Yakou Meite’s header six minutes from time prevented the Blues from claiming the first win of the Paul Lambert era as Town and Reading drew 2-2 at the Madejski Stadium. Gwion Edwards volleyed the Blues in front on five as the game got off to a frenetic start, Meite levelled with his first of the afternoon for the home side two minutes later before Sears restored Town’s lead on 11. Reading improved after the break with Meite sealing a share of the spoils on 84 with his second of the game.

Lambert named an unchanged XI and bench with the Blues lining up in the 4-3-3 system they employed in the 1-1 draw with Preston last week.

Reading made one change with Sam Walker dropping to the bench, Anssi Jaakkola, back after injury, having been preferred in goal to the one-time Town season ticket holder.

Following the Last Post and a minute’s silence, with the game the Royals’ Remembrance Day fixture, the Blues, wearing their all orange away strip, started on the front foot as heavy rain poured down.

And in the fifth minute they went in front. Jonas Knudsen’s long throw from the left was half-cleared to the edge of the box from where Edwards volleyed home his fourth goal of the season.

But the lead lasted only two minutes. With the rain by now falling even more heavily, Sam Baldock chased a ball down the left, just reaching it at the touchline. The ex-MK Dons man did well to get it back into the box where Meite hooked from behind him past Bartosz Bialkowski at the near post.

However, parity was similarly short-lived with the Blues restoring their lead in the 11th minute.

From a goalkick Bialkowski punted the ball down the middle and Sears profited from some woeful defending before taking it into the area and confidently beating Jaakkola for his second goal of the season and of the two-game Lambert era.

Two minutes later Mo Barrow was shown the game’s first yellow card for a dive as Cole Skuse pulled out of a challenge on the edge of the Town box with the game continuing at its early frantic pace, although with the rain having subsided slightly.

Town remained in control as the game passed the 20-minute mark, confidently keeping possession of the ball while on occasion also looking to get it forward quickly for central striker Jordan Roberts or Sears to chase.

They started to carve out further chances as the home crowd started to make their frustrations known, particularly with keeper Jaakkola for regularly finding touch with his kicks.

Skuse twice had efforts blocked following a corner, then in the 22nd minute Roberts came very close to his first Town goal after flicking Flynn Downes’s cross from the right across goal towards the corner of the net but Jaakkola somehow got down to it to paw it past the post.
"In the aftermath of the corner Edwards shot wide, then in the 24th minute the Welshman was just unable to reach Knudsen’s low cross from the left at the far post.

On 28 Downes sent over a corner from the left which skipper Luke Chambers headed wide with the similarly unmarked Roberts behind him in a better position to nod home.

Meite headed straight at Bialkowski on the half-hour mark while claiming rather hopefully he had been fouled, much to the annoyance of Chambers who hauled him up off the floor.

But Town were still on top, controlling the game in a manner they rarely have this season. On 38 a Roberts shot was blocked by Jaakkola after Skuse had played him into the right of the area.

As the half entered its final few minutes Barrow was in danger of picking up his second yellow card for fouls on Jordan Spence and general stroppiness towards referee Darren Bond.

But it was Blues skipper Chambers next to be shown a card as the half entered three minutes of injury time for a foul on Meite on halfway with the Reading man fortunate to avoid a card himself for his reaction.

Neither side threatened again before the break with the whistle met by boos from the home fans and cheers from the 1,887 Town following delighted by their team’s first-half display.

The Blues were well worth their lead after putting in what’s probably their best 45 minutes of the season. Having got on top early on they got their noses in front following a very positive start, they then seemed seemed unruffled by Reading’s quick equaliser before swiftly grabbing their second of the game.

From there they had chances to make it 3-1 and a second Blues goal might well have been enough to end the hopes of a Royals side looking frustrated and low on confidence.

Reading manager Paul Clement swapped Andy Rinomhota for Garath McCleary ahead of the second half and after an evenly balanced early spell Reading came close to an equaliser.

Town were unable to clear a corner and the ball eventually fell to Barrow at the back of the six-yard box but Bialkowski reacted superbly to thwart the former Swansea man at close range.

At the other end, Roberts seized on some hesitancy between John O’Shea and Jaakkola and for a brief moment looked to have won the ball until the keeper pounced on it.

But Reading had been in control since the break with the Blues only occasionally able to get forward. Presumably with that in mind, Roberts was switched for Kayden Jackson in the 60th minute, the ex-Crawley man given a warm ovation by his supporters as he left the field.

