Tom Lawrence scored twice to take his tally for the season to 10 - and eight in his last eight games - as Town drew 2-2 at home to Reading. The Blues will feel they deserved to claim the three points against an under par Royals side who levelled twice through Jordon Mutch and then Jordan Obita.

Steven Taylor and Emyr Huws were both handed their Town debuts as Mick McCarthy made five changes from the team that lost 3-0 at home to Derby County on Tuesday.

Josh Emmanuel, Toumani Diagouraga, making his first appearance at Portman Road, and David McGoldrick returned to the XI with the Blues again lining up in a 3-5-2 system.

The Royals made two changes from the team which won 1-0 at Birmingham in midweek with debutant Jordon Mutch and Yann Kermorgant, who had been out with a calf injury, coming into the team for Roy Beerens and George Evans.

Town, with Taylor playing in the middle of the central three with skipper Luke Chambers to his right and Christophe Berra to his left, started well and created the game’s first opening in the fourth minute.

Emmanuel beat his man on the right before cutting in and hitting a low shot towards Royals keeper Ali Al-Habsi’s near post but the keeper read it and saved.

While it was a clever effort which showed that the 19-year-old has the self-confidence to take the initiative, the right wing-back probably should have cut the ball back to his waiting team-mates.

On eight Cole Skuse underwent treatment after suffering a leg injury challenging Mutch on eight but carried on.

The Blues continued to look the better side, having most of the ball against a Reading side known for keeping possession for very long spells under Dutch manager Jaap Stam.

In the 11th minute, Lawrence sent in a dangerous freekick from deep on the right which flew just beyond Taylor and dropped just behind Berra, who was unable to get on to the loose ball before it was cleared.

Town went close again in the 20th minute when Huws broke forward and fed Diagouraga on the edge of the area after referee Geoff Eltringham had played a good advantage, Lawrence having been fouled.

The Frenchman might have shot but fed Emmanuel to his right. The wing-back exchanged passes with Huws, crossed and Jonas Knudsen flicked a header wide at the far post.

As Reading prepared to take the goalkick Skuse was replaced by Grant Ward, the Bristolian not having recovered from his earlier knock.

The visitors created their first opening of the game on 23, Garath McCleary sending in a low cross from the left which the sliding John Swift could only divert well over the bar.

Town were playing some good stuff at times with new recruits Huws and Diagouraga both impressing in midfield and Ward having settled into the game quickly.

But on the half hour Reading might have claimed an undeserved lead when a loose ball fell to Kermorgant on the edge of the box but his low shot was easy for Bartosz Bialkowski in the Town goal.

However, most of the game was still being played in the Reading half of the field and in the 34th minute Huws struck a sharp shot from distance which was hit powerfully but too close to Al-Habsi.

Huws made the pass of the game in the 38th minute, playing a 25-yard ball inside a Reading defender for Knudsen to run on to, but Al-Habis had come off his line quickly and blocked as the Dane looked either to shoot or cut across to McGoldrick.

The Irish international chased the loose ball but Al-Habsi reached it first and put it out of play off the Town number 10.

Reading were starting to have more of the ball but on 43 the Blues scored the goal their first-half performance had fully deserved and the goalscorer was no surprise.

Huws brought the ball out of defence to halfway before playing a pass into the path of Lawrence to his right. The on-loan Leicester man brought the ball forward, cut into the area, sold a couple of dummies and lashed a brilliant strike into the net off the underside of the bar.

A man in form! 🔥 @Official_ITFC midfielder @TomLawrence99 ends a counter attack with a confident finish off the underside of the bar. pic.twitter.com/rUQ4mESQ64– Football On 5 (@FootballOn5) February 4, 2017

It was yet another contender in the Welshman’s personal Goal of the Season competition owed a lot to Huws, who had quickly won over the Blues’ support with his first-half display.

Reading immediately looked to get back into it, Liam Kelly shooting over after McCleary’s cross had deflected out to him on the edge of the box, but in injury time the Blues came closer to adding to their lead.

Huws sent over a corner from the right and an unmarked Taylor rose high at the far post to nod down but across the face of goal.

