Town climbed back into the top six and extended their extraordinary record of Tuesday night home victories to 16 as an 89th minute Brett Pitman goal saw them to a 2-1 victory over Reading. After a lacklustre first half Ryan Fraser put the Blues in front on 57, Royals sub Garath McCleary equalised from the spot before Pitman’s late winner.

Boss Mick McCarthy made three changes to his side, two of them forced. Bartosz Bialkowski took over from the injured Dean Gerken in goal, while Luke Hyam replaced Jonathan Douglas, who started a three-game ban for his red card at Birmingham.

Ainsley Maitland-Niles came in for Kevin Bru, who dropped to the bench, in a switch to 4-4-2 with Freddie Sears moving up front with Daryl Murphy.

Keeper Jonathan Henly was on the Blues bench for the first time against the club where he came through the academy before being released last summer.

Central defender Piotr Malarczyk was available after serving his one-match ban and was in the 20-man squad but was left out of the 18 in favour of Paul Digby.

For Reading, who wore an unusual all mauve kit, Yann Kermorgant, a Town target during his time with Bournemouth, made his full debut."
The game made a very quiet start with the only incident of note in the opening 10 minutes Kermorgant requiring treatment after a clash of heads.

On 11 Ryan Fraser whipped in a corner from the left which Ali Al-Habsi in the Reading goal was forced to punch away from under his crossbar at the near post.

Four minutes later, Royals skipper Oliver Norwood wasted a freekick - won when Stephen Quinn rather obviously ran straight into Town skipper Luke Chambers - in a promising position on the left, hitting a low shot well wide of the near post with his team-mates waiting in the box.

Jordan Obita got his name in referee Tim Robinson’s book in the 19th minute for a foul on Hyam down the right as the Blues started to get on top. Maitland-Niles whipped in a dangerous freekick, then Fraser’s corner from the left was headed away from inside the six-yard box by Jake Cooper.

The Blues continued have the better of what had been a largely drab game played in a pre-season type atmosphere. On 24 Al-Habsi failed to deal with a low Daryl Murphy cross from the right and Chris Gunter somewhat uncomfortably cleared.

On 24, following a Town corner, Reading broke quickly through Hal Robson-Kanu on the right but Hyam got a heel to his low cross as he looked to find Quinn at the far post.

Two minutes later the Blues threatened when Hyam fed Maitland-Niles but the England U19 international’s well-struck shot was blocked by Anton Ferdinand. The on-loan Arsenal youngster was by now playing in the advanced central midfield role with the Blues having switched to their 4-3-3 system with Sears back out on the right.

As the game approached the half-hour mark Matej Vydra was sent away between Tommy Smith and Christophe Berra but the New Zealand international did enough to send him away from goal. The Czech did well to find Robson-Kanu but the Wales international was crowded out.

Two minutes later, Murphy surrendered possession to Vydra inside the Town half but the visitors were unable to work themselves a clear-cut shot at goal.

Fraser smashed a long distance effort across the face of goal on 34 and then, with Reading now on top, Vydra hit a low 25-yard effort which Bialkowski claimed comfortably.

Sears broke away down the right in the 44th minute and found Fraser who took a difficult ball down deftly before hitting a shot which Al-Habsi blocked. After the corner, Smith scuffed a volley wide off Sears.

In injury time Norwood was booked for tripping Fraser as he broke towards the area after Jonas Knudsen had won the ball. From the freekick, Murphy and then Chambers headed the ball goalwards but the linesman’s flag was raised for offside and referee Robinson immediately blew his whistle for half-time.

Town had had the better of a not overly entertaining half with Al-Habsi the busier of the two keepers, albeit without having made too many serious saves.

The Blues had got on top after a very slow start to the game, then Reading had a short spell in which Vydra in particular had been a threat, but Town had ended the half looking the more dangerous side.

Bru took over from Maitland-Niles ahead of the second half, slipping into his regular role ahead of Skuse and Hyam.

The Blues were the first to threaten three minutes after the restart when Reading failed to deal with a ball in from the left. Chambers crossed back from the right and Hyam scuffed over when he probably should have left the ball for Skuse.

Reading created an opening on 56 when Kermorgant escaped down the right and sent over a cross for Vydra, who turned his shot against Smith.

