Town’s 62-year stay in the top two divisions looks to be over after a 2-1 defeat to Reading saw the gap to safety extend to 12 points plus goal difference with only 11 to play. Nelson Oliveira’s 19th-minute opener gave the Royals a half-time lead before sub Gwion Edwards gave the Blues hope on 83 but Modou Barrow claimed the visitors’ second away win of the season and their first since September in the final minute.

James Collins and Teddy Bishop returned to the Town line-up with Jonas Knudsen suspended and Will Keane injured.

Collins, who had been out for five games with a hamstring problem, returned to the Blues’ defence for Knudsen with manager Paul Lambert, who was serving the second game of his two-match touchline ban, sticking with a three-man backline.

Trevoh Chalobah and Jon Nolan were in deeper midfield roles with Alan Judge and Bishop, who missed the draw at Wigan last Saturday as he had been ill earlier in the week, starting ahead of them behind lone striker Collin Quaner.

Reading fielded the same team which drew 1-1 at home to fellow strugglers Rotherham a week ago.

There was a late change of referee with Geoff Eltringham from County Durham in charge rather than Darren England who was initially slated to cover the fixture.

On 12 Tyler Blackett was yellow-carded for handball then a minute later, much to the delight of the home fans, be-masked on-loan Norwich striker Oliveira joined him in the book for an obvious dive after Bartosz Bialkowski had pulled out of a challenge in the area on the byline as the ball went out of play.

In the 15th minute Jon Nolan sent Quaner away down the right after a Reading attack had broken down. The German was breaking towards goal when the linesman’s flag was raised.

Town, watched by a crowd of 23,009, looked to be getting up a head of steam but in the 19th minute they went behind. Garath McCleary was sent away behind the Blues’ backline on the left and cut the ball back to Oliveira, who had held his run, and the Portuguese frontman had little problem in finding the net.

Olivera, already booked, celebrated in front of the Sir Bobby Robson Stand and was subsequently spoken to by referee Eltringham but wasn’t shown a further card.

The Royals weren’t far from a second in the 26th minute when one-time Blues trialist John Swift curled a shot wide from distance on the left.

On 32 Swift hit a low shot from the edge of the box which gave Bialkowski no problem, then a minute later Meite’s overhead kick was too close to the Town keeper to trouble him.

Town were seeing a fair amount of the ball but without being able to create a serious chance. On 36 Judge volleyed wide from 25 yards, then a minute later Royals skipper Liam Moore was booked for pulling down Quaner as the striker broke away in the Reading half.

There was a lucky escape for the Blues in the 38th minute when McCleary was sent away down the left into the space behind wing-back James Bree and to the right of skipper Luke Chambers but rather fortunately shot across the face and wide.

The Blues, who had struggled to settle into their system at both ends of the field, were forced into a substitution a minute later when Collins, who had been out for five games prior to the match and who had suffered a heavy late challenge earlier in the match, was replaced by Toto Nsiala.

Reading keeper Emiliano Martinez saved low from Judge on 42, then two minutes later the Blues should have levelled with their best move of the game.

Quaner did well to take down Kenlock’s long ball forward after a Town freekick had been cleared, then burst into the area on the right before cutting across to Bishop, who moved it on to Nolan to his left, but the former Shrewsbury man’s shot was somehow kept out by Martinez.

Town just about bundled a Reading corner from the left wide seconds before referee Eltringham ended two minutes of additional time.

It had been a struttering first-half performance from the Blues who never hit the level of their display prior to the red card at Wigan, although while still having one or two decent moments.

Nolan’s late chance was the best of them and the midfielder will feel he really should have been celebrating his third goal of the season.

Reading had looked the more dangerous side having created the better chances with Town not always appearing comfortable with their system, particularly at the back.

Town, desperately needing to win the fixture with half-time scorelines elsewhere also going against them, made a double change at the break with Cole Skuse and Edwards replacing Chalobah and Bree as the Blues moved to a four-man backline with Pennington at right-back.

The formation change was little surprise given the problems Town had had with their first-half system.