Soon after, referee Eltringham’s whistle was greeted by warm applause from the Town faithful after the Blues’ best 45 minutes at Portman Road in some while.

Town had looked a completely different side to the one which was so comprehensively beaten by Derby on Tuesday and a second goal, had Taylor’s header bounced the other side of the post, wouldn’t have flattered them against a Reading team which had only shown fleeting signs of getting their passing going.

Lawrence’s goal and Huws’s debut were probably the main half-time talking points but Emmanuel and McGoldrick were also among those to have caught the eye, while Taylor had provided much-needed leadership and talking at the back.

Ahead of the second half, Reading switched Swift, who had a trial with Town during his Chelsea days with a view to a loan move, for former Norwich man Lewis Grabban.

Town began the second half as they had ended the first, McGoldrick hitting a cross-shot from a tight angle on the right into the side-netting, then shooting wide when cutting in from the other flank.

Lawrence came inches from netting his second of the game in the 50th minute when he brought the ball in from the right and hit a low curling strike, which just flew the wrong side of Al Habsi’s left post.

Town had started the half on top but in the 53rd minute the Royals got back on terms with their first attack since the restart.

With Chambers grounded after challenging with Kermorgant on halfway, the Blues were left short of men in the box when Jordan Obita cut the ball back from the left to an unmarked Mutch, who took his time before hitting a low shot past Bialkowski to claim a debut goal.

Danny Williams hit a shot which Bialkowski did well to palm wide to his left soon after the goal as the Royals briefly threatened to get on top, but Town quickly reasserted their superiority.

On 56 Lawrence cut in from the left and hit a shot which was blocked, McGoldrick and Ward having subsequent efforts deflected away from goal, while Diagouraga looked to have been tripped as he sought to get on a loose ball but referee Eltringham waved away muted protests.

Town maintained the pressure by winning two more corners but were unable to create another opportunity until the hour mark when McGoldrick broke away on the left and hit a low shot which Al-Habsi saved down to his right.

Moments later, the Irish international conjured a little bit of magic to create Lawrence’s second of the afternoon to restore Town’s lead, threading through an inch-perfect pass for the Welshman to take on into the area and slip past Al Habsi to take his season’s total into double figures.

Reading began to dominate possession as the game moved into its final 35 minutes but without looking particularly dangerous until 69 when McCleary was found in space on the right and whipped over a cross which Taylor superbly flicked past his own far post with Kelly behind him probably already celebrating heading the equaliser.

Town might have made it 3-1 in the 77th minute when Diagouraga sent Lawrence away down the left and the two-goal frontman found strike partner McGoldrick in space on the right of the area. The former Forest man’s first touch let him down and he took the ball too wide. However, he got in a cross but one which no Blues player was able to profit.

And three minutes later the Royals got back on terms for the second time. A corner on the right was cleared and Obita smashed an unstoppable low 25-yard strike just inside Bialkowski’s right post.

The goal was harsh on the Blues, who weren’t too far away from going back in front as the game moved into its final 10 minutes, Lawrence hitting a 20-yard freekick just over. Moments later, Grabban was booked for a foul on Knudsen.

As Al-Habsi prepared to take the goalkick, Teddy Bishop and Jordan Spence replaced the tiring Diagouraga and Huws in the Town midfield, while Reading switched George Evans for Kelly.

The Royals put the Blues under a brief spell of pressure with Chambers, Emmanuel and Taylor all making important interceptions, then in the final minute of scheduled time Lawrence played a clever freekick to McGoldrick into the right of the area, the Town number 10 crossed but no one was breaking into the six-yard box to add the final touch.

The Blues were the side pressing for a winner in injury time with Knudsen - who was booked late on for catching Kermorgant in an aerial challenge - sending in dangerous long throws from both sides but the match ended in a draw.

However, there was applause rather than boos from the home support, who had loudly got behind their side throughout and stayed on to give their team a warm ovation.

Despite not taking all three points the Blues had been as good as at any time this season and were unfortunate not to claim the win.

While Reading’s first equaliser was well-worked, the second came out of out of virtually nothing with the Royals rarely looking like a side which is third in the Championship.

