ALEX PEARCE UP FOUR ROYALS CHARGE

ALEX PEARCE headed Reading to their fourth straight Championship win as The Royals strengthened their play-off credentials.

The defender rose to nod in Jobi McAnuff’s free-kick just after the hour to make it 12 points from 12 for Brian ­McDermott’s side, who are now cemented in fifth place in the table.

A delighted McDermott said: “That was a terrific performance – not vintage but the attitude, desire and will to win was there.

“We didn’t play well but we have real heart.”

Ipswich bossed the early exchanges with Jay Emmanuel-Thomas’s rising shot grazing the bar, before Aaron Cresswell let fly from 30 yards with a drive which home keeper Adam Federici was relieved to see flash wide.

Reading’s first-half attacks invariably ended at the edge of the area, where former Royals favourite Ibrahima Sonko was in dominant form for the visitors.

As Reading continued to struggle to work their way into decent shooting positions, McDermott sent on Noel Hunt for Adam Le Fondre.

And within a couple of minutes the Royals boss saw his side take the lead.

Lee Bowyer’s handball enabled McAnuff to swing in a free-kick from the right and Pearce rose to beat Arran Lee-Barrett with a close range header.

The 64th-minute goal lifted The Royals and it took a double save from Lee-Barrett to prevent Simon Church extending the lead from Jimmy Kebe’s cross.

Ipswich boss Paul Jewell said: “We were the better team in the first half and I felt we deserved something out of the game.

“It was ­disappointing to concede like we did.”

Peter White (Daily Star)