The Blues began to look more of a threat, Quaner made a strong run across the edge of the box but failed to find Judge with his pass, then on 55 the Irishman was sent away on the left by a superb Nsiala ball and struck a shot which Martinez saved.

The rebound bounced out to the former Brentford man who appeared to be manhandled out of the way as he looked to get in a second shot but referee Eltringham waved away Town’s protests.

Pantomime villain Oliveira departed in the 58th minute having pulled a hamstring, Nsiala having picked up an unfortunate yellow card with the linesman seeing him as the cause of the Reading striker’s fall rather than his injury. Oliveira was replaced by Modou Barrow.

Town continued to press, Skuse shooting just over on the hour mark, then Judge just getting crowded out as he chased a ball down the middle. On 65 Nolan was booked for a late challenge on Matt Miazga.

In the 68th minute, soon after Bishop had unsuccessfully claimed a penalty as he broke into the area on the left, the Blues went close to a fortunate equaliser when Andy Yiadom inadvertently diverted an Edwards cross from the right towards his own goal but Martinez clawed it away from his line. Kenlock sought to get on to the rebound but the ball was bundled behind.

On 74 Judge whipped over a freekick from the right which Bishop flicked on and Martinez saved ahead of Nsiala, who was breaking in at the far post.

The Blues had found openings harder to come by as the game entered its final 10 minutes but on 83 they levelled. After a ball into the box had been half-cleared to the edge of the box, Skuse looped it back in, Quaner flicked wide and Edwards slammed home from close range.

The Welshman’s fifth goal of the season gave the Blues, both on the field and off it, renewed hope going into the final minutes.

However, any momentum from the goal was temporarily nullified as Reading won a number of freekicks with players going down requiring treatment, Edwards picking up a yellow card for one of the transgressions.

Quaner won a freekick to the left of goal after he was felled following a strong break forward on 88 but Judge’s curling effort flew over.

But in the final minute of scheduled time, just prior to the fourth official showing a board indicating six additional minutes, Reading regained the lead.

Meite got the better of Nsiala just inside the Town half and fed Barrow, who beat Chambers as he broke into the area on the left and slipped the ball past the advancing Bialkowski. The Reading players celebrated wildly with their fans, a number of them leaping the hoarding to join them in the stand.

Town looked for what was now an unlikely comeback in injury time with Nsiala pressed forward as an additional frontman and they went close to levelling again twice in quick succession.

First Martinez, who made a number of crucial saves during the game, brilliantly tipped over Edwards’s strike from the edge of the box, then Chambers headed wide from a few feet out after Nsiala had flicked on when the skipper will feel he should have scored.

Deep in injury time Quaner nodded wide at the near post but referee Eltringham’s whistle brought the game to a close moments later with Town having lost another of their must-win home games, something which has been all too common this season.

After manager Lambert made a bold double change at half-time and switched his system, the Blues were on the front foot for much of the half but with the final ball lacking quality all too often, while Martinez in the Reading goal made a number of vital saves when chances did come.

Edwards’s equaliser gave the Blues hope of grabbing a late win but in the end Reading caught them with a sucker punch - the second time in two games Town had to claim three points which was harsh on Town who probably deserved a point from the match.

But even that wouldn’t have been enough for the Blues with Rotherham beating Blackburn 3-2 at the New York Stadium.

The gap to safety - and indeed to third bottom - is now 12 points plus goal difference with 11 matches left to play and is surely insurmountable, particularly with the Blues having a tough run-in, starting with next week’s visits to West Brom and Bristol City.

Town: Bialkowski, Pennington, Collins (Nsiala 40), Chambers (c), Bree (Edwards 46), Chalobah (Skuse 46), Kenlock, Nolan, Judge, Bishop, Quaner. Unused: Gerken, Jackson, Downes, Dozzell.

Reading: Martinez, Yiadom, Miazga, Moore, Blackett, Ejaria (Loader 89), Baker, Meite, Swift, McCleary (Harriott 80), Oliveira (Barrow 58). Unused: Walker, Gunter, O’Shea, McShane. Referee: Geoff Eltringham (County Durham). Att: 23,009 (Reading 1,495).

