Woeful Town were easily beaten 3-0 by Reading at Portman Road on Tuesday night. The Royals equalled their best ever league unbeaten run of 19 games (22 in total) and went to the top of the Championship as goals from Steve Sidwell, Leroy Lita and Kevin Doyle gave them the three points.
The Blues lined-up in a surprise 4-5-1 formation with Sam Parkin the main striker. Nicky Forster dropped to the bench, with Kevin Horlock, Darren Currie and Matt Richards returning to the midfield alongside Jimmy Juan and Gavin Williams, and Ian Westlake and Jim Magilton dropping to the bench.
Town were under the cosh almost from the off, although Currie did almost play in Williams and Richards in the second minute, a defender getting across to clear the danger.
But it was virtually all Reading with Town find it hard to get hold of the ball. Ivar Ingimarsson headed a Bobby Convey cross wide then Leroy Lita had the ball in the net when following up Lewis Price's parry from Glen Little's shot, but the former Bristol City man had strayed offside.
Steve Sidwell shot over, then Convey sent a dangerous low ball across the Town six-yard box from the left which Price should have claimed but indecision between the Wales number one and his defenders allowed Ingimarsson to get in a shot, fortunately off target.
Lita shot weakly to Price after getting away beyond the Town defence as the Blues continued to be very much second best. Sam Parkin picked up an ankle injury and was replaced by former Reading striker Nicky Forster in the 18th minute.
Within a minute, the Royals went in front. Jay McEveley made a hash of clearing the ball on the edge of the box, playing it against Doyle and into the path of Convey. The American's cross-shot fell to Doyle, his effort deflecting to Sidwell who made no mistake from eight yards.
The visitors continued to dominate, Little volleying wide just after the half hour. On 34 Joe Royle decided to make a tactical change, Kevin Horlock was the midfielder sacrificed as Fabian Wilnis took over from Richard Naylor at the back and Town's longest-serving player moved to his old striking role, the Blues switching to 4-4-2.
Town had been an utter shambles at 4-5-1, little better than when they employed a 3-5-2 in the away game at Reading last month.
Naylor's physical attributes almost made an immediate difference, his header nearly playing in Forster. But Reading were still enjoying the majority of the game, Lita shooting over.
The first half had been similar to the first period of the game at the Madejski Stadium a few weeks back; Town failed to find their feet using an experimental formation and the Royals dominated possession and chances and went in a goal up at the break.
The Blues had rarely looked in any way threatening until Richard Naylor joined the attack in the closing stages of the half.
Naylor headed a Darren Currie cross over the bar in the third minute of the second period as the Blues started the half more brightly. Nicky Forster missed perhaps Town's best chance of the game in the 52nd minute, scraping the ball wide from eight yards after Jay McEveley's determined run had forged the opportunity.
However, Reading added a second a minute later and the result was never again in any doubt. Doyle cut the ball back to Lita from the left and the England U21 international shot across Price and into the corner of the net.
Sidwell went wide from 25 yards, then Forster missed another good chance. A Williams cross from the left found him beyond the far post but the striker appeared to be unsighted and the ball hit his shins and ran out of play.
Ian Westlake replaced Jimmy Juan on the hour but there was no way back into the game for the Blues.
Williams headed a Currie cross over, before Lita forced Price into a save from Convey's cross. The loanee from West Ham, making his home debut, hit Town's only shot on target in the 67th minute but even that deflected harmlessly through to keeper Marcus Hahnemann.
Two minutes later the American goaltender had his only scare of the match, dropping the ball under pressure from Naylor but Williams failing to seize on the error.
As the North Stand started berating the previously ignored brass band in the corner by the Cobbold Stand, Reading added their third. Doyle finishing after Ibrahima Sonko had headed the ball down to Lita who was allowed to find the former Cork City striker inside the six-yard box.
Town's miserable night continued as Forster lashed wildly over and then screwed the ball wide as he sought a goal against his former club. Late on, Darren Currie's freekick went into the sidenetting, but the Portman Road crowd had long given up on getting anything out of an evening to forget.
The Blues, who four years ago to the day beat Inter Milan 1-0 in the UEFA Cup, were well and truly outclassed by an impressive and confident Reading side who, along with Southampton, are probably amongst the best sides to visit Portman Road this season.
Town weren't helped by an early formation which was appeared foreign to several players and was completely ineffective in its supposed aim of giving the Blues an edge in a midfield battle they hopelessly lost.
Reading dominated throughout, perhaps even more than they did in the Sky game at the Madejski Stadium, and Town's dismal home form shows little sign of improving, particularly when up against the division's better sides.
Despite the recent progress away from home, Joe Royle's stated target of a play-off place seems a long way from being within Town's grasp at the end of the season.
Town: Price, Sito, McEveley, Naylor, De Vos, Horlock (Wilnis 34), Currie, Richards, Juan (Westlake 60), Williams, Parkin (Forster 18). Unused: Supple, Magilton. Att: 22,621.