Yet another woeful Town display saw a 4,000 strong following return to Suffolk after a defeat to Reading and pondering which manager might be capable enough of turning the club around. Town were two-down after a disastrous first 45 minutes for the team as a whole and for Andy Marshall in particular. A second half fightback was halted when Pablo Couñago was shown a red card.

Tony Mowbray named a 4-4-2 line-up with a familiar look about it. John McGreal came back after injury and joined Mark Venus at the centre of defence. Hermann Hreidarsson and Chris Makin were at full-back while Jamie Clapham, Matt Holland, Jim Magilton and Darren Ambrose made up the midfield. Pablo Couñago and Marcus Bent started up front.

The game started and the ball was in the Town net within a minute. Forster picked up possession from a poor McGreal clearance and took the ball forward. The striker might have had a good opportunity to score but Anthony Rougier took the chance instead and beat Marshall, unfortunately for Reading, having come from an offside position.

Neither side was having too many good opportunities in the early stages, Magilton and Clapham both hit early shots which failed to threaten, while Matthew Upson had an effort deflected over at the other end.

Town's best chance in the early stages came on 14 when Couñago turned a Mark Venus freekick goalwards. The Spaniard failed to get hold of the ball properly, but still brought a save from Hahnemann in the Reading goal.

Reading had an even better chance a minute later. Rougier breezed past Clapham on the Town left and sent in a low cross towards a number of players. Shorey was on hand to turn the ball straight at Andy Marshall who deflected it away.

However, a Reading goal cam just before the half hour. Rougier, proving a real thorn in the side of Town, took a freekick on the Royals' right. The ball swung in and Nicky Forster beat Andy Marshall to the ball, heading home. While Marshall once again came and missed no Town defender followed the scorer as the ball came across.

The goal was symptomatic of the disorganisation at the back with the defence's confidence in the keeper and communication looking almost non-existent.

Only seconds after the Reading goal Town, in the unlikely form of Chris Makin, had an opportunity of their own. The full-back broke through on the right and hit a shot which was saved by Hahnemann.

A minute later Mark Venus hit a freekick from a few yards outside the area straight at a wall, a kick which had been moved ten yards forward after some dissent from the home defence.

Town were rarely at their best in the first half, although Matt Holland did come close with a header from a deep Clapham cross on 32, Hahnemann again saving well.

There was a lucky escape for the Blues in the 39th minute after the ball clearly struck Mark Venus on the hand as he shadowed the ball back into the penalty area with Forster in attendance.

A Reading second came in the 40th minute and it was Forster again who was to strike. The former Brentford and Birmingham man ran onto a long ball forward and must have noticed Andy Marshall inexplicably out of his goal well to the left. The striker hit the ball first time from 25 yards, giving the stranded Marshall no chance at all. Another thoroughly poor goal to concede.

As many Blues' supporters disappeared to the very crowded concourse, Hreidarsson hit a shot into the sidenetting before the whistles went and the now obligatory boos began.

The only change at half-time was the replacement of the anonymous Marcus Bent with Alun Armstrong. Town began to play their best football of the game, without ever really firing on all cylinders.

Holland and Ambrose both hit shots which were saved by Hahnemann with ease, but the creation of any chances at all was an improvement on the first period.

On 54 Jamie Clapham received a yellow card for an uncharacteristically physical challenge on Murty on the Town left flank.

The Blues were looking like the might at least pull a goal back and on 56 Ambrose ought to have done better with his cross as he broke away on the right. As it was the keeper had little trouble with his ball to the near post.

Referee Curson was annoying home fans by refusing to stop the game after a succession of their players went down injured with seemingly minor complaints. Town fans, equally fed-up with earlier interruptions, had urged their players not to return throw-ins to the home side, scenting a bit of gamesmanship.

However, a Town goal wasn't long in coming. Clapham was fouled 25 yards out after a previous freekick had been cleared. Venus and Ambrose stood over the ball readying themselves and the youngster sent it high and hard into the top left of Hahnemann's net off the underside of the bar.

Town were well and truly back in it and another goal did not look inconceivable, particularly when Armstrong almost got in on a deep cross, Adie Williams seeing the ball back to his keeper, with some claims he was using his hand.

Williams was at the centre of the incident which ended the Town fightback. The Reading defender and Couñago had been involved in a couple of rows earlier in the game, but on 66 it boiled over. With the ball gone Forster kicked out at the Spaniard, his studs catching him on the thigh. Couñago, as a couple of times earlier reacted, and pushed Williams in the chest and the defender crashed to the ground.

The referee came over and while Couñago indicated where he had been kicked showed the Town striker the red card. Williams avoided any censure much to the annoyance of Matt Holland, Hermann Hreidarsson and others who surrounded him. The linesman, who must have seen what had happened, started to make his way onto the field but was not consulted by referee Curson and went back to his line.

With the crowd still discussing the red card, Forster completed his lat-trick, outpacing Venus on the Town left and hitting a low shot past Marshall who was given little chance by his defence, once again torn apart by pace.

The late stages saw Armstrong hit a shot which Hahnemann failed to hold which Makin almost rebounded home, but other than that there was little to suggest a Town goal.

Once again Town were beaten by opposition who realistically are a side who need to be beaten if the Blues are to get anywhere near the promotion places. The game was all too familiar to those who have watched Town away recently. The defence again failed to cope with anyone who had any pace while the lack of communication and confidence in the keeper was very evident.

Marshall again was at fault on goals in a season which is quickly turning into a bit of a nightmare for him. Only the lack of a fit, experienced deputy must be keeping him in the side.

Little was created in the midfield while up front Bent was his usual less than imposing self and didn't gel with Couñago. The Spaniard was stupid in the sending off incident, although Williams ought to have also seen red in the same incident.

Talk around the pubs and clubs of town will inevitably move to the identity of the new manager. Tony Mowbray's cause may have been done irreparable harm by today's display, certainly down there with the Grimsby debacle.

Whoever the new man is, he'll have to do an amazing job to turn a side playing as badly as this into promotion candidates.

Photo: Action Images

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