Photo: TWTD

Bluefish11 added 20:27 - Mar 2 Ed Sheeran, instead of building a pitch in your garden, how about owning a club? Come and do an Elton with Ipswich! We want a fan as an owner, not someone who really does not care, as evidenced by numerous decisions over the years! We will even sing your songs on terraces!
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tearsofthetown added 20:30 - Mar 2 It`s a very sad day. I hope that we don`t drop down, but i feel that we are going to. I`m sorry but, what i saw in the first half was truly dire. We are knackered by injuries, which seems to be problematic with the Town, and this seems to occur with predictive regularity in recent seasons. The gates are about to plunge. A truly sad day.
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RobsonWark added 20:35 - Mar 2 Dog I don't think you can blame Marcus for this disaster. The managers that we have had has totally let us down. Roy Keane selling Jordan Rhodes for £850,000 and then so called managers playing Chambers week in week out when he was the fault for almost every goal we conceded (even though he blamed every one else around him). Get Lambert out if het keeps selecting him! We have so many young players that should be in them team starting with Woolfenden who should be in Chambers place.

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warktheline added 20:47 - Mar 2 Reality appears to have finally taken afoot! Clear out the ‘cozy gang' or for sure Lambert you'll be next walking through the exit door! Predicted Chambers assisted by Skuse was more than a likely outcome as Town's next ‘dynamic duo' .....would you bet against it, with Evans making the decision? Evans picks the managers that select the team! Evans expects his managers to buy in the ‘pound shop' or ‘borrow'! Comprendo!!!!!! Evans is the ‘humongous elephant' in the room.....but never mind he has more ‘bananas' than the rest of us! Such a pity Ipswich Town FC has continually been slipping on a ‘banana skin' for the last decade....and counting!

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Blue_Moses added 20:59 - Mar 2 First criticism of Lambert, should have gone 2 up top as soon as we went a goal down. Chambers again, how many times...
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ITFCsince73 added 21:06 - Mar 2 Robsonwark. In total agreement. Although amazingly some supporters still won't hear a bad word said about Mr Calamity. I've said many times he will go down as the poorest captain we've ever had. Hes doing a grand job of leading us down to the 3rd tier, with an embarrassing points total. No playing skills, clearly no leadership skills. But to much influence over the club for far to long. The greatest day in clubs recent history was MM leaving. We have another great day approaching. When Luke Chambers leaves the club. Can't come soon enough. And the club will not move 1” forward until that day arrives. And imo at least 2 years to late.

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Dog added 21:21 - Mar 2 I do blame Evans . It starts with him and then filters down. I fully understand why you blame Chambers - it is because he is visible and not the player he once was (not commenting on how good he was or whether he was actually good enough in the first place). The problem i have is that the majority blame the players. Like every good magic trick, if you just watch, you never see the sleight of hand. Evans has been pulling the wool for about 9 years. The debts have increased from 30 million to circa 80 million and assets sold. All very sad. I look forward to his next interview. Monks have taken longer vows of silence......

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ThaiBlue added 21:22 - Mar 2 Love this club alot shame to see us struggling but we are now going down so let's get that in context.total clear out needed to many has beens get rid now and give the young uns a go can't do any worse than what we are putting on the park week in week out.keep Lambert and the decent players and a few quid to get up then start to spend bigger if we go up.feel so sad for you fans who go week in week out must be bloody hard for you all as I see all the games in Thailand you all deserve better.

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ITFCsince73 added 21:28 - Mar 2 Wonder how many months or years it will be to have 23,000 in the ground again. The only positives I can see is major clear out of deadwood out of contract players. Signing Judge on a long term contract with club captaincy. I don't think we need a major influx of players. I think Hursts signings will be better of for this season. Apart from that a sad day, but seen it coming for as long as I can remember.

