Reading: Hahnemann, Rosenior, Ingimarsson, Pearce, Armstrong (Convey 75), Harper, Karacan (Bikey 80), Kebe, Stephen Hunt, Doyle, Long (Noel Hunt 60).
Subs not used: Federici, Kelly.
Booked: Karacan, Stephen Hunt.

Attendance: 21,366
Ref: Keith Hill (Hertfordshire).

The Tractor boys return from the international break hoping to make a change to the current home form. It's hot and sunny but there's just something about the new entrance to the pitch that fails to get me warmed up for a match, for as long as I remember a football match has started the moment the players come running out of the tunnel to reflective music, applaud their fans as the very fans they greet cheer them on, the roar of the fans is heart-warming and everyone is ready for a battle against the opponents.

Now, as the players descend from the tunnel, there is applause yes, but the cheers are minimal as the two teams calmly walk toward the half way line and the home team welcome their visitors with a friendly handshake, resembling a meeting at a dinner party rather than a sporting event where the opposing team mean nothing you at least for the duration of the match, we shake hands at the end when it's over, before is the time to charge the crowd and for the crowd to charge their team, at least that's how I see it.

Reading kick off the match but it's a matter of seconds before the home team take possession and the scoreboard shows the 1st minute has been played Town reach the opposing goal. Play from Walters on the wing finds central positioned Miller, Miller sends forward to Counago who is backed up by Garvan, however the approved international doesn't manage to pass Reading keeper Hahnemann. (Just so you know I was ill during the match affecting my sight so I had great difficulty seeing who the Reading players were, so I apologise for any mistakes and the referral of Reading players rather than their names)

A defensive error from the Reading back line almost gives Volz the chance to sneak the ball away and send to goal, but quick thinking from the central defender sees him recover his mistake and tap the ball back to his keeper.

As Hahnemann releases the ball back into play it creates a mild attack from the visitors but the attack plans fail before the travelling supporters even have the chance to get excited.

Town are back on the goal front in the 5th minute with a good cross to Counago, Counago's targeting defiantly needs more work.

Good defending from Garvan provokes a home attack but in front of goal it's the same old story as the play slows down then turns away from the attacking goal.

Reading are through on goal with Kebe in the 8th minute one on one with Richard Wright my heart isn't quite sure weather to beat faster or stop from the fear of going a goal down so in all the confusion my heart stays beating the same as it was, my fear is momentarily diminished when Wright manages to divert the ball wide of the goal for a corner, the corner ball takes its time coming in but when it does it's far too high to the Reading man on the back post to reach and the ball falls out of play for a goal kick to the home side.

After a collision of heads, Walters pops inside for stitches, whilst Walters is gone Town continues to semi- threat but just don't have the pizzazz in front of goal.

McAuley is limping in the 13th minute and as play continues so does his limp

Richard Wright is yet again left alone to clear the Reading threat as the defence plays catch up.

Reading's play over the last few minutes has forced Town to turn defensive; Naylor comes through in the 16th minute with a top challenge taking the ball from Long.

Walters makes his return in the 17th minute with stitches on his fresh head wound.

Back to basics proves to be where Ipswich shines, no fancy stuff, no long balls, basic passing seems be wilding to the Reading team as between them Quinn, Counago and Walters make the game look easy.

Balkestein is out stretching in the 20th minute as on the pitch skipper McAuley limps on, the game is still Towns as they continue with their envious passing, like they are all in sync, this is what the Town fans have been waiting for, this is the Town they recognize.

As play brings Counago closer to where I sit I am shocked, amazed and rather amused at the new competition the appears to be sweeping the Tractor Boys dressing room, Campo seems to have brought with him a craze, a fight for messiest head is now underway but as Counago cannot grow it on the top of his head he grows it on the bottom of his head, it looks like someone has planted a hair plant on his chin and you can see it spreading, already you can see resemblance to a yeti.

The change is finally made in the 26th minute with Balkestein replacing the injured McAuley for Town and the captaincy going to much loved veteran Naylor.

Town almost take the lead just before the half hour with Counago hitting the back of the net, I think an offside is given, I can't see that far, well either way whatever is given, a goal certainly isn't and I'm sure the visitors breath a sigh of relief in this game where so far they have seen little of the ball and even less of the goal they are aiming for.

It's a matter of moments before Town head goal ward again, this time with Walters on the wing, but his delivery ball falls perfectly for Reading glove man Hahnemann.

The home fans are overflowing with frustration by the 32nd minute, although a very different frustration from recent matches, this is the kind with head in hands a cry of ‘Argh' and a grin on the face, because that ball just wont cross that goal line!

Walters is removed from play again a minute later when his stitches come open, this time they try to turn him into a mummy to protect him from further injury but realize they are considerably short on bandages.

The Town fans really are getting a treat today, Richard Wright not wearing his usual luminous orange goalkeeper kit. Today he is wearing black due to the orange Reading away kit, and he has now managed to catch and keep hold of the ball for a 2nd time in the match on heightening my theory that his usual kit causes a blind spot from the colour enabling him to see anything around his torso area.

Onto the 40th minute and Town start their usual warm for half time, slowing down the pace thus allowing Reading to catch up, and with the score still being goalless this is not the time to be switching off.

Another attempt from Counago is blocked by the woodwork (what woodwork, it's not wood is it?) then up to the home defending box, bleeding Walters, faced with either protecting his injury or making a vital header to clear the ball from incoming danger in front of an almost open goal chooses his teams well being rather than his own and sends the ball out of play.