There were excellent performances throughout the Town side with Lawrence continuing his unplayable form, taking both his goals superbly and looking to shoot at pretty much every available opportunity.

McGoldrick also put in one of his best displays of this season, and claimed his best assist, while Huws and Diagouraga were both hugely impressive in the second half, although perhaps inevitably tired after the break.

But all in all a much, much better afternoon at Portman Road and one which gave hope of a significant improvement during the remaining months of the season.

The result moves the Blues up to 15th but now only eight points off the bottom three with Blackburn and Burton both winning.

Town: Bialkowski, Emmanuel, Taylor, Chambers (c), Berra, Knudsen, Skuse (Ward 21), Diagouraga (Spence (82), Huws (Bishop 82), Lawrence, McGoldrick. Unused: Gerken, Pitman, Sears, Moore.

Reading: Al-Habsi, Gunter (c), Obita, Moore, Blackett, Swift (Grabban 46), Williams, Kelly (Evans, 83), Mutch, McCleary, Kermorgant. Unused: Jaakkola, Beerens, Meite, Popa, Oxford. Referee: Geoff Eltringham (County Durham). Att: 15,091 (Reading: 558).

Photo: TWTD

Barhamblue added 20:13 - Feb 4 Even though I would never wish any injury on a player but what a difference it was without Skuse. I've been saying for the last 3 months, he is too negative, has not got a forward pass and provides nothing when he has not got the ball. Lets hope Mick sticks to this pattern and players. Really enjoyed today, keep playing like that we'll win more than we will lose. Please please please Mick be grave and stick to ward as apposed to Skuse in midfield. Probably won't though!

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cat added 20:15 - Feb 4 And all of a sudden a point at home and everything is rosy in the garden!!, get real folks! The league table don't lie and we are being carried by our loan players, not forgetting BART of course.
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RRanger added 20:32 - Feb 4 I think its only fair to say that Skuse ,who had played well AND further forward was injured making probably the tackle of the match just outside our penalty area with the forward bearing down on goal. Ward was a very adequate substitute and all the midfield played well. It is also worth mentioning that ,yes, Didz had a superb game and it was a beautiful pass to Lawrence for his second goal BUT he did miss a wonderful opportunity to make it 3-1 with a shocking first touch when Lawrence laid it on a plate for him.

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jaydruid added 20:40 - Feb 4 Went along to the Derby game and again today. Today, we were a different side. Super well done! Taylor was impressive and I'd be keen on us keeping him if he continues to play as he did today. it shows we can play and I hope we all get behind them and keep positive. Mmmm beer, tastes better when we play well.
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dirtydingusmagee added 20:41 - Feb 4 listened to match seemed more entertaining and some signs of team playing together today .Shame it ended even but good effort and a point I didnt expect well done all .
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cranky_old_tractor added 20:48 - Feb 4 Really happy ITFC fan today. There is hope and lets keep building on todays performance. The players are not the problem though. If we picked our best side on performance and did not put players in wrong positions I am sure we would be in a better place. Am still adamant though we need a change in management and more funds to secure our loanees and to get other talent at IP1 in the Summer.

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itfc94 added 20:56 - Feb 4 For me, Skuse out of the team is a blessing in disguise! I've said it so many times on here before but genuinely feel he is one of the reasons for our poor form. Never an option in midfield and always negative passing sideways and backwards. When Diagouraga signed I knew instantly we would be passing better (watched him at Ports/Brentford a fair bit). Long may today's performance continue, however fears are that if Huws/Lawrence continue to be like that we won't have much chance of signing permanently - although saying that, think that's already the case with Lawrence anyways lol! Good to see Didz back though. A fit joniesta and bishop in midfield could be good, but how many games we can get out of them is another story! In summer I'd like us to clear some dead wood, and whilst Berra is a fantastic player and has served us well, would like us to get rid. Chambers/Webster/smith as a back three. Positive, COYB! Keep the faith all.