Town began to make more of an impact going forward, Sears hitting a shot which was deflected behind before the ex-West Ham man sent Jackson away on the left. However, the summer signing from Accrington chose to cut back and was unable to find a team-mate when a shot was probably a better option.

As the game moved towards its final quarter of an hour the Blues began get back on top, showing more control in their play than earlier in the half and with Jackson causing a few early problems to the Royals’ defence, which had hardly looked a well-drilled outfit throughout.

On 75 Spence did well to bring the ball into the area from the right before hitting a shot which Jaakkola blocked.

After Chambers had made an important challenge on Barrow on the right of the Blues’ box, Reading replaced O’Shea with one-time Town trialist John Swift.

With Reading increasingly pushing men forward, Edwards sent Jackson away into space running in on goal in the 78th minute but Tyler Blackett did well to get across to take the ball away from the pacy frontman.

Sears, back to being a key man under Lambert, was replaced by Danny Rowe with eight minutes remaining and was warmly applauded off by the Town support. Soon after Reading swapped Liam Kelly for Marc McNulty.

With six minutes remaining the Royals equalised for the second time. Leandro Bacuna sent over a deep cross from the left and Meite, who hadn’t been tracked, headed past Bialkowski at the far post.

Spence was booked for a foul on Barrow with the home side now having momentum and their fans behind them.

The Blues were were forced to defend resolutely to see out four minutes of injury time, although the Royals might have won it when the ball was cut back to Baldock but his shot from the edge of the box arced deep into the stand behind the goal.

Moments later, referee Bond’s whistle ended an entertaining contest which Town will feel should have been the first victory of the Lambert era.

They were made to rue failing to take their chances in the first half with the Royals unlikely to have come back had it been 3-1 at the break. As it was, Reading were the better team in the second half even if they didn’t create too many chances.

Manager Lambert will be unhappy with the Reading equaliser with Knudsen appearing to have lost his man leaving Matthew Pennington, who may also feel he should have dealt with the cross, with two players at the far post, the second of whom was able to nod home.

While the result was ultimately disappointing, Town played as well as they have for a while in the first half and the two displays and draws under Lambert have shown an improvement and will have given fans some hope that their side can climb out of the relegation zone despite their current parlous position.

The Blues, who remain bottom still five points behind the four sides above them, are next in action against West Brom in a live Sky game on Friday 23rd November.

Reading: Jaakkola, Yiadom, O’Shea (Swift 77), Moore (c), Blackett, Rinomhota (McCleary 46), Bacuna, Kelly (McNulty 83), Barrow, Meite, Baldock. Unused: Gunter, Aluko, Ilori, Walker.

Town: Bialkowski, Spence, Chambers (c), Pennington, Knudsen, Skuse, Downes, Chalobah, Edwards, Sears (Rowe 82), Roberts (Jackson 60). Unused: Gerken, Donacien, Dozzell, Edun, Lankester. Referee: Darren Bond (Lancashire). Att: 14,952 (Town: 1,887).

Photo: Pagepix

BraveDave added 19:05 - Nov 10 Yes, the result was ultimately frustrating, and we should have finished them off first half, but that performance today was anything but relegation. We looked so comfortable and classy in the first half - Skuse was playing some beautiful 50 yard passes, Freddie was full of confidence, Chambers and the rest of the defence were in complete control. The wins are not far away, but we just need to keep in touch with those around us until we can bring a couple in. Great to see the fans stay behind and applaud the team, and PL showing his clear appreciation of the support - from where we were a couple of weeks ago, things are looking so much more positive. There are those on here who still want to talk down the side, but if the rest of us stick together, we will get there. COYB!

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TimmyH added 19:29 - Nov 10 Strange very quiet on here tonight...maybe everybody's getting fed up of draws!...at least a mention from the people who went wouldn't go a miss?...was the 1st half as good as Lambert is saying?
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BlueWax added 19:36 - Nov 10 Dissboy. I usually write my own stuff but no need as you are spot on! Anyone thinking we are already down best think again...come on let's not let Lamby down after all the positive vibes and energy he has already brought to the club!
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herfie added 19:38 - Nov 10 For PL and his coaching team to get that first half level of performance out of the lads, in only two weeks, represents a minor miracle - given where he started from (think Leeds and QPR etc). It should be benchmarked as the minimum standard required for future matches; and should go a long way to improve confidence and belief. The quality and ability exists, even if confidence when under pressure remains a tad fragile. But that, too, will improve as will the ability to impose ourselves over 90+ minutes, and see games out when in front. I don't see a ‘doom and gloom' scenario, with only one inebitable outcome. PL will also be assessing the squad's individual strengths and weaknesses - for me in both full back areas (lack of consistency) as January approaches. But his public comments and praise are exactly right.

