First-half goals from Callum Connolly and Joe Garner saw Town to what in the end was a comfortable 2-0 victory over Reading at Portman Road. Connolly’s low shot gave the Blues the lead in the third minute, then Garner headed the second on 27

Garner returned to the Town starting line-up with the Blues otherwise unchanged from the team which lost 2-0 at Middlesbrough last week.

The former Rangers man, a sub at the Riverside, returned to his usual lone striker’s role in Town’s now familiar 4-2-3-1 system with Martyn Waghorn moving back into the position vacated by Emyr Huws, who is out for the season having undergone knee surgery on Thursday.

David McGoldrick was back on the bench having recovered from the gash to his groin he suffered in the Sheffield Wednesday match last month.

Reading made one change with Tyler Blackett replacing Liam Kelly, who dropped to the bench.

The Blues went ahead via the first attack of the game in the third minute. Connolly won the ball just inside the Town half and fed Bersant Celina, who broke into space before playing into the feet of Waghorn to his left.

The club’s 10-goal top scorer deftly turned it into the path of the breaking Connolly, who struck a low shot to Reading keeper Vito Mannone’s right from the edge of the box and into the net.

The on-loan Everton man’s third goal for the Blues - all in the last four games - once again came early on like his previous strikes, scored in the fifth and seventh minutes.

Town weren’t too far away from a second soon after going ahead, Waghorn finding space but shooting wide of the Mannone’s right post.

Mo Barrow picked up the game’s first yellow card for dissent having been penalised for a foul, then on 10 Leandro Bacuna joined him in referee Peter Bankes’s book also for protesting, unusually having just been awarded a freekick for a foul by Skuse, the Royals’ players having spent much of the opening spell chipping away and surrounding the referee.

Reading started to dominate possession, as is their usual approach under Dutch manager Jaap Stam, and on 16 Chris Gunter crossed from the right and Yann Kermorgant laid back to Sone Aluko, who struck a shot which flew narrowly wide.

The visitors were making significant headway down the Town left and on 18 Gunter was sent away in space and cut across to Dave Edwards, whose goalbound shot was diverted wide by the sliding Jordan Spence.

On 23 Barrow was played in on the Reading left and sent over a low cross towards Kermorgant but Adam Webster made an important interception and slid behind.

The Blues had found themselves under pressure having gone ahead but on 26 Spence made a strong run forward to the edge of the box and eventually Ward, who had switched to the left with Celina moving to the right presumably to help negate Gunter’s threat, struck a shot which deflected over the bar.

And from the corner, the Blues doubled their lead. Waghorn whipped the ball over, Webster flicked it on at the near post and Garner powerfully nodded his sixth goal of the season into the net from six yards.

After Cole Skuse had undergone lengthy treatment for what looked to be a knee problem following a challenge with Blackett, Waghorn was booked for a foul on one-time Town trialist Joey van den Berg.

Reading continued to dominate possession with the Blues remaining resolute in defence. A 36th-minute Van den Berg shot was blocked, then Liam Moore's overhead kick was cleared.

In the 40th minute Waghorn sent over a cross from the left after a short corner and the ball appeared to be diverted over the bar by a Reading player ahead of Webster but referee Bankes gave a goalkick.

Town began to see more of the ball as the half moved into injury time. Connolly might have made it 3-0 after Waghorn touched the ball to him from Garner’s low cross, but the ball came too quickly to the England U20 international and he was unable to get it under control.

Waghorn went close again just before the break, smashing over after a loose ball had fallen to him on the edge of the box.

Just before the whistle, Bacuna shot over from 20 yards with Webster grounded with what appeared to be an arm injury, the ex-Portsmouth man eventually able to continue to half-time.

The Blues will have been delighted with their half’s work. Having got their noses in front via Connolly’s increasingly familiar early goal, they sat back and were able to repel everything the Royals threw at them - if not always entirely comfortably - with Bartosz Bialkowski not forced to make a save.

Town had made little headway on the break until the very impressive Spence’s counter-attack led to the corner which yielded Garner’s goal.

Reading continued to dominate in the spell after Town’s second but as the break approached the Blues had seen more and more of the ball and were pushing for a third.

Skuse was replaced by Kevin Bru ahead of the second half, the Bristolian presumably still feeling the effects of his first-half injury.

Garner wasn’t too far away from his second of the game a minute and a half after the restart, the Blues’ number 14 hammering a volley from Waghorn’s corner against Gunter with the ball otherwise appearing destined for the net.