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itfc94 added 20:57 - Feb 4 Oh.. and Lawrence the greatest town loanee?!
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heathen66 added 20:59 - Feb 4 I will be very honest, once I saw the line up I feared the worst. A GK, 5 Defenders and 2 Defensive midfielders, typical McCarthy I thought. However, once Skuse went off we saw one of the best performances of the season or perhaps longer. We have tried to Partner Skuse with Hyam, Bru, Douglas and many others over the last 3 or so years without success and I have been saying for a while now let us change the common denominator here (Skuse) and see if that works. On todays evidence perhaps it does, although don't get your hopes up of this continuing. Coles name is first on EVERY team sheet. Whilst Lawrence and McGoldrick will take most of the praise, I thought the stand out performance was by Diagouraga, who showed us all how to play the defensive midfield role, allowing others freedom to do what they do best. Also a mention must go to Taylor (a real leader in the pack) and Huws who all had good games. I came away from todays game obviously upset at not winning but felt entertained and the result was really just second. We need to take this attitude forward for the rest of the season and then find a Manager that can take us forward as I believe Mick has taken us as far as he can.

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prebsa added 21:10 - Feb 4 Pragmatic. Perhaps I'm overreacting yes it was not a one man show today, but surely you have to agree that without him we would be in all sorts of problems? Where else do our goals come from? Even though I think he talks rubbish mick even said we would be screwed without him!
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LWNR2013 added 21:15 - Feb 4 I enjoyed it this afternoon. Debutants were all good. But what made the difference today was US the fans. To me it was get behind the players (sod everyone else). It was particularly noticeable when we went 1-1, some heads were down but they were lifted by the positive support. Great, but may not work again and looking at the table tonight we are in deeper sh*t than we were this morning. Felt good but nothing's changed...we still have the power to influence performance - if nothing else. -

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itfchorry added 22:34 - Feb 4 OMG SWN98 Is that really you posting - welcome on board
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GiveusaWave added 22:54 - Feb 4 Some of the best football I have "heard" (sat this one out on the radio!). First half we were very strong and Bart hardly needed to make a save as we really took it to them. Second half much more even but sounded like a great game. Bart pulled off a couple of very good saves, Lawrence scored a couple of cracking goals and even though it would have been great to win 2-2 was about right in the end. If we'd lost it it would have been gutting..... Really pleased with performance, but on the slightly negative side Blackburn, Bolton and Bristol City all pulled off wins, inching us a tad closer to the relegation zone. Aston Villa is now a huge game, play like that and we will take the 3 points! COYB!

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braveblue added 00:51 - Feb 5 Sounds like we really missed Skuse!!!!!
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Bert added 06:08 - Feb 5 Skuse has his critics but on balance he still contributes something to the team, unless partnered by Douglas. It was Skuse who slid in to stop a possible goal threat and got injured in the process. Did we play better without him, in this game yes but that will not always be the case where we need someone to break up,play.
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Steelmonkey added 07:28 - Feb 5 Apologies, in my earlier comment I forgot to say what a great debut for the Huws lad, And Taylor looked good today organising the back four some nice touches from him and almost scored with a header just wide. Diagouraga looked good with a solid display. We looked so better in midfield today. McGoldrick looks to be getting back to some sort of form, a wonderful pass to Lawrance. Also a great run from Emmanuel to help with the first goal well done. Whether MM sticks with this line up or decides we need to start containing the opposition again will have to be seen. The big difference I felt in the team today is that they had a belief in themselves, and were not afraid to take on the opposition, far less back passing and much more adventurous, but we still leaked two goals. Also thought we lost a bit of edge with the subs., coming on.

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BlueMachines added 09:14 - Feb 5 I'm not a Muck fan but he had no choice with the 3 subs. Skuse was injured and Huws and Diagouraga were flagging. He got them right in this one.
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callmeted added 09:31 - Feb 5 A good performance . Thought we played well with and without Skuse. I do think that some under estimate his part in the team but having said that Ward played some lovely triangles with Lawrence and Emmanuel. What a difference a positive attitude to the game makes to everyone. Also well done to the central North Stamd. As a season ticket holder who sits in the Cobbold it was nice to hear them singing and getting behind the team . Has section 6 moved ? All in all positive . I think the end of season will bring changes that we want/need but for now its about consolidating what we have , supporting the players and trying to enjoy 3 months of football . There isn't anything going to change the owners mindset and i think that we will see this changes then so until then COYB