2 minutes is added to the end of the first half during which, Richard Wright in the Town goal makes a fingertip save to send the ball over the bar and out for a corner, Reading play the corner in the dying moments of the first half but it is poorly constructed and falls out of play for a Wright goal kick to end the half.

Garvan and Counago restart the 2nd half still level with the visitors, nothing happens for the first 6 minutes or so as both teams take their time to get back into the match but soon enough Town return to their dominating attacking ways.

In the 56th minute Stead tries to break the laws of physics inside the attacking box with an over head kick towards goal, the only problem being that a matter of 2 yards behind him are two solid defenders that a ball can not travel through when directed at their abs.

Referee Mr. Keith Hill is trying the patience of the home fans who are getting fed up of his apparent babysitting of the visitors, when simple challenges from the home side are being penalized, how can we encourage our players to challenge for the ball when whenever they do so in the correct manor the game is being stopped... come on, this is the Championship not kindergarten!

Quinn re-enters the match in the 54th minute with a brilliant run up the pitch to the attacking box with the ball, but there is no one else there to assist him, so he takes it on himself, good effort but wide.

In the 56th minute I have a thunderous scowl on my face as a result of absolutely nothing I just felt like it.

So much happens in the 59th minute where to begin, ah the start of the 59th minute, well I have a numb bum so start trying to bounce around to get the blood flowing again without getting in the way of my fellow spectators, a task of great difficulty, then the chance arises to make my final move to retain blood flow during a Reading substitution a straight swap, striker for striker, Long is replaced by Hunt, Haynes is stretching his legs down by the Green King stand and there is ball change.

Quinn is facing goal once again in the 61st minute from the left of the box he sends the ball to the top right corner, oh what a save by the Reading glove man, that was something special, Richard Wright did you see that!

A moment barely passes before Quinn is back with his pal Hahnemann, I don't think the feeling is mutual but Quinn just can't stay away, a game of cat and mouse gets underway between the pair amusing the Suffolk crowd no end, hmm that says a lot for our daily entertainment.

If I was Hahnemann I would probably be planning on lacing my defenders drink with a diuretic of some sort for not being anywhere useful for 62 minutes and 55 seconds of the 63 minutes played so far, and maybe if he wasn't planning that he would have seen the ball heading towards goal, if I hadn't put my head down momentarily to make notes to report to you lot I would have seen the ball heading towards goal, but I didn't and all around me told of how great the opening goal from debutant Stead was. WE DON'T TALK ABOUT THAT GOAL, no the first I knew about the goal is when all the Town fans were screaming celebration, as they saw it due to the fact that they were watching it for their own selfish pleasure, me I try to do a good deed and look where it got me so SHURRUP WE DON'T TALK ABOUT THAT GOAL.

Those that I am watching the match with continue to wind me up especially after I complain that I would have seen more of the goal if I was round the back in the toilets, yes I'm sulking, but by the look on Hahnemann's face I think he is too.

As Town speed up the right wing in the 68th minute it's a race against time to get my chewing gum out of the packet before Town reach the attacking box, I am not missing another goal! As it turns out I needn't have rushed, despite the speed and fire shown when approaching the box the ball doesn't actually enter the until the 71st minute as Town make their fans feel right at home with a bit of aggressive attack then turning around and passing back down to the other end of the pitch, then taking their jolly time to get back again.

Both teams make a change in the 74th minute with Stead leaving the pitch to a standing ovation and Lisbie taking his place, and Reading defender Armstrong is replaced by American midfielder Bobby Convey.

There is a 2 minute stop in play in the 76th minute after Garvan crashes to the ground as a result of a foul from Reading player, Jem Karacan, I couldn't be sure as the people next to me keep blocking my view! Grrrrr the fans are very angry and calling for a red against the Turkish U21 international, but Mr. Hill decides on a yellow.

The match resumes in the 78th minute with the Town free kick falling deep into the Reading half, Quinn finds the ball and produces another quality strike, but not quite quality enough, he hits the post then the ball is cleared for a Town corner, before the corner is taken Reading make another sub, with recently reprimanded Karacan going off to the roaring of boo's from the home crowd and is replaced by Cameroon defender Bikey. The corner is taken by Garvan but amounts to nothing.

Whilst waiting for a throw to be played Alex Pearce finds prime time to pull his shorts out of his bum, with no cover in front of 21,366 people watching, there is never a good time to get things caught up your bum.

Town realize there is no time for dozing right now as little threats approach every now and then appearing from the Royals, but with Ipswich's back four today, little manages to get through, so Town continue looking for their 2nd to try and finish the game, their persistence pays off in the 86th minute when a Quinn cross reaches a Walters strike making the score 2-0 to the home team, surly now Town have wrapped up their first home win in the league of the season.

Town make their 3rd sub shortly after, introducing Campo to the field in place of Counago.

Just before 5 minutes added time is announce Richard Wright has some work to do tipping an incoming ball over the goal, from the Reading corner Town intercept play and Lisbe looks to make it 3-0, his efforts are un-rewarded but as a whole, on the day the team efforts certainly are.

Garvan manages to pick up a booking in injury time for pulling back Harper on a run for goal, a needless action deserving the booking.

Walter loses his boot and continues playing without it, blood visible through the bandage, he doesn't really look like a footballer right now, but still acting like one, In a moment of semi danger in play Walters dives straight in and blasts the ball away with his head, in that moment, all colour drains from him, and he does not look well, for his sake I am so glad when the game finishes!

Now that's football!

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