Reading began to dominate possession once again with the Blues looking to catch them on the break.

In the 51st minute Barrow forced Bialkowski into his first save of the game with a low cross-shot from the left which the Blues’ keeper punched away from his near post.

Royals skipper Paul McShane saw his name added to referee Bankes’s book for catching Garner with an arm in the 52nd minute despite vehement protests.

Town almost made it 3-0 in the 59th minute - after a lengthy delay as McShane underwent treatment on a head injury - from a cleverly worked freekick. Celina ran over the ball before Waghorn played it to him as he broke into the right of the area from where the Kosovan international struck a low shot which Liam Moore cleared off the line.

Moore was in action at the other end on 61, nodding a right-sided corner into the ground and towards goal but Bialkowski claimed above his head.

Three minutes later, Bacuna crossed from the right and Barrow slammed wide from a tight angle beyond the far post.

On 66 Edwards was booked, again for dissent, after protesting having fouled Waghorn. Following the freekick, Connolly volleyed through to Mannone but without seriously testing the keeper.

Following a rapturous round of applause in tribute to long-serving club staff member Dick Parker, who died suddenly last weekend, in the 67th minute, Spence made a superb run down the right and cut in between two defenders but Mannone blocked his shot.

On 73 Waghorn made an audacious attempt to catch Mannone off his line from distance but the former Arsenal man claimed comfortably. A minute later, Liam Kelly replaced Blackett for the Royals.

Town were looking comfortable with Reading much less of the threat in the second half and in the 76th minute they were again close to making it 3-0. Celina picked up a loose ball midway inside the Royals half, then tricked his way into the area before smashing over. Moments later, summer Town loan target Jon Dadi Bodvarsson took over from Aluko.

On 88 Webster was yellow-carded for foul out on the right on Van den Berg. Spence flicked the Dutchman’s freekick behind at the far post.

A minute later, Dominic Iorfa replaced Celina then, during five minutes of injury time, Freddie Sears took over from Garner.

Town saw out the remaining minutes with little fanfare to cement a deserved three points, Reading having rarely looked like getting back into the game in the second half.

Barrow’s low shot at Bialkowski’s near post was the Blues’ keeper’s only serious save, while Town might well have added more goals with Spence and Celina both creating themselves decent opportunities.

The only disappointment for Town was the attendance of only 13,832, the lowest Portman Road crowd for a home game in the league since 13,212 attended the Blues' 1-0 victory over Swindon in October 1998. Christmas and two home fixtures over the festive period will have had an impact on that, along with ticket promotions at the two previous games.

The win stretches the Blues’ home unbeaten run to four games, three of the wins, and moves them up to eighth, two points off the play-offs ahead of next week’s game away against leaders Wolves.

Town: Bialkowski, Spence, Chambers (c), Webster, Knudsen, Skuse (Bru 46), Connolly, Ward, Waghorn, Celina (Iorfa 89), Garner (Sears 90). Unused: M Crowe, T Smith, Bishop, McGoldrick.

Reading: Mannone, Gunter, McShane (c), Moore, Blackett (Kelly 74), Van den Berg, Edwards,, Bacuna, Barrow, Aluko (Bodvarsson 77), Kermorgant. Unused: Jaakola, Beerens, Ilori, Clement, Richards. Peter Bankes (Liverpool). Att: 13,832 (Reading: 510).

Photo: TWTD

HKBlue added 17:13 - Dec 16 Conolly, cheers mate. Kind of just an expectation now for him to be on the score sheet within the first 10minutes.... coyb!
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12th_Man added 17:14 - Dec 16 Good performance Reading looked a poor team
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cat added 17:15 - Dec 16 Just when you are expecting the wheels to fall off, we pull another win out of the bag, ala ‘Dick Turpin' like!! No complaints with the possession stats as a win will mask that every time, although it's a ‘double whammy' to deal with when the shoes on other foot. Three points in da bag, coupled with a clean sheet, so it's all ‘GOOD GOOD GOOD' tonight!!
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martin587 added 17:16 - Dec 16 Two well taken goals.Reading had more of he play but defence played well.Well done lads.Roll on next Saturday.
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Currie10 added 17:17 - Dec 16 Crikey, well with the bad news of Huws being out for the season, a great win today! Possession = what does it mean? Apparently Reading had 80% first half, the only real stat anyone should give a damn about is the score I'd say! Losses for Sheff Utd / Villa / Boro very welcome also. Tough game at Wolves, however we're going to finish 50% of the season, an absolute maximum THREE points off the play offs due to Sheff Utd hosting Villa on Sat....... You never know !?!?!? Seems worth following the blues this season, I wonder when more may be convinced.