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callmeted added 09:34 - Feb 5 *** And i think we will see changes at the end of the season ***
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cornishblu added 09:48 - Feb 5 Sat down having a mid morning coffee and I have to say that it is a real pleasure to read so much positivity Yes one result doesn't change the long term and doesn't mean Mick has changed but I hope someone from the club reads these posts ......it has always been about better football ...and yesterday we appeared to get it As a point I don't get all the negativity surrounding the fact that our "loan" players are the ones playing well......they are our players at this moment .......so why the anxt .....I get the issue around everyone ..including me ...wanting them to be ours permanently but they are not ...and of they weren't here hopefully we would have got someone else on loan who was equally as good. Support them while they are in the shirt ....know that in the championship this is now a vital part of any club going forward ....... But importantly celebrate this success and just hope that the positivity of change to play the way that supporters have been pleading with mick to play gets through .....then happier days are in front of us even if there are humps in the road A reason to be positive and a nice cup of coffee.....happy Days (or for perspective a happy Moment!)

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Orraman added 09:55 - Feb 5 Very encouraging displays from new boys Diagouraga, Taylor and Huws. Breath of fresh air in what had become a very stale and toxic atmosphere. Will it continue? Time will tell and if it does what is to say that our loanees, apart from Tom Lawrence unfortunately, don't become signings in the summer. Such a difference made by an attacking midfield, comfortable on the ball and looking for killer passes. Huw's through ball for first goal was exquisite and Taylor's defensive experience shone through. Happy today.......hopefully happy next week.

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blueboy1981 added 10:30 - Feb 5 .......... in defence os Skuse (and I'm not his biggest fan) - he played very well in the time he was on the pitch. Far too many of our midfielders are stifled by McCarthy's negative, holding, defensive strategy - Skuse being no exception. Our new boys, to some degree, will do their own thing and do what they know to be right - and that's forward thinking and passing - not playing around in circles - as Skuse and Douglas have been 'coached' specifically to do for us.

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blueboy1981 added 10:34 - Feb 5 ..... should read 'of' - obviously.
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blueboy1981 added 10:39 - Feb 5 ....... no Club / Manager / Team could have asked for more vocal backing from the crowd yesterday - let'e hope that our thankless, stubborn, arrogant, Manager appreciates the support the Team had - from a 'smallish' crowd. All goes to prove that we only ask for what can be reasonably expected - no more, no less.
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Seasider added 11:47 - Feb 5 Us two long standing season ticket holders(down form 4 last season)thought this was the best Ipswich performance of the season at home. Didn't miss Skues at all when he went off,and the new boys in that section showed just how negative Ipswich have been with Skues and Douglas in the engine room. Although Mick had a giant striker on the bench he stayed there,with hardly a hoof in the game(more from Reading);and the new front pairing of McGoldrick,who we thought had his best game of the season,and the excellent Tom Lawrence worked well. However Towns more expansive game possibly resulted in Reading's first goal;as Captain Chambers was stranded upfield leaving a space,where he would have been,from which Reading scored their first equaliser. I think the weakness in midfield,which has only now been addressed by two loan players;is as much to blame for our lowly position,as the departure of Murph. All three new players made good contributions,and Steven Taylor,ideally placed in the middle of back three,was constantly talking and organising.As a result felt that Chambers and Berra were better;Josh seems to be staking a regular claim to the right back berth,and there should be a fight between Kenlock and Knudsen on the left. A very encouraging result,and for us remainers a good spectacle for a change. It is not clear if staying away by many has influenced performance;but there is no doubt that McCarthy's team is now trying to play the ball more on the ground(thank goodness),and is more flexible with his formations and personnel.The invisible man however continues to have short arms and deep pockets. AS has been said,one swallow doesn't make a summer;and we must not forget it was only a draw which has resulted in being only eight points above the relegation zone;a worry we havn't had since Paul Jewell was here.Lets hope yesterday was not another false dawn!

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