Reading 0-4 Ipswich Town - Match Report
Saturday, 28th Apr 2018 17:31

Four goals in the final 19 minutes - including two in stoppage time - saw Town to an emphatic 4-0 victory in their final away game of the season at Reading. Martyn Waghorn put the Blues ahead on 71 and Jordan Spence made it 2-0 eight minutes later, before sub Freddie Sears, ending his 38-game goal drought, and Callum Connolly added the third and fourth in injury time.

Luke Woolfenden and Ben Folami were handed their full Championship debuts and Adam Webster returned to the side after his hamstring injury, while Cole Skuse, Luke Hyam and Cameron Carter-Vickers missed out.

Skuse was considered a doubt going into the game due to illness, along with Hyam, who had suffered a knock. It’s understood Carter-Vickers picked up an injury in training on Friday.

Woolfenden was recalled from his loan spell at Bromley on Friday with his only previous Town appearances one start and one sub appearance in the Carabao Cup.

The 19-year-old started on the right of a back three with Webster and stand-in skipper Jonas Knudsen, with Spence at right wing-back and Myles Kenlock on the left.

Connolly and Tristan Nydam formed a midfield duo with 18-year-old Folami, who had made three previous sub appearances in the Championship, and Mustapha Carayol either side of Waghorn up front, the pair swapping flanks on a number of occasions during the first half. Ben Morris, Barry Cotter and Shane McLoughlin were among the subs.

For the Royals, who went into the game needing a point to confirm Championship survival, striker Yann Kermorgant replaced midfielder Joey van den Berg, whilst Omar Richards took over from the suspended Tyler Blackett at left-back.

Carayol struck the first shot of the game for Town, in their Magical Vegas-sponsored red away kit, in the second minute, the Gambian international using his pace to take him into the left of the area before hitting a strike across Vito Mannone which the Reading keeper palmed away.

Despite the early stages of the game being evenly balanced in terms of possession, the Blues were the ones creating the few opportunities.

On 14 Carayol burst into the right of the box following good work from Folami and cut across but the ball was cleared by Royals skipper Chris Gunter ahead of Waghorn and fell to a Reading player.

In the 18th minute Kenlock crossed from the left and Carayol, who had created the danger by turning his man on halfway when receiving a Webster pass, hit a well-timed effort which looked on its way into the net until it struck Folami.

Reading had their first serious chance of the match two minutes later, Sone Aluko’s corner eventually falling to Yann Kermorgant in a dangerous position inside the box but the Frenchman’s effort was deflected wide. On 22 Knudsen diverted Jon Dadi Bodvarsson’s effort from distance wide.

In the 24th minute after good work from Kenlock and Folami on the left Carayol, Town’s main attacking threat, unleashed a fearsome 30-yard strike which Mannone did very well to paw away from goal away to his left.

Despite Town having looked the more likely scorers up to that point, Reading should have gone ahead in the 29th minute.

Mo Barrow was sent away on the left by Kermorgant and cut the ball across for Bodvarsson, who came close to joining the Blues on loan last summer, but the Icelandic international somehow failed to get a touch on the edge of the six-yard box and the danger was cleared.

Town’s 14-goal top scorer Waghorn struck his first effort of the afternoon in the 35th minute, Carayol having caught a ponderous Reading defender in possession on the right of the box before rolling the ball behind him into the striker’s path. Mannone saved Waghorn’s strike from a tight angle.

The Blues, playing rather more football than has often been the case this season, continued to carve out more of the game’s chances. On 41 Spence’s cross from the right was unconvincingly palmed away by Mannone and fell to Folami beyond the far post but the Australian’s shot was blocked.

The Royals quickly broke to the other end and Aluko fed Barrow, who shot over. Soon after, the former Rangers and Hull striker curled a shot into Bartosz Bialkowski’s arms from the edge of the area.

Two minutes before the break the Blues lost their first-half danger man Carayol to what looked to be a pulled muscle, the former Boro and Forest man frustratedly making his way to the touchline as he was replaced by Freddie Sears.

Just before half-time, Kermorgant flicked a stooping header towards goal but was unable to trouble Bialkowski.

The Blues will have gone off pleased with their first-half display having created more of the game’s chances - although Bodvarsson spurned the only really clear-cut opportunity for Reading - and having been much better on the ball than has generally been the case.

