Jon Stead scored on his debut as Ipswich beat Reading in an entertaining clash at Portman Road.
Debutant scores opener in 2-0 victory over Reading
Jon Stead scored on his debut as Ipswich beat Reading in an entertaining clash at Portman Road.
Stead, who recently joined Ipswich on loan from Sheffield United, broke the deadlock with an excellent strike from distance in the 63rd minute.
Jonathan Walters then secured the three points for Town as he headed home from Alan Quinn's cross four minutes from time.
Reading had the first real chance on nine minutes when Jimmy Kebe broke clear of the Ipswich defence after being played in by Shane Long, but Richard Wright in the Ipswich goal made a great save to divert the former Lens winger's shot wide.
Ipswich, who lost their opening two home league games, grew in confidence as the game wore on.
And they nearly took the lead in the 21st minute when Pablo Counago headed against the underside of the crossbar following a teasing cross from Stead.
Reading's James Harper shot over from 12 yards on 26 minutes as the game swung from end to end.
A minute later Ipswich lost captain Gareth McAuley to injury, with Dutch defender Pim Balkestein replacing him at centre-half.
Walters, who had his head bandaged following an earlier aerial clash with Reading's Ivar Ingimarsson, had the ball in the net after 30 minutes but was flagged offside.
Counago hit the bar for a second time in the 42nd minute after beating goalkeeper Marcus Hahnemann with a hooked shot.
Dangerous
After the break, the home side continued to create opportunities, although Reading were looking dangerous at set pieces.
Defender Alex Pearce nearly got on the end of a Stephen Hunt corner for the visitors in the 55th minute but the ball was scrambled clear.
Reading, who replaced the ineffective Long with Noel Hunt in the 60th minute, were grateful to Hahnemann on 62 minutes after he saved a rasping 25-yard drive from Quinn, who later hit the post with another effort.
But the breakthrough the home side deserved came seconds later when target man Stead curled home a left-footed shot from the edge the box, via the inside of the far post.
Walters settled the home side's nerves with a bullet header past Hahnemann as Reading were caught on the break.
Despite Ipswich enjoying the majority of chances, Reading had openings of their own.
Moritz Volz cleared off the line for Ipswich in the 72nd minute following a succession of deflections in the box after a Hunt corner.
Noel Hunt headed a Stephen Hunt free-kick on to the crossbar in stoppage-time, while Kebe also had a close-range effort brilliantly saved by Wright as the visitors drew a blank.
