Joe Royle's hopes of making a late push for the play-offs gathered momentum last night with a comfortable victory over Reading. Just one place separates his team from sixth-placed Wolves and this, their seventh game unbeaten, underlined the progress Royle has made since joining the club in late October.

Ipswich went ahead after just 37 seconds. Martijn Reuser floated a free-kick into the area and Thomas Gaardsoe rose above Marcus Hahnemann and headed into an empty net.

Then three times in the opening quarter of an hour Reading threatened to equalise, with the lone striker Nicky Forster ably supported by the attacking midfielder Andy Hughes.

Hughes played Forster in with the emergency centre-half Richard Naylor daydreaming, the striker should have done better than to shoot straight at Marshall.

Reading levelled in the 16th minute when Hughes ran on to a fine pass from James Harper and crossed for Forster to score his 12th goal of the season, albeit at the second attempt after Marshall had blocked his first shot.

Ipswich deserved a penalty when Reuser was carelessly brought down by Graeme Murty in the area and moments later the Dutchman fired high and wide when cleverly put in by Matt Holland.

It was the Republic of Ireland international Holland, who scored the winner against Sheffield Wednesday at the weekend, who put Ipswich back into the lead after half an hour.

A quickly taken free-kick was played to Holland 35 yards out and his shot swerved as it flew past Hahnemann.

Luke Chadwick tricked his way into the area before Naylor intercepted but Reading's hopes of levelling seemed to be dashed when Adie Viveash was sent off 10 minutes into the second half.

Viveash, only in the side because of an injury to captain Adrian Williams, carried on his run after the ball had gone and pushed Gaardsoe to the ground with both hands.

That changed the tone of the game from one of a wonderful exhibition of the fast and the furious to just the furious.

When the referee Clive Wilkes overruled his linesman who flagged for a penalty after John Salako controlled the ball with either chest or hand in the area, it further inflamed the situation.

Even when Reading rallied, Marshall calmed fraying nerves and Jim Magilton added a third to seal victory, playing in Fabian Wilnis and then latching on to the loose ball after the defender's shot was blocked.

David Alexander (The Guardian)