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Ipswichbusiness added 17:18 - Dec 16 If we do any business in the next transfer window, it should be making Connolly''s move permanent.
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TractorBeezer added 17:18 - Dec 16 Well done lads. A comfortable win today. And the Scum lost! Hope that Skuse is ok....it appeared to be self inflicted as he made a rather desperate lunge while high up the pitch. Bring on QPR!
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TimmyH added 17:20 - Dec 16 Once again another team turns up at PR has a lot of possession and does little with it, certainly with Waghorn, Celina and Garner we're profiting with more of a counter attacking style at home. Less draws and more wins equates to more points but whether we're good enough to be genuine play-off candidates is another question. All the same good result against a team playing better of late, so well done all.

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Currie10 added 17:21 - Dec 16 Sorry, four maximum. Maths let me down. Believe....!
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TimmyH added 17:23 - Dec 16 I should also add amazing the amount of sides that lose with much more possession is astounding, we had the least today of ALL sides in the Championship, BUT if your not good once you lose the ball all that possession accounts for diddly squat.
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Steve_ITFC_Sweden added 17:49 - Dec 16 Happy with that. Reading dominated possession but did little with it.We harried and defended well, but now we've got people who can score goals as well. Most of all, we didn't try to park the bus or time waste. More of same, please, Mick, and I'll be happy we're doing the best we can with the squad available.
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baxter7 added 17:54 - Dec 16 Well done lads let's go at wolves next week with a attacking side we can beat them if mm don't try and play for a draw
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EssexTractor added 17:56 - Dec 16 I am not a huge fan of MM, but I watched his Press Confernce yesterday and I have to say that he came across as being sensible realistic and without any rancour. Today he fielded probably the eleven fittest players he had and obviouly instilled upon them a gameplan Not a pretty one , not what one would wish for your home side but today tremendously effective. Yes we would like more possession but it's getting the best of what you have and today he succeeded. Bart caught well but despite Readings 73% possession had little to really save. Chambers did OK ....and that is a plus Garner must be a nightmare to play against, he rarely has the ball but he discomforts defenders throughout, defends superbly at our corners and pops up with an important goal Waghorn ran here there and everywhere and with a little more composure would be even better than he already is. But today man of the match must be Jordan Spence, two dynamic forward runs, one in each half and calm defensive work.

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blueboy1981 added 18:04 - Dec 16 Another 3 points ! - GREAT. Another happy Saturday evening - not a picture book performance by any means BUT a WIN. One day we may even be entertained and win - for now this will do. A Win is a Win.
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runaround added 18:05 - Dec 16 Doesn't sound like the most pleasing on the eye performance yet it's a very good victory. We are not good enough to rip every team apart so seeing out a game is equally important. We will have to see now whether we can win back the missing fans by playing entertaining football. A long way to go but there are a few positive signs
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blue75 added 18:06 - Dec 16 I'm happy with the win but at 1-0 readings heads were all over the place 2 pointless yellow cards, we shouldn't sit back against a team like let them have all that procession to get back in the game!! Thankfully we blocked a lot of shots Bart made some saves and the rest of their shooting was pathetic. I'll always take the win but there's a reason the official attendance was 13800 anyone there knows the real attendance was nearer 10000. Those that were there were quiet and still no one sings McCarthy's name. I don't think everyone is that happy with these away performances at home they get the job done but if reading had scored would we've crumbled and conceded more as we wouldn't have tried to score more. I'm sure I'll get plenty of down arrows but I thought reading looked like a Burley Ipswich team some slick passing and good attacks just need a finish which they didn't look like having just like when we had naylor and scowcroft up top. Any how we got 3 points so this season can trundle on not knowing where we're going to end up position wise and manager wise.