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BrettenhamBlue added 21:39 - Mar 2 Well done to Reading and Rotherham. Both teams fighting hard to avoid the drop. Unlike us.
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Lathers added 21:54 - Mar 2 This day has been coming for some time. All Mick did was delay what was always going to happen to this club under the current owner. Now Evans will finally realise that you can't dream the dream without seriously committing to your investment. I accepted we were going down a while ago, but today the reality has hurt bad. Just want the season to come to a close and the time to judge PL starts now.

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ITFCsince73 added 22:04 - Mar 2 Lathers. I think it was Bart who delayed things rather than Mick. Single handed kept us up 2 seasons.
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busterjames1 added 22:07 - Mar 2 The boy Woolfenden scored today ,So hope he will be the main stay of our defence next year .
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Seri added 22:31 - Mar 2 Im full aware I might be a lunatic, but.. I live in Norway far from PR and the everyday life with my beloved club. My only relation to ITFC is through iFollow, BBC Radio Suffolk and EADT. Off course I've been to PR several times, but I still feel a little off. Maybe that explains my weird point of view, which I know will present: I gladly take League One. I really don't care what league we're in as long as the football we play is watchable and entertaining. In my opinion there is no chance we can establish anything in Premier League in a long long time. Not with the owner we've got. Maybe if all the planets are right for us three years in a row, which is severely unlikely, we can nick a midtable finish by hoof balling or disgraceful defense minded style of play. To play against blood trimmed teams picked from the solar system and beyond? With absolutely no chance of any possession? How fun is that ? Don't mention Leicester because that won't happen again. Therefore it is as simple as this: Let's beat what's in front of us no matter who. Let's show them the 433 attacking Ipswich way and let's make it attractive to be a blue because of the football we play and entertainment factor we possess. People and players will notice and we slowly slowly attract the right types on and off the field. Marcus will enjoy it, the players and the press. Quality will gradually mount. And finally we're so damn good that Marcus will risk his fortune on us. He just can't resist it. And then we play Champions League and stamp our shiny boots on small canaries and the sun will shine on TV.

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runningout added 22:55 - Mar 2 so called senior players have to stand up and be counted. Work life has been too comfortable. Now we find ourselves in a dark place. Sleepy Ipswich will be even sleepier, although I am one who never admits gives in. Just wish or hope some who wear the sacred ITFC shirt for a living give it up and move on if you don't have true grit
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runningout added 23:00 - Mar 2 excuse my grammar. Immediate future could be interesting as we muck up better positioned teams in the run in
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dirtydingusmagee added 23:20 - Mar 2 some blame Evans,some blame the managers, Whichever camp you are in today has made it very very clear that in the 11 years of Evans ownership we have been heading in the wrong direction ,and after all that time we have amassed a team that couldnt even beat an egg. Another 10 years and our much loved and talked about statues will be gracing a Supermarket car park,i had accepted relegation this season, but we are going down without any resistance. For that reason i dont have the heart or willpower to drag myself to Portman rd, anymore im done , the hope of change when Paul Lambert got to work has evaporated, as a supporter i feel totally empty , gutted.I have from today hung up my proverbial boots. As i pass through Ipswich in future i will look as i have for 65 years at the floodlights but not with pride, but just to see if they are still there.SAD DAY .

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Zondervanromeo added 23:46 - Mar 2 Looking forward to see what they will fleece us for season tickets on early bird now in league one ! If nothing else was a buzzing Atmosphere today Cheaper tickets definitely help towards that For God sake get the pricing right
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Bluesparx added 00:52 - Mar 3 One up front never looked like it was going to work, especially when that 1 is quaner...looked like he would fall over if he had the ball for more than 5 paces, was slow to react even when the balls over the top were decent, would have gone jackson for collins to pose a better threat rather than like for like...edwards great, nolan is a pest to the opposition, liking him more and more and though judge did all he could considering , Pennington put himself a bit too, other than that thought everyone else was average at best, whole new back 4 needed i think for next season, wasnt too impressed by kenlock today

