Town's U18 side drew 1-1 with a very physical Reading side on Saturday morning. Liam Craig scored the Town goal on 59 minutes.

The Blues had Gerard Nash playing at centre-back, his first game for over six months after undergoing the second cruciate ligament operation of his short career.

The first real action came on 10 minutes when Ipswich goalie Shane Supple had to come and block at the feet of Liam Marum. Town cleared their lines and had an attack of their own, which resulted in Cathal Lordan striking a shot from the edge of the area straight at Ben Hamer.

Five minutes later, Scottish midfielder Fraser Beveridge had a shot from 20 yards out, which just missed the target.

On 24 minutes, Reading's Ryan Crockford was on the end of a bad tackle. He tried to carry on, but on 30 minutes he was replaced by Ahmet Rifat.

Two minutes later, Ipswich defender Chris Casement took a free-kick from inside his own half, which Liam Craig headed just wide.

On 43 minutes, Scott Davies lunged in on Ipswich defender Sammy Moore and he received a yellow card for the tackle. At half-time, Reading replaced Steve Brown with Darren Stapleton.

The next real action resulted in an Ipswich goal. Cathal Lordan had been put through and he pulled the ball back for Liam Craig, who finished well from six yards.

Immediately after the goal went in, Reading made their final change by replacing Curtis Ujah with John Mullins.

On 68 minutes, Lubomir Guentchev played in Blair Hammond, who rounded Hamer in the Reading goal, but unfortunately for Town, Hammond's shot just went wide of the post.

Three minutes later, Town made their first change by bringing on Allan Storrie for Blair Hammond. On 75 minutes, Town made a double substitution. Irish youngster Billy Clarke replacing Lubomir Guentchev and Danny Haynes replacing Fraser Beveridge.

Two minutes after the changes were made, Shane Supple had to make a fantastic save to deny Reading after a shot came in from 25 yards, and he palmed it round the post for a corner.

But two minutes later, Reading did equalise through substitute Mullins. Liam Craig had body-checked a Reading midfielder out wide. The ball came in and Mullins rose above everyone else to head home.

On 81 minutes, a bad referring decision denied Town another goal. Liam Craig had put Billy Clarke through, but Craig had been fouled after the ball had been played. Mr Williams stopped play and pulled Town back. From the resulting free-kick, Clarke hit the wall.

With two minutes to go, Danny Haynes should have won the game for Town. He was put through with the possibility of offside, but from six yards out with an advancing keeper, he pulled his shot just wide of the post.

Town: Shane Supple, Sammy Moore, James Krause, Liam Manning, Chris Casement, Gerard Nash, Cathal Lordan, Fraser Beveridge (Danny Haynes 75), Blair Hammond (Allan Storrie 71), Lubomir Guentchev (Billy Clarke 75) and Liam Craig (c). Unused subs: Jack Haverson and Darryl Knights.

Reading: Ben Hamer, Steve Brown (Darren Stapleton 45), Curtis Osano, Ryan Crockford (Ahmet Rifat 30), Curtis Ujah (John Mullins 60), Peter Castle (c), Simon Cox, Ryan Catney, Scott Rendell, Liam Marum and Scott Davies. Unused sub: Jonathan Hayes. Referee: Mr B Williams. Attendance: 50.

Photo: Action Images

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