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Match Report: Ipswich 2-0 Reading | Help spread the word: Share on Facebook 
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New signing Jon Stead netted a debut goal as Ipswich Town recorded their first home win of the season with a 2-0 victory over Reading. Paul Bloomfield reports.Jon Stead made his debut for Town having completed the initial loan move from Sheffield United. Ben Thatcher missed the game through injury with David Wright filling in for him. The visitors almost took the lead after 10 minutes, when Jimmy Kebe ran through on goal, but the Mali international’s effort was superbly kept out by Richard Wright in the Ipswich goal. Jon Walters suffered a head injury moments later in a coming together and was absent from the field for a total of seven minutes whilst he received stitches. Pablo Couñago came close to scoring 20 minutes into the game, in the first of two efforts that he saw come back off the crossbar. The Spaniard’s header came down off the underside of the bar and bounced the wrong side of the line from a Town perspective. The second occasion came three minutes before half-time when the striker spun and shot on the volley, and was extremely unlucky to see the ball come back off the crossbar once again. In between Couñago’s two efforts, Town were forced to withdraw central defender and captain Gareth McAuley as a result of a dead leg. Pim Balkestein was his replacement, and for the first time in a competitive game for Town, he slotted into his preferred central defensive role. The first half ended goalless with the home side having had much the better of the half. You feared that Town may live to regret missed chances as they did against Watford last time out. You thought Reading would come out stronger in the second-half in a similar fashion to Watford, but fortunately that did not materialise. Jon Stead became the second Town striker to score on his debut this season in the 63rd minute, when he curled in a stunning effort from outside the 18-yard box. The goal gave Ipswich what was a thoroughly deserved lead. Ipswich continued to dominate proceedings and almost added a second when Alan Quinn struck Marcus Hahnemann’s right-hand post. The head bandaged Jon Walters sealed the points five minutes from time when he headed home a cross by Alan Quinn. Reading almost pulled a goal back in the dying moments, when Noel Hunt’s header hit the crossbar. Kevin Doyle also squandered what would’ve been an almost certain goal had he not completely missed his kick, before Kebe had his shot blocked. It was an all round impressive performance by the Blues, with every player in a blue shirt deserving a lot of praise for their display. On the other hand it was a surprisingly lacklustre performance by Reading who didn’t cause Ipswich the problems they were widely expected to. The visitors rarely threatened, and when they did, Richard Wright was on fine form to deny any incoming efforts on goal. Jon Walters produced the kind of display which saw him pick up Town’s player of the year award last time out. Perhaps now we will begin to see the best of the striker-turned-winger now that he is back to full fitness and no speculation about a move a way from the club now that the transfer window has closed – whether those rumours were true or not. Jon Stead has now completed a permanent move to the Blues, after a fee had been agreed between Ipswich and Sheffield United before the transfer deadline. All the necessary paperwork has now gone through, and the striker has been allowed to join for a fee believed to be around £600,000. Ipswich: R.Wright, Volz, Naylor, McAuley (Balkestein 25), D.Wright, Walters, Garvan, Miller, Quinn, Counago (Campo 86), Stead (Lisbie 75). Unused: Supple, Haynes. Reading: Hahnemann, Rosenior, Pearce, Ingimarsson, Armstrong (Convey 75), Kebe, Harper, Karacan (Bikey 75), S.Hunt, Doyle, Long (N.Hunt 60). Unused: Federeci, Kelly. Click to view author Paul Bloomfield's profile Fancy writing for LiveFootball? Click here to find out more. |