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

1RWR added 08:01 - Mar 3 Thundercat600: Grow up!
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chalky added 08:17 - Mar 3 I agree with all that this was the defeat which finally sealed our fate. If you can't beat a mediocre team like Reading at home, then we don't deserve Championship football. As I've said before, the basic fault lies with Evans, who has transformed the club from a fine footballing outfit to a depressing bunch of loanees and other clubs' rejects. Where now is the ambition and creative thinking that once brought Arnold Muhren to the club and established one of the best youth systems in the UK ? But Lambert is not without blame. He has enough time now to at least get the team playing, and feeling comfortable with, a consistent system. To persist with this awful one up front system at home when we desperately need wins is simply unforgivable.

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markytitfc added 08:21 - Mar 3 Why hasn't PL come out and publicly criticised LUKE CHAMBERS, as he did Flynn Downes last week, for being totally and utterly at fault for both goals????? LUKE CHAMBERS HANG UP YOUR BOOTS
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wezley53 added 08:41 - Mar 3 Whatever was Chambers doing? holding his arms up and saying "after you sir" when its the last minute of the game, your the last man and you are out of the area, why the hell didnt he just take him out? He's just cost the club yet another point.
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Steve_ITFC_Sweden added 08:58 - Mar 3 Now that we are down for sure, let's give PL the chance at least next season to build his own team, without getting on his back. The support since he came has been great and this is a big positive we must take with us into L1, where we can be a relatively large fish in a small pond. Building will take time and until we can get in anyone that looks vaguely like a striker, I think we will struggle even in L1; but as I said, let's see what PL can do without (too many) loans and with an influx of our own younger players, plus, hopefully, one or two astute additions. I'm not massively hopeful, but I don't see any better alternative.

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ITFCsince73 added 09:41 - Mar 3 Thundercat. I'd take national league over MM. Get real.
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Tofat4theturnstiles added 09:42 - Mar 3 Bowser for manager! In his post-match interview, he barked about what a fabulous dog agility stadium Portman Road would be. When asked about who would get rid of all the sh*t on the pitch he did agree a number of players needed to go! Woof!
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blueboy1981 added 09:43 - Mar 3 ....... having said what I have said previously in support of both Evans, and Chambers - some criticism has to be levelled. We are plus / minus a decade of time into Evans ownership of our Club - just look at where we now are ? Some criticism is therefore justified, in whatever direction is rationable. Supporters of ITFC deserve better - as was shown yesterday by the incredible support, yet again. No apologies for saying we deserve better. As for Chambers - it has to be said that his undoubted worth to the Club, has to now be judged as far more beneficial off the pitch, than on. He is a model professional in all but his play now, only he can do something about that - but I fear his contribution on the field is only going to go in the wrong direction. Personally, I feel he is past his best and should be seriously looking at the next step in his career, in Coaching, or whatever. Chambo' - as much as I like and value you within our Club - your time has come. AS for Paul Lambert - early days still, one hell of a task he took on, but at some point he will be expected to walk the walk. He has done a commendable job of talking the talk, and galvanising the Club, and supporters. Only time will tell - with all three of the above, as we hopefully move forward.

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planetblue_2011 added 10:01 - Mar 3 Yeah definatley my lowest point of being a town fan. Yesterday could be my last game for a while it ruins the Saturday pretty much the whole weekend when you just keep seeing your team loose. And the same thing always happens Loosing to another last minute goal it is crazy. Why the team can't hold it together, just can't understand it. Oh well league one here we come an even harder league to get out of. Hopefully Kayden Jackson will have a part to play really feel sorry for the bloke not getting a run out in the team. Fans were brilliant again yesterday, we can't do no more!!! Just hope we bounce back up to the championship.

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prebbs007 added 10:05 - Mar 3 Chambers = Utter joke AGAIN Cost us in both boxes as he has ALL season. Both goals are terrible says the manager yet he keeps picking calamity Captain Worst team at ITFC EVER Evans hang your head in shame complete lack of investment in the playing staff Evans wealth £800m (top 5 in league) yet we buy bargain bucket players and sell our best Compare that to the promoted clubs during his ownership and we are used as a tax break for his business empire. Only one way to sort this out and that is for Evans to disappear... oh and take Chambers with you !!!!

