SONE Aluko is warning his Reading FC team-mates to expect another rough ride at Ipswich Town this Saturday (3pm ko).

Royals threw a 2-0 lead away on Monday night after mighty comeback from Cardiff City at Madejski Stadium.

A Callum Paterson own goal and Mo Barrow strike put Jaap Stam’s men in a commanding position.

But Neil Warnock’s high-flying Bluebirds piled on the pressure in the second half and goals from Joe Bennett and Lee Tomlin in the final eight minute secured an unlikely point.

Now Aluko is expecting similar treatment from Mick McCarthy’s Ipswich at Portman Road this weekend.

“It’s always a tough place to go and I think it will be similar to Monday’s game,” said the 28-year-old winger.

“It will be tough and physical, there’s no doubt about that.

“It will be a proper Championship game and we’re going to have to show our best form.

“Ipswich are a strong team and their manager knows the league well and how to handle it. We’ll have to be focussed.”

Monday’s draw denied Royals a third straight Championship win, though Stam’s men remain unbeaten in five going into the clash against the ninth-placed Tractor Boys.

And Aluko insists the squad is moving in the right direction.

“The performances have turned,” he argued. “We started the season slowly and were a bit hit and miss, but now we’re more consistent.

“The fact we’re disappointed we didn’t beat Cardiff who are second in the league is testament to how well we’ve been playing recently.

“But there are a lot of points still left to play for and I’m sure there will be lot of twists and turns.

“We we’re disappointed on Monday but we’re still confident going forward.”

He added: “You shouldn’t have to score three goals at home to win a game, if you score twice you need to see the game out.

“Defensively we need to be stronger. We got sucked in to dropping too deep.

“Cardiff kept pushing and put a lot of balls into our box and took their goals well.

“But credit to them, they are not second in the table for nothing.”

Reading, who moved up to 14th place, have no fresh injury concerns ahead of Saturday’s trip to Suffolk, while John Swift, Garath McCleary and George Evans remain at least a couple of week away.