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Dissboyitfc added 20:01 - Nov 10 Timmy that was a very good first 45 and I would say better than any Ipswich performance in a very long while. Think we will win more than we lose playing like that. We did look like we could score a few in that first half. We weren't bad in the second half but we did run out of steam! Plenty of reasons to get behind the team and forget all this talk of were doomed. Let's give our team all we have and they will give us all they have. Will be interesting to see how the team comes on after a 2 week break.

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IpswichT62OldBoy added 20:21 - Nov 10 We look better with every game under PL. We won't be relegated.
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budgieplucker added 20:25 - Nov 10 Paul Lambert will hopefully prove to be the best thing that has happened to this football club in the last decade. Young players will get opportunities and the club will only improve in strength. Whether we start next season in the Championship or not remains to be seen on the results. For the time being if performances of the last two matches set the scene then hopefully we can strongly buy into the brand and ethos of this current management team and look forward to some good entertaining matches. I think January may well be about getting some good experienced loans in from the premiership (not priemership youngsters) this may though mean we have to cancel a couple of the existing loans (like McCarthy did with Massimi Loungo who looked useful) to make room. Hopefully Flynn Downes will go from strength to strength and we may get Emyr Huws back into the first team for the second half of the season. I can only see bright things under the right management and should the unthinkable happen then under the right guidance we can return at the first attempt. My only fear would be that Mr Lambert has an escape clause in his contract and looks to move on!! This division is a tough one though but 3 decent recruits in the January transfer window will go along way to giving us a good chance of surviving and the catalyst for building something more permanent with a robust frame work to take us forward. Sadly though it looks that money was wasted on the Shrewsbury lads and Kayden Jackson. I do though think Jon Nolan could prove eventually to be a good acquisition but I haven't seen anything in Jackson or Nsiala to suggest that they are going to be able to provide decisive contribution to this campaign."”

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SheptonMalletBlue added 20:36 - Nov 10 Lovely to see Freddie getting back to his best. Brilliant save from Bart second half!👊
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cat added 20:39 - Nov 10 Agree with your earlier post Dissboy, throwing in the towel in early November shows nothing more than a quitters mentality, let's hope Bellew has a bit more fight about him later otherwise he might as well stay in the dressing room. I'm very much on the positivity train, specially with P.L. on board, point away from home ain't bad, even more pleasing when the team decides to turns up for the second week running, just need to start winning at home. Talking about bravery, courage and showing a bit fight, it's a special day tomorrow, makes you proud to be British! 🇬🇧 ✌️

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TomIpswich added 20:57 - Nov 10 Grant Holt would do a good job for us up top
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runningout added 20:59 - Nov 10 Going to be a NON boring season this one
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Dissboyitfc added 21:01 - Nov 10 Cat agree with you, winning and losing is sometimes decided before you enter the sporting arena, whatever the sport. There is no room for negativity. People will say 1 win in 17 to that I say 15 were under hurst. Already looking a totally different team!
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blueboy1981 added 21:08 - Nov 10 ....... just a reminder folks - two games further down the line, and we are still 5 points adrift of the team above us. Optimism is one thing - staring reality in the face of fact that we still cannot win, is another, whilst games continue to count down. Fancy an easy chance of a win against West Brom, after they made easy work of Leeds today .... ?? The chance of a win doesn't get much easier than the past two games we've had. No one gives up hope this early - but do the maths and you'll see that nothing short of a monumental miracle will save us. I maintain my stance that a major turn around will just have to happen, or else.