But a minute later, Town claimed the lead. Sears burst away down the right before cutting the ball back behind Fraser, who spun on to his left foot and hit a low shot which struck Cooper, hit the inside of the post and crossed the line behind Al-Habsi.

Having grabbed their first goal, Fraser’s sixth of his season-long from AFC Bournemouth, the Blues went looking for their second, Murphy shooting into the Sir Bobby Robson Stand, then Sears going closer with a low 25-yard strike which deflected into the side-netting off Cooper. On 65 Berra was booked for a foul on Kermorgant

Smith powerfully headed a Bru corner straight at Al-Habsi on 66. The Royals immediately broke two on one and should have got back on terms but sub Garath McCleary crossed against Skuse when he should comfortably have found the unmarked Vydra.

However, after Kermorgant had headed powerfully straight at Bialkowski, Skuse went from hero to zero by conceding a penalty from which the visitors equalised.

Robson-Kanu was harmlessly taking the ball across the area away to the right when the Blues’ midfielder slid in and somewhat needlessly brought him down.

Referee Robinson pointed to the spot and there were only muted appeals from Skuse and his team-mates. McCleary lashed the penalty down the middle of the goal past Bialkowski.

Town went about restoring their lead and on 72 Bru sent a shot not too far over Al-Habsi’s crossbar.

Six minutes later, after a long spell of Town possession, Knudsen smashed a low shot from distance which Al-Habsi claimed. Brett Pitman replaced the tiring Hyam on 82.

Reading were looking the more dangerous side in the final 10 minutes but on 84 a loose ball following a corner fell to Berra, who scrambled an effort towards goal which reached Pitman, whose effort was well saved by Al-Habsi down to his left, however, the linesman’s flag had been raised.

Luke Varney replaced Murphy on 87 and two minutes later Varney created the winner for fellow sub Pitman.

The former Leeds man chased a Fraser long ball down the left, took a touch and sent over an inch-perfect pass for on-rushing Pitman, who diverted the ball past Al-Habsi, off the keeper’s right post and in to seal another late, late Town home victory, just as he did against Leeds last month.

Town saw out injury time comfortably - Norwood’s deflected shot into Bialkowski’s arms was the visitors’ best chance - and Portman Road’s lowest league crowd of the season of 16,616 erupted with a mixture of delight and relief at the final whistle.

Having gone in front the Blues probably should have sealed the three points at that stage but as so often at home this season they allowed the visitors back into the game and then gifted the penalty via Skuse’s uncharacteristically rash tackle.

But, as ever, Town kept going right to the whistle and, despite Reading having looked the more likely winners for spells, subs Varney and Pitman carved out the late winning goal for the third time in the last four home league games.

The Blues’ victory and Sheffield Wednesday’s 1-1 draw at home to Burnley sees Town move back into the final play-off place a point in front of the Owls and Birmingham in seventh and eighth - who meet one another at St Andrew's on Saturday - ahead of the weekend trip to QPR.

Town: Bialkowski, Chambers (c), Smith, Berra, Knudsen, Maitland-Niles (Bru 46), Skuse, Hyam (Pitman 82), Fraser, Sears, Murphy (Varney 87). Subs: Henly, Foley, Digby, Coke.

Reading: Al-Habsi, Gunter, Obita, Ferdinand, Cooper, Williams, Norwood (c), Quinn (McCleary 61), Robson-Kanu, Vydra, Kermorgant. Subs: Bond, Taylor, Hector, McShane, Piazon, John. Referee: Tim Robinson (West Sussex). Att: 16,616 (Reading 205).

Photo: Action Images

Fatcatevans added 22:41 - Feb 3 Derryfrombury. I think you are seriously deluded if you think Eddie Howe is going to sell Fraser. Haven given home a new extended contract at the start of the season and monitored his sparkling form for us there is absolutely no way he will be selling him to town. Enjoy him while he's here but don't get your hopes up
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BrettenhamBlue added 07:39 - Feb 4 Sorry, but there is no chance of Fraser being sold to us. Not to sound negative, but if he was sold he would likely go to a team like Boro who could shell out 6-7 million on him. I do rate him that highly. I believe we have a top class winger at the club. IF we don't go up (a significant IF), we will be hard pressed to replace Fraser. I can't imagine Jerome Thomas and Toure being adequate stand-ins.

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IpswichT62OldBoy added 08:44 - Feb 4 I had some hopes that Oar would have replaced Fraser. Shame he didn't stay.
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