Jon Stead scored on his debut and Jon Walters added a second late on as the Blues deservedly defeated Reading 2-0 at Portman Road. Town were the better side throughout as Jim Magilton's men impressed against one of the teams tipped for automatic promotion.

Magilton made four changes from the side which lost at Watford a fortnight ago. David Wright returned from his ankle injury to take over from Ben Thatcher at left-back, the former Charlton man having picked up a dead leg in training. Owen Garvan replaced Iván Campo in central midfield, Alan Quinn came in for Liam Trotter on the left and Jon Stead made his debut in place of Kevin Lisbie alongside Pablo Couñago.

Town started strongly and Couñago shot over after good work from Moritz Volz, who was making his home debut, and Owen Garvan. Jon Stead's first significant contribution for the Blues was a long run back into defence and a superb tackle on Jimmy Kebe 25 yards from his own goal.

Kebe should have put his side in front in the ninth minute when a clearance deflected into his path and sent him away one-on-one with Richard Wright inside the area. The Town keeper came out quickly and blocked the winger's effort, sending the ball out for a corner.

A minute later Jon Walters clashed heads with Chris Armstrong and went off for stitches. Despite being a man down, the Blues continued to have much the better against a Reading side which was looking surprisingly ordinary.

Walters returned seven minutes later, prior to a Stead shot scuffing off a defender and into Marcus Hahnemann's gloves.

Town were close to going in front in the 20th minute when Walters crossed from the right and Couñago's header beat Hahnemann, but crashed against the crossbar.

The Blues were well on top, but in the 26th minute an injury to Gareth McAuley caused some indecision on the edge of the Town box and James Harper shot wide. McAuley limped off with Pim Balkestein replacing him in his preferred central defensive role.

Walters had the ball in the net from a David Wright cross three minutes later but the linesman's flag had been raised. The by now bandaged Walters forced a save from Hahnemann on the hour mark, the USA international pushing the ball out for a corner. From the set piece, Richard Naylor headed over.

At the other end, Balkestein blocked from Kebe after Town had failed to clear a corner then Town broke, Garvan finding Stead at the far post, but the on-loan Sheffield United man shot across the face of goal.

Stead and Couñago exchanged a one-two on the edge of the area on 35, Ivar Ingimarsson felling the lankier of the Town strikers on the edge of the area and was lucky not to receive a yellow card. Garvan's freekick came to nothing.

Reading started to come more into the game closer to the break and in the 41st minute Naylor headed a dangerous Liam Rosenior cross out at the far post with Shane Long behind him. Three minutes later Walters similarly got in ahead of Stephen Hunt from another cross whipped in to the far post.

Kebe tried a clever chip from the edge of the area in injury time, but Richard Wright was equal to it. However, the ball fell kindly to former Norwich loanee Alex Pearce from the resultant corner, but he lashed the ball wildly over the bar when it appeared easier to score.

Town had enjoyed the vast majority of the possession and were unlucky that Couñago's effort had come off the bar, but could still conceivably have found themselves behind with Kebe and Pearce missing good opportunities. However, a lead for the Royals would have been very much against the overall run of play with the Blues passing the ball around confidently and looking impressive.

As a burning TV on the North Stand concourse was extinguished, the second half began. Town created the first real chance in the 50th minute when Walters sent in a cross from the right. Stead hit a shot against Couñago, then the new signing's overhead kick rebound failed to trouble the keeper.

Couñago and Stead combined to send Quinn away in the 55th minute but under pressure from several defenders the Irishman shot wide. Moments later, another Walters cross led to Stead shooting beyond the post.

Hahnemann did well to get down to his left to push away Quinn's excellent 25-yard strike in the 61st minute and it was starting to look as if Town's domination of the game might go unrewarded.

But only two minutes after Quinn had been denied the goal finally came. Stead took a ball into feet with his back to goal on the edge of the area, let it come across to his right side and unleashed a fearsome left-foot shot on the turn which beat Hahnemann, struck his post and hit the back of the net for a debut goal and a well-deserved lead.

Naylor blocked an effort from Kebe on 66, then Couñago shot well wide from a Stead knockdown, the duo once again combining well.

On 71 there was chaos in the Town box after a Reading corner, but the Royals couldn't manage a clear shot at goal and eventually the Blues cleared, Stead running much of the length of the field but stumbling as he looked to get in a shot.

The striker was showing signs of tiring and in the 74th minute, shortly after choosing to shoot from 30 yards when finding Walters wide on the right would have been a better option, he was replaced with Kevin Lisbie.

Reading ought to have been reduced to 10 men in the 76th minute when Jem Karacan led with his elbow and caught Owen Garvan a blow across the back of the head. The challenge infuriated Jon Walters in particular and the striker was spoken to by referee Keith Hill after the official had somewhat surprisingly only waved a yellow card at the Royals' midfielder.

The Blues continued to push for a second and in the 79th minute Couñago played the ball wide to Quinn on the left and the Irish midfielder hit a shot which struck Hahnemann's right post.

Stephen Hunt was yellow-carded for pulling back Lisbie on the edge of the Reading area as the game moved into its final 10 minutes. Garvan hit the freekick into the keeper's arms.

Walters shot wide when well placed in the Reading area but then with five minutes remaining the former Chester man sealed the win. Quinn sent in a teasing cross from the left to the far post and Walters arrived ahead of his marker to beat the keeper with a header, as he did so many times last season.

Campo replaced Couñago for the final four minutes as the Blues looked to sit back on their lead. However, Kevin Lisbie ought to have made it three in injury time when Hahnemann rushed out of his area but failed to win the ball under pressure from Walters. The ball fell to Lisbie, but his rather too nonchalant miskick went nowhere near the empty net.

The ex-Colchester man came close to making amends a minute later after an error by Pearce had left his keeper out of position once again. Lisbie found Quinn on the edge of the box, but the American got himself in a position to block the Irishman's shot.

Garvan was yellow-carded as he committed a foul to stop the Royals breaking, then Wright made another excellent save from Kebe when the Malian looked certain to pull a goal back.

But Wright wasn't to be denied his second clean sheet of his second spell with the Blues and Town thoroughly deserved their victory.

There were excellent displays all over the pitch with Walters, Couñago and Stead always threats when the Blues were going forward, Garvan running the game in midfield with Miller and Quinn doing the legwork.

At the back, Naylor was again impressive, while Balkestein put in his most promising display in the first team. The full-backs were solid, while Richard Wright made two excellent saves from Kebe, the one in the first half at a very important stage of the game.

Just as heartening as the result was the performance which was much more assured than the display at Watford with the Blues showing signs that the summer signings and the existing squad are starting to develop into a more than decent team.

Town: Wright, Volz, Wright, McAuley (Balkestein 26), Naylor, Garvan, Miller, Quinn, Walters, Stead (Lisbie 74), Couñago (Campo 86). Unused: Supple, Haynes. Att: 21,366.

Photo: Action Images

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