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raycrawfordswig added 00:59 - Mar 3 Ipswich sleepwalking into oblivion thanks Evans .11 years of the juggling Clown
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ArnieM added 01:05 - Mar 3 Going forward : players to build the Club around . Woolfie Lankester Bishop Dozzell Downes Nydam Nolan Edwards Morris There's probably some I've missed : But it's a start.
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Bluesparx added 01:25 - Mar 3 Players needed for league one next season that we already have (even if on loan/short contract)...gk's: bart, wright defenders; kenlock, Emmanuel, woolfenden, Pennington(wishful thinking) mids; dozzel, edwards, nolan, judge, bishop, nydam, downes, forwards/str: jackson, harrison, lankester and sears, i know hes injured for months but hes not injury prone.....cut back the dead wood (and injury prone - hence no keane) so looks like we need 1 rb, 1 cb at least, another decent winger and an experienced striker...maybe nsiala could be ok with a run of games, but seems hit and miss, no worse than chambers though...someone else here said it - give judge the armband

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ArnieM added 02:18 - Mar 3 Bart and Knudsen will both jump ship ( or we will opt to sell be cause we can't afford wages) I think we will be offloading a lot of squad players such as Ward, Emmanuel , Donacian, Spence, Sears, etc to cut wages . Those the Club decide to keep ( which looks like Chambers / Skuse) will be on vastly reduced wages and lukelybto ve squad players. Players could be useful and we opt to keep might include Harrison, Jackson, Edwards . Overall I can see a significant reduction in current playing staff and us using by and large players from our U23's squad ( much cheaper option) and already having a winning mentality ( from this season). There would less of a downward culture shock , but more of an upward culture shock , ie a step up for our youngsters to League One level , which they are likely to take in their stride better than journeyman Championship players or those players approaching end of their career . Lambert will of course continue with this current squad for another 5-6 games until it is mathematically impossible to stay up ( yes we all know we are down). But to blood many youngsters in the final few games COULD be counter productive in that their confidence could be affected going into the crucial close season, on the back of some likely hefty hidings versus teams like Sheffield utd , WBA, Leeds etc all going for promotion still. It's not worth it for the last 10 games giving some of them full 90 mins games, but to give them 20-30mins in the remains 5 games might be useful. But without a shadow of doubt Lambert and his team ARE now working on next season whilst concurrently seeing out this season. It'll be very interesting to see how / who he rebuilds this Club around going forward. Then and only then, I feel can anyone really judge Paul Lambert . What you see this season is 100% Hursts legacy !

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Minneapolis_ITFC added 02:35 - Mar 3 Realized the club had gone some time before today. Bottom line the team is nowhere near good enough to compete at the level we're at. League One will be somewhat refreshing after some 17 years of messing about in the Championship league but make no mistake about it, it's not where you'd wish to be. Imagine how long it could take to regain second league status. Not talking one season, it could be as many as four or five. The club doesn't stand a chance so long as the garbage that is Marcus Evans remains in ownership. Not going to berate the manager, realize he's in favor with a considerable number of the fanbase but seriously, look at the games involved thus far. Performances may have improved following McCarthy's and Hurst's "attempts", but the scores and losses remain consistent. Norwich apart, has Lambert achieved recognition anywhere else in terms of good work ? Even at Carrow Road that was believe short lived. Sad day for the club but in truth this was inevitable from weeks back. Poor decisions were undertaken, the club is suffering as a direct result.

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thundercat600 added 07:39 - Mar 3 Remember the "be careful what you wish for" comments from last year. MM and TC were hounded out of our club by a bunch of armchair managers who knew better than MM how to run a football team on a shoe string budget. They wanted the old Dinosaur and his side kick out to be replaced by an up and coming forward thinking young manager. So, where did that lead Ipswich Town Football club, yep, the "old dinosaur" moved on to become the manager of the Republic of Ireland national Team manager while his dynamic up and coming young manager changed out team completely resulting is a down wood spiral to oblivion and was fired, but it was to late. We are now going down to play in the 3rd level of English football. Don't expect the armchair managers to accept that their actions are the result of where the Town are today. After all, they know best do they not

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