LIVE - Reading v Ipswich Town

Published 7 Nov 2009 14:54 4 Comments

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Follow all today's action from the Madejski Stadium right here..........

Firstly, apologies but we're having a few technical problems today so please bear with us...

FULL TIME. Reading 1 Ipswich Town 1.

Reading and Ipswich Town had to be content with a point apiece after a lively basement clash at the Madejski Stadium.

Jon Stead fired Town in front in the first-half but Simon Church equalised after the break.

It was all Royals from there but chance after chance went begging.

Church went closest to grabbing a winner when his late effort struck the crossbar.

In fairness, a draw was hardly surprising given this was a game neither side could afford to lose.

But, with Plymouth beating Doncaster, it means Royals slip back into the bottom three as they enter a fortnight's international break.

90 mins. Three minutes of additional time here and you get the feeling Reading's chances of a winning goal have gone. We'll see.

89 mins. Reading breathe a sigh of relief as Tamas Priskin curls one just wide of the far post.

86 mins. The tension is almost unbearable now. Royals know they are so close to ending their hoodoo at home - but they just can't put the ball in the net.

82 mins. Still all Royals and Asmir Begovic is looking decidedly dodgy in goal. He miscalculated a cross and conceded a corner from which Reading nearly scored again, but Shane Long was unable too turn in Marek Matejovsky's centre from a yard out.

77 mins. Royals go agonisingly close to taking the lead as Ipswich hang on for their lives.

There were strong penalty appeals from the Royals after Shane Long went down in the box.

But referee Dean Whitestone, after a glance at his assistant, turned it down.

Still, Royals recycled the ball and the unlucky Simon Church rattled the underside of the visitors' crossbar.

Jimmy kebe's follow-up effort was horribly high.

75 mins. 15 minutes of normal time left now and Reading are on top.

Ipswich are trying to slow the game down and the referee is having none of it.

Looks like Brendan Rodgers is going all out for the win and has made a double substitution.

Jimmy Kebe is on for Gylfi Sigurdsson and Kalifa Cisse has replaced Brian Howard.

69 mins. Half a chance for Reading there. Shane long's headed back across goal from a free-kick. It was headed out but only as far as Brian Howard whose 25-yard volley was well held by the Ipswich keeper

The attendance is 19,053, with 2,427 Ipswich fans making up that number.

63 mins. Another Roy Keane change. Pablo Counago has replaced Jon Stead.

Meanwhile, Jobi McAnuff just went close with another long-range effort.

61 mins. Reading follow suit and bring on Shane Long for Grzegorz Rasiak.

59 mins. Ipswich made their first chance with Jamie Peters on for Carlos Edwards.

58 mins. Smart save there from Adam Federici at his near post to deny Damien Delaney from a corner.

54 mins. A good chance at either end there as the game becomes more open.

Firstly, Tamas Priskin headed straight at Federici from Liam Rosenior's cross when anywherer else would have done.

Reading then went straight up the other end and Jobi McAnuff was inches away from curling one in from 20-yards.

That's Simon Church's third goal of the season by the way, and the Welsh international has certainly awoken this crowd. Can Reading find a winner from somewhere?

47 mins. GOAL. Reading 1 Ipswich 1.

And it's a dream start to the second-half for the Royals who immediately pull a goal back.

Marek Matejovsky fed Grzegorz Rasiak whose cross from the edge of the box caused havoc in the Ipswich defence.

Gylfi Sigurdsson latched on to the loose ball, his shot defelcted off a defender and SIMON CHURCH was in the perfect spot to direct the ball in from a few yards out. Royals fans go wild.

Here's a few facts that might get you interested as we approach the second-half.

Reading have not scored a goal in the second-half at home in the league this season.

They are now the only club in the entire Footrball League who have not won at home in the league this season.

And every Reading fans knows the last time they won a home game in the Championship was on January 27 when they beat Wolves.

Incidentally, that was a monday night game. For the last time Reading won at home in the league on a Saturday you have to go back to December 2008 - almost one year ago!

HALF TIME. Reading 0 Ipswich Town 1.

And a few boos can be heard as the half-time whistle goes.

Royals have played fairly well but Ipswich probably deserve to be just in front.