However, Carayol’s loss just before the break was a blow with the January signing again putting in a dangerous display before succumbing to injury, the story of his time at Town.

Three minutes after the restart, with rain starting to fall heavily, Reading switched Richards for Tommy Elphick, back after a knee injury.

Two minutes later, one-time Blues trialist John Swift struck the second half’s first shot, Knudsen deflecting it behind.

From the flag-kick the home side went close, Bialkowski reacting superbly to toe the ball away from the line after Bodvarsson had flicked on Aluko’s corner at the near post after getting in front of Knudsen.

On 57 Aluko scuffed a low effort through to Bialkowski from the right of the box with the Royals having started the second half on top.

But a minute later the Blues worked the ball forward well and eventually Sears, without a goal in 38 games, scraped a shot through to Mannone from the edge of the box.

Reading worked themselves an opportunity in the 62nd minute, but Barrow shot over at Bialkowski’s right post having been found by Kermorgant’s chipped pass.

The Royals continued to dominate and might have gone in front in the 67th minute but Aluko scuffed badly when found in space on the right of the box, his shot bouncing harmlessly past the post.

Two minutes later, the home side went close again following a quick counter-attack after a Town corner. Bodvarsson crossed from the right to Swift, whose shot was brilliantly tipped over by Bialkowski.

Almost immediately Town went up the other end and scored their first. After Sears had done well done the right, the ball fell to Spence on the edge of the box and the wing-back played an inch-perfect pass into the path of Waghorn, who turned and hit home his 15th goal of the season from just outside the six-yard box.

As the Blues celebrated in front of their 1,233 travelling fans, Reading’s defenders appealed for offside and they may well have had a case.

Town swapped Nydam, who looks more comfortable at Championship level with every game, for Stephen Gleeson on 77 and two minutes later the Blues doubled their lead.

Folami sent Waghorn away on the right with a cross-field pass but the earlier scorer’s shot was blocked.

However, Town quickly got the ball back and after a quick interchange of passes Waghorn turned it into the path of Spence, who broke into the area on the right, feinted to cut back to the numerous team-mates waiting eagerly in the area but opted to shoot low through the legs of Mannone at the near post and into the net to claim his fourth goal of the season.

Reading switched Chris Martin for Bodvarsson and Sam Smith for Kermorgant as they went chasing goals in the final 10 minutes with results elsewhere meaning their Championship status remains in jeopardy ahead of their final week game at Cardiff.

The Royals continued to push but without too much intensity and with the Blues looking comfortable for the most part.

Folami, who like Woolfenden will have been pleased with his contribution in his first league start for the Blues, was replaced by Cotter for the final couple of minutes.

Knudsen, who again impressed at the heart of the backline, blocked a Liam Moore shot, then Sears’s long wait for a goal ended.

The striker, whose last goal came against Newcastle on April 17th last year, 38 matches previously, chased down Webster's clearance following a Reading corner.

Gunter headed poorly back towards Mannone and the Town sub blocked the on-rushing keeper’s clearance. The ball looped into the air and Sears nodded into the net from a couple of inches before celebrating in front of the Town fans along with all his team-mates, including keeper Bartosz Bialkowski, who ran the length of the pitch to join in.

Almost immediately, the Blues made it 4-0 and added to Reading’s relegation concerns with their goal difference now worse than Barnsley’s, one of the other sides they’ll be battling for a Championship place next week. Waghorn brought the ball into the area before feeding Connolly to his right and the on-loan Everton man stroked in his fourth of the season. The assist was Waghorn's 10th of the season in addition to his 15 goals.

The final whistle was greeted by loud boos from the home fans, many of whom had already left despite a post-match parade by their team, before the Blues ran over to show their appreciation to their supporters and Knudsen again took on fist-pump duties.

The victory was thoroughly deserved by a Blues side which showed the resolute defending of the McCarthy era but also a bit more guile going forward and on the ball, even if the margin flattered them and was in large part down to Reading’s late capitulation.

Town last won by four goals in February 2013 when they beat Middlesbrough 4-0 at home and most recently away when they defeated Doncaster 6-0 at the Keepmoat Stadium in February 2011.