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blueboy1981 added 21:10 - Nov 10 Felstow1978 ........ what a sad person ?
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alfromcol added 21:24 - Nov 10 TimmyH Yes it was, totally outplayed Reading with fast pace, passing football. Pass and move - we haven't seen that for a while
4

BonchosBicycle added 21:44 - Nov 10 Looks like we're back where we were in August / September. Playing OK but unable to get a result.
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warktheline added 21:44 - Nov 10 Lambert's positivity is infectious, now I'm not saying that's gonna be enough come May, but God damn the ‘long road to possible redemption' is surely to be a much more ‘mirthful experience'! I took my son to watch Hemel Hempstead this afternoon and at my first glance onto Bet365, gleefully showed him ‘1-2' and went into ‘lengthy' detail on how the ‘long term' prospects of ‘my beloved' might ‘eventually' be about to change! Draws won't stop the bookies relegation favourites from the drop, that we all know ( I said as much after Lambert's first game in charge ) but ‘by Jove I think Lambert's got it'! An International break ( very convenient ) will give the ‘anti-Norwich' ( Does Lambert hold a vendetta? ) extra time to undo the ‘hapless' past mistakes! Let's see what unfolds thereafter, undoubtedly Lambert has set his sights on the ‘long haul', this weeks ‘meetings' with Ipswich legends emphasises ‘empathy' towards all that is Ipswich Town FC! Now that isn't something to be ‘sniffed' at !!!! Unity has a better chance of ‘survival' than division, time isn't on Lambert's side but time is what he should be given ‘by all' come what may, next May!!!

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loyal_Blue added 22:01 - Nov 10 Was at the game, best first half performance I have seen in for what seems forever. Could have and should have won that game in the first 30 minutes, could have easily been 4-1 up. Skuse was playing like Pirlo switching the play, controlling everything. PL has already stamped his style on the team, high press is there for all to see and I haven't seen us create as many chances as I did today. Signs of big improvement, seem to lack the fitness at the moment which a international break can sort out. We will be fine

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Taricco_Fan added 23:03 - Nov 10 Lambert is having a very positive impact on the players and club in general. I just hope that history doesn't look back on his appointment as being three games too late. In a perverse way, the Swansea win could have been counter-productive as it gave Hurst a stay of execution. Installing Lambert during the last international break could have given us a better points haul during this run of 'winnable' games. All 'if's and 'buts'. I am concerned that the points-per-game we need to achieve to hit the 45-50 point mark is a very tough ask given that we haven't beaten any lower half team we've faced thus far. On the plus side, Bolton look abject and Rotherham will be in the bottom three soon enough. We should finish above both of them. We just need to keep plugging away and hope that another team goes on a stinking run. Many positive signs to cling on to, though. Lambert has quickly assessed the squad and settled on his first eleven, made us tougher to beat and found some goals. The basics that should give us hope.

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RoyalAscotBlue added 23:11 - Nov 10 Best 45 minutes I've seen us play in a long long time. Special mentions for Skuse, Downes & Sears. In the second half Reading upped their game, and we ran out of steam. If we continue to play like that though we will not be relegated and I cannot understand why anybody on here would have given up already. I'd like to see Dozzell in the team though, instead of Chalobah.

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hulltractor added 07:49 - Nov 11 I Really don't get the negativity on here. PL has had two games in charge and already the team is playing far better than I have seen in many a year. He has taken over a sinking ship and he cant be expected to turn that around in two games. Playing like we did yesterday especially in the first half and we will win more games this season than we will lose. Don't forget that you have to steady a sinking ship before saving it.

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planetblue_2011 added 09:05 - Nov 11 Bit gutted at drawing 2-2 after such a good first half. Reading sounding poor felt we should of won but then again it isn't a loss & we are playing much better, just hope we can start turning a draw into a win. It's gonna be so tough to get out of this relegation battle. Think Lambert can do it but need to start winning. We need to start seeing games out or getting the killer goal. COYB keep it up.

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Dissboyitfc added 09:25 - Nov 11 i could understand the negativity if we were 5 points adrift with 3 games to go, but its not 3 games left its 27 and another 40 or so points is very doable with virtually 6 months of the season left! getting behind the team is the only we can help! negativity on the other hand will not help! lets be the 12th man. We can do WBA, we always play better against the better teams. COYB's

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Dissboyitfc added 10:10 - Nov 11 With several players looking like new signings and Hughes to come back our loanees to come back in Jan we do have reason to be optimistic. I have a gut feeling that Andre could be sold to fund new signings, similar situation to Dyer leaving. But I do have faith in Lambert to get the right people in. The most obvious signing for me is a centre forwrad.
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ChrisFelix added 10:13 - Nov 11 Now I have seen the 2nd Reading goal Pennington had 2 players to mark.Knudson stood about 10 feet away watching
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