing forward, Danny Guthie, although it took a little bit of a deflection, it’s a good goal because I thought we were in the ascendency.
"And then we had to have that resolution at the end when the long throws were coming in at the end to defend them and go on and get the three points on the board.”