They scored four times away on one previous occasion this season, at Millwall in the 4-3 win at the Den in August, and twice at home in 5-2 and 4-2 victories over Sunderland and Nottingham Forest respectively.

The Blues' away record from their 23 games on the road this season reads: won eight, drawn three, lost 12.

Today's win, Town's first at Reading since 2009 following six defeats on the trot, was the first under caretaker-boss Bryan Klug, who had been unlucky not to take something from the game at Forest a fortnight ago.

The temporary management team will hope to end the campaign on a winning note when Middlesbrough visit Portman Road next Sunday.

The Blues go into that match 13th in the table, one place and one point behind Norwich City, who are at Sheffield Wednesday on the final day, but with a better goal difference.

Reading: Mannone, Gunter (c), Richards (Elphick 48), Moore, Ilori, Swift, Kelly, Aluko, Barrow, Kermorgant (Smith 82), Bodvarsson (Martin 80). Unused: Jaakkola, Van den Berg, Rinomhota, Edwards.

Town: Bialkowski, Spence, Webster, Knudsen (c), Woolfenden, Connolly, Nydam (Gleeson 77), Kenlock, Carayol (Sears 44), Waghorn, Folami (Cotter 88). Unused: Celina, M Crowe, Morris, Cotter, McLoughlin. Referee: Keith Stroud (Hampshire). Att: 17,683 (Town: 1,233).

Photos: Pagepix

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Bert added 19:02 - Apr 29 Let's hope the non attending moaners splash their cash if their reason for not doing so was only the existence of MM. Perhaps the club is not rotten to the core as some of the regular moaners think. The club was always more than MM. Just look at the coaching staff we have. I've renewed in hope and support for my club.
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blueboy1981 added 19:07 - Apr 29 ....... Bert - give it a rest - constantly 'moaning' about your assessment of 'moaners' .... !!! Move on man.
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Dog added 19:42 - Apr 29

Cat - i listened to it and it is was a non event.

To give one interview in 10 years is a disgrace. I can list the following disgraces (and there are others)

1. Sacking magilton for keane.
2. Appointing jewell
3. Not backing mccarthy at any stage. (I do understand why after being fleeced by keane and jewell).
4. The new sponsor
5. The state of the pitch
6. No funds pumped into appearance at portman road.
7. The increase on tickets for over 60s.

Now i know he has invested in youth but a lot of that money has come from profits made by jewell and mccarthy in transfers. Some might say he doesn't interfere others may say he is not overly bothered.

You invest your money and enjoy the saving. I will wait and see who the manager is and if that means i spend more , well all that means is that i will walk to and from the games and not eat at the ground. By my calculations i will save 20 quid and stay a little fit.

blueboy1981 added 20:19 - Apr 29 Dog ....... not my debate - but I have to say you make some good points, most (if not all) cannot be disagreed with- to be honest. Not at all sure McCarthy asked for funds from Evans - more would certainly have been expected of him, had he have done so.... !!! - and much sooner.
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cat added 20:55 - Apr 29

Dog - interesting view points, I get where your coming from.
The first 3 points have well gone, let it go.
The sponsorship brings an alleged 2m to the transfer pot, like the brand or not we are stuck with it, the money will no doubt come in useful though.
The pitch we can judged next season, better quality turf and maybe less fixtures/concerts etc might sort the problem. Someone said on here a while back it's been an issue with natural light from the moment the ‘pioneer' stand was constructed, if so, might I suggest some artificial lighting be installed! (lol)
I remember many on here moaning about the turnstiles being painted, funny that one now with the benefit of hindsight, but your right, a bit more asbestos on the roofs might sort them leaks!
The price increase was as own goal and accountability has been taken, with an apology issued, along with a reduction. That in my book is acceptable.
Next season could go either way in all honesty, but I doubt very much that the football will be as dire, dull and boring as the last 3 seasons with the Dino at the helm, tactics employed in a couple of the last few games is proof this is achievable.
A new era is upon us and it's everyone's right to choose how they embrace it. After 3 grim years I know where I'm at, but as always it each to their own so to speak!

stiffy501 added 07:43 - Apr 30 Cat The price increase re the over 60's has not been resolved to my knowledge, as far as i know those that came into that bracket are still facing an increase this season having had their discount taken away last season !!!!
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