There's a little more urgency in the visitors' play, while Reading look decent in the build-up but nervous in the final third.

The closest they came to an equaliser was Brian Howardr's long-range effort that struck the crossbar.

But Roy Keane's side have also been a threat up front and Brendan Rodgers faces a big 45 minutes ahead of him.

44 mins. Jobi McAnuff just sent a header over there. But it's not going in for Royals - as has been the case since January when they last won a league game at home.

42 mins. First chance of the game for Simon Church there but the youngster couldn't keep his header down from Jay Tabb's centre.

39 mins. That was so close to a Reading equaliser. Jobi McAnuff hung a lovely cross up at the back stick and Grzegorz Rasiak directed a header back across the goalkeeper, but millimetres wide of the far post.

36 mins. Adam Federici has made a great save there to deny Tamas Priskin from 25-yards. Reading then went up the other end but once again a promising move broke down in the area. Frustrating.

30 mins. We've hit a bit of a dull patch. Royals are trying to get back into the game but Ipswich, who won their first game of the season last week, are proving hard to break down.

But there's still a good atmosphere - and Liam Rosenior is getting plenty of abuse from the East Stand fans following his ill-judged comments yesterday.

23 mins. Adam Federici had to be alert to hold on to Jon Stead's 20-yard stinger.

Royals are doing okay and it's a fairly close contest, though Ipswich still have the all-important goal.

The good news is Peterborough are losing at Newcastle.

21 mins. Reading have gone even closer to levelling the scores. Brian Howard burst through midfield and let rip from 25 yards.

Ipswich on-loan Portsmouth keeper Asmir Begovic was beaten in the air but the ball clipped the crossbar and went out for a goal-kick.

19 mins. Royals nearly equalised there. Jobi McAnuff's cross fell to Gylfi Sigurdsson who cut back inside two defenders. The Icelandic youngster went for the top corner but it took a slight defelction. Unlcuky there.

9 mins: GOAL. Reading 0 Ipswich 1

As you join us Reading have just conceded a goal and a one down after just nine minutes.

That was woeful defending from the Royals who failed to deal with David Wright's long throw-in.

The ball bounced over three defenders before Jon Stead hooked it into the top corner from 10 yards.

Not the start Royals needed.

Royals boss Brendan Rodgers names an unchanged starting XI following last week's 3-1 victory at Coventry City.

Liam Rosenior starts for Ipswich after a season-long loan move from Reading.

But the right-back did himself few favours yesterday by admitting he couldn't care less less about his parent club any more.

Will it prove to be a spectacular own goal from the outspoken defender?

Reading: Federici - Tabb, Ingimarsson (c), Pearce, Bertrand - McAnuff, Howard, Matejovsky, Sigurdsson - Church, Rasiak. Subs: Cisse, Gunnarsson, Long, Kebe, Karacan, O'Dea, Hamer.

Ipswich: Begovic - Rosenior, Bruce, Delaney, Wright - Edwards, Walters, Leadbitter, Quinn - Stead, Priskin. Subs: Lee-Barrett, Wickham, Brown, Healy, Colback, Counago, Peters.

The referee is Dean Whitestone from Northants.

Have your say. Post a comment on this article.

paul
Unregistered User
Nov 7, 15:12
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thank you

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Royal Dave
Unregistered User
Nov 7, 21:59
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For what?

How much longer are we going to leave this charlie in charge?

All this get behind the team, he is just taking the spotlight off himself.

Give him his P45 before he makes any more signings and gets us relegated.

Protest at the next home game.....Rodgers out

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Chris the vic
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Nov 7, 22:44
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So 16 games played....bottom three....only team in 92 not to have achieved a home win in the league....is it fair to say Fortress MadStad has been breached?

And should Sir John throw cash at a waster like Nicky and his mate Mr Integrity...Well whether he should or not the news is he wont but he was pleased to see both Royals fans go wild. Without Stevie Coppell you are losers!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Robert from the rookery
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Nov 8, 13:29
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glad you got judas and he tells lies so dont believe a word he says. If he says you are going to get better it means the total opposite. He had Malky behind him at watford so its clear to see who was getting the results. I Like reading but your manager needs to go now. come on the hornets

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