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ITFCsince73 added 10:14 - Mar 3 We needed Evans and his wealth in the Championship. Not sure we'll need it as much in L1.
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blueherts added 10:18 - Mar 3 At last we had a true leader leading out our team yesterday Bowser , and it made me think of the old quote that sums up our position .It aint the size of the dog in the fight , its the size of the fight in the dog . Afraid in last few months we have shown no real fight .
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IpswichT62OldBoy added 10:47 - Mar 3 I have returned from seeing my GP. She says that if I continue to express the delusional belief, Town will avoid the drop, then she will have me Sectioned under the Mental Health Act. We are down, I accept it, today I feel numb but come May no doubt the pain will kick in.
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runningout added 10:53 - Mar 3 you can't blame a couple of ex managers smiling at our downfall. This has got to be one of the worse times in my life. Will always love em. A little tricky at the moment though
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TimmyH added 11:32 - Mar 3 Seriously did anybody call it on here that we'd be relegated in the summer?...I remember myself and Blueboy (and a few others) saying it was reckless getting all these league 1 and 2 players in and that 'Hurst had a lot of managing to do and it was a big gamble', I also remember references to the bookies that we were favourites to go down. In hindsight many supporters had an opinion at the time (last summer) after having a relatively 'passed it' manager tactically and in style at the helm for the last 5 1/2 years that we needed an up and coming youthful one but I wonder if many on here that applauded the appointment of Hurst would have done so if we knew beforehand that what quality we had would be shipped out - the term 'great business' was often posted on here (have to say probably by millennials who had played too much football manager), if it was that easy and straightforward to improve a team by doing this wouldn't struggling Premiership clubs be making wholesale changes for decent Championship players - the answer no, occasionally a top player will be bought like Maddsion to Leicester but not a whole group of them so in hindsight this 'try something new' as mentioned by Evans in a very rare interview last summer was no doubt an experiment that has gone profoundly wrong with Paul Hurst the conductor of it.

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H1960 added 11:40 - Mar 3 Sorry RobsonWark marked you down by mistake, fat fingers!
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Saxonblue74 added 11:41 - Mar 3 So confirmation of League 1 football next season. Now is the time for unity within the club and we'll be back on the front foot in no time. Change was called for and change is what we have had, far more than anticipated and for whatever reason it hasn't worked out. I could write all day about my opinions but they're unimportant. I know many Norwich fans who say, without exception, their season in league 1 was the most entertaining for years. Better than any premier season they have experienced. Let's concentrate on the positives. The vibe around PR is more positive despite looming relegation and our youth is more talented than we've seen for decades. Let's hope for success next year, pray for some better fotune and look forward with excitement for entertaining (and winning!) football.

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budgieplucker added 12:10 - Mar 3 At 4:55 yesterday we could no longer deny reality. All hope disappeared for Championship survival. The effect on me was such that for the first time I couldn't bring myself to listen to Radio Suffolk in the car on the way home from the match nor could I bare to read TWTD or the EADT until this morning. After 55 years of supporting the club I was drained I needed to relieve myself from all the negativities that were likely to surface in the immediate aftermath. Perhaps with a good nights sleep I could approach the subject in the morning with a more rational perspective. The fans were outstanding and nobody should undermine the good work that PL has done in bringing club back together these recent months and his effect on ME in terms of a number of special offers in getting the ground filled up. I don't buy into this PL criticism, he could only work with what he was given and a pretty negative set of circumstances in January to be able to strengthen and blend a team to do the improbable. For the good of the club we have to want and give him next season to prove that he can still do it. There is also a reason why we can sign quality players like Huws, Adeyemi and Keane. Part of this has been our downfall in selecting the correct experienced players to balance the first team. Yesterday was typical of so many other performances we didn't turn up for 45 minutes and despite a lot of good work in the final quarter we had no presence in the box ready to attack the ball. Despite the passionate efforts of Allan Judge our set pieces and final ball to often look weak for this level of football. The Championship is an incredibly tough and non-forgiving league. Arguably without Bart in previous seasons we could well have been plying our football at the lower level before now. Whilst, Bart cannot be blamed for any of the goals yesterday how ironic that the performance of the big pole this year has often prevented us picking up valuable points and in many cases his performances have just not been up to scratch in many appearances. It's easy to vilify Paul Hurst but he completely under estimated the strength of the Championship, a very painful learning experience for him and us in wanting a young and upcoming manager. Mistakes on the pitch are part and parcel of the game, young players in particular are more prone and at times can be forgiven as part of the learning process as Flynn Downes has had to take on board this year. However, when week in week out it is your more experienced players who keep letting you down then something has to be done when the opportunity allows it. I don't like singling people out in this respect and perhaps it is unfair to provide an example of an international defender making a hash of a header in his own box and then getting sent off for an unnecessary challenge in the very next game highlights that you will never be able to walk properly if you continually keep shooting yourself in the foot. Of course on the flip side if you make a mistake at one end you have to be clinical at the other to try and rectify it. Yesterday's game was a good game of football with a terrific atmosphere. Take an applause Gwion Edwards as you really turned the game for us alongside moving Bish back deeper to be able to pick the ball up and run at the opposition. Jon Nolan has to take the responsibility of missing that gilt edge chance at the end of the first half, he should have done better but I think Jon will do us well in Division One next year. Edwards and Nolan will prove to be good buys in the longer term. The reason Kayden Jackson didn't start was that he is way way short of Championship standard and at the moment just not good enough. Andre Dozzell a very gifted player is destined to life on the bench until he toughens up a bit, maybe that is not part of his game but despite some lovely and sublime moments whenever he plays even in the U23s does he rarely take the game by the scruff of the neck and dictate things. We must be careful that we don't return to the “young guns” promotion of a few seasons ago, PL knows and must insist of ME that we ensure we get the right blend of experience to support the young players.