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scumbuster added 18:06 - Dec 16 It 18.05 and onky 14 comments....that means we have won...
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TractorBeezer added 18:08 - Dec 16 Essex Tractor. I agree. Most fans understand that he has limited resources but were irritated by many of his comments and setting the team up to merely defend e.g. v Lincoln. He has made some good goal scoring signings this season and has toned down the interviews. If he keeps that up his relationship with fans will continue to improve.
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The_Romford_Blue added 18:10 - Dec 16 Town are scoring, all around us Ipswich singing, having fun It's the season for laughing at the inbreds Merry Christmas Norwich Scum!
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Wussinwhiteboots added 18:10 - Dec 16 Cat, I don't think there is much "Stand and deliver" attitude in the current side, perhaps you were thinking of another catchphrase from a famous Dick..... Ooooh you are awful, but I like you!!
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Geddis78 added 18:12 - Dec 16 Good solid performance. They had plenty of possession but I can't recall Bart making a save second half and we had one off the line plus Spence nearly scored a wondergoal. Someone thought Reading a poor side?! Played good football and full of premier league footballers so make no mistake, this was an excellent win. COYB!
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Scuzzer added 18:27 - Dec 16 Possesion....as proved in the PL....adds up to diddly squat. We were never under the cosh at any point in that game today. We could have had more goals today....with only a fraction of possession. We are winning, the games are 100% better than last year....I'm happy.
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itfcbam added 18:28 - Dec 16 What does it take to get bums on seats? We are a free scoring team, 1 of the top scorers in the league, hit 4 in our last home game and in that game played excellent football. Given the budgets etc we are far exceeding where we should be. Yet some would have you believe we apparently have the 'worst manager manager in the world'! Surely if we did we would be well below where we should be not above.

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heathen66 added 18:42 - Dec 16 Another good 3 points and some great performances from Connelly (motm) Waghorn, Garner and Webster. We gave away a lot of possession and were undone 3 or four times in the first half but held out, but in the 2nd half contained them well with Reading not being allowed to get a foothold in the game like they did first half. In fairness the entertainment was not brilliant, but pleasant and acceptable and of course winning helps. It is a concern that there was <14k there today but I am unsure what was expected the week before Christmas. A friend of mine went to the Forest Game and bought 4 tickets for £37, however one of those seats today cost him £40. People have been dished up turgid uninspiring football for the last 2-3 years, so it will take more that a couple of decent results to get them back full time. Unfortunately when people give up their STs they fined something else to do on a Saturday, and then need persuading to give that up in order to come back. There is a time and a place for counter attacking football, but not always. Today was one of them and we got what we deserved...COYB

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Cloddyseedbed added 18:44 - Dec 16 Good result and some exciting moments in the game especially in the 1st half. Although we had little possession in the match stats I felt we were the better team. In the 1st half we pressed their defence and gave them little time on the ball, it was inevitable they would make mistakes and they did. When they did we attacked well, Connolly's goal was well taken and deserved. His current form is pleasing and is a box to box worker so ticks all Mm's boxes. He also seems to have goals in him and gets forward well. He wouldn't be a bad permanent signing. What a menace Garner is, an absolute nightmare to play against and took his opportunity well. Waghorn once again strong in the tackle, eye for a pass and shot, great partner for Garner up front or when he drops deeper to take the ball on. Celina, moments of skill and pace but I still think he can do more, same to be said for Ward. Skuse did his job well again today and i felt he was missed when replaced with Bru for the 2nd half. In the 2nd half we did not close down their defenders as quickly and Reading played a lot of possession football but it got them nowhere, credit to a well marshalled defence for a change. Spence had a good game today but for me Knudsden still goes awol and allows crosses into the box too easily, maybe I'm being too harsh but that's my thoughts. When we press high into opponents half we look menacing all the time and likely to score. When we sit back and let teams come at us we encourage them to do just that and they become more confident. Had reading of scored with 10 minutes to go i think there would have been a lot of worried supporters around the ground. As it was we looked comfortable at 2-0. The crowd was very disappointing today, but it is near Christmas and crowd usually drops off then. The chickens I feel are now coming home to roost though, you put season tickets up after the fans have suffered an awful season with awful football and nil entertainment. Combined with total lack of respect for an FA cup run for the club and fans. Combined with altering the age at which OAP's discounts cut in. These 3 things are what lost high numbers of fans coming to watch and support the club. They felt humiliated by the club and many had been coming for decades. These fans are not easily lost but a culmination of many things pushed them too far. The challenge is for the club to get them back, good luck with that one. Lower season ticket prices next season will be a start. Re-look at the OAP discounts. The football is sometimes far better this season with the attacking options. Just lacks consistency. One good game, one poor game. Sort that out and our season could be interesting. Good gesture at 67 minutes for a great man dick Parker, RIP. Condolences to his family.

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