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shortmarine1969 added 12:25 - Mar 3 Whats a real issue is i dont even think we will come back up , why do i say that , well ME believes we have been competitive in this league when blatantly we have not , with a further reduction in income of a reported 7 million from TV monies , there is no chance in hell the ME will pick up that shortfall and invest as well , years of chronic under investment in the 1st team playing squad have lead to this situation. The bloke is simply not prepared to put "positive" investment in the team over any money brought in and doubtfull if even that has been done over his ownership..ME is the issue and will remain so.!!!

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algarvefan added 12:31 - Mar 3 There is no doubt in my mind that we are now down, I can see no way back and Lambert is as obstinate in selecting 'his boys' as was Hurst and MM before him, something I fail to understand, Chambers was awful today as was Quaner. We need a big sit down at the end of the season but I'm afraid I do not share the opinion that PR man Lambert is the man for the job, his record before he got here was bad enough, but in all honesty we might as well have kept Hurst for all the good it has done us, we still can't score or look like scoring. I only hope that we can afford to maintain our wonderful academy. It will remain the lifeblood of the first team in the future and maybe provide future managers too. Life in Division One will be tough and some of the current youngsters will not doubt have to grow up really quickly. I know it's a big step up but when they are ready, they are ready, I wish we had promoted Nash to the first team, he knew these players and what they were capable of, I know one thing for sure, he couldn't have done worse than Hurst or Lambert. Please can we have many fewer loans and build our own squad, just look up the A12 to see how effective that has been for a certain team. Most of you expect two things, that our good young players will stay and that we will bounce straight back up. Much will depend on what happens this summer. I wish I shared your overt optimism

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ITFCsince73 added 12:44 - Mar 3 If we don't start playing the younger players, how the hell can we expect them to be ready for L1? We either finish the season giving them as many minutes as possible, or we take another route next season. Time will tell what route we're looking at. Dozzell and Downes on the bench yesterday, that needs to change ASAP.
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Saxonblue74 added 13:05 - Mar 3 Budgieplucker, thanks for your balanced and thoughtful post, agree with every word. To those of you who call this the end of life as a Town fan then shame on you. Football is about ups and downs. Go and support Man City. PL is staying next season and I am thankful for that, we're in safe hands on the managerial front.
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portmanteau added 13:06 - Mar 3 So we just bow out without so much as a whimper! I had the impression lately that the sporting press were looking to us to provide a thrilling run-in to the end of the season " plucky Ipswich give it their all but fail gloriously". Not a chance why are we not like Southampton Palace Bradford and all the others who get stuck in when the going gets tough? Sad days.
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Saxonblue74 added 13:25 - Mar 3 Blueboy1981. Your summing up of Chambo is good to see. A long and loyal servant who still has much to offer his club, more likely off it than on. Some of the poisonous personal attacks aimed at some of our players are shameful. Yes, they're beginning to fall short in the twilight years of their playing careers but memories appear short. Criticism is part and parcel of football but more structured and less of the "do one" would be good!

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ITFCsince73 added 14:03 - Mar 3 ITFC. Please, Please do not allow Chambo to take up any coaching positions at the club. He may have great advise on how painful a tattoo was. Or the best way is to lump it forward, as hard and high and aimless as possible. But a K Dyer he certainly isn't. The Wolf is doing just fine, scoring yesterday and helping to shut out a free scoring Col Utd side. The last thing he needs is advise on the art of defending from Luke Chambers.

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