It was safari time again, this fixture definitely falling into the "big game" category. Reading are pushing once again at the right end of the table, and fans from both teams were obviously expecting a good match, and the crowd was the biggest at the Majdeski this season, with the Town contingent making up a more than respectable 4000+ fans.

Convey and Sidwell were out for Reading, giving a chance for Owusu and Newman to get at start. For Town Richards and Magilton were given a sitting start on the bench, with loanee Karbassiyoon and Ian Westlake given the nod.

It was a good start to the game for Town, and we were probably on top for about 10 minutes or so until Reading got into the game more. In fact it was Reading who bossed the first half from thereon in.

Forster had a great chance to create a goal when he found himself in a deep position, but with the opportunity to lay the ball to a colleague he pulled it back to far and thankfully for Town the chance was squandered. Sloppy stuff at the back for Ipswich.

Probably Reading's best chance of the first half though fell to Little, who seemed to have the ball glued to his foot as he rounded several Ipswich players on his way through the midfield, but his shot was nothing to test Davis.

Half time and nil nil, the hope was for improvement from the Tractor Boys, and presumably after a right Royle kick up the backside, that was what happened. Karbassiyoon improved and was swapping passes with Currie well at times, the two players seem to have an understanding of each other for periods now at least, if not consistently. We still seemed weak at the back on occasion however, Karbassiyoon sometimes the culprit.

For a period late on it seemed that Ipswich would surely score, sustained pressure producing several chances notably a close one from Westlake. But if one of those chances was meant to go in it was surely Richard Naylor's, making his 250th appearance for Town, he shot spectacularly with an overhead kick which went just inches wide.

So the game was destined for a scoreless draw, and probably a fair one at that, until Ipswich snatched the winner in injury time. Currie rushed into the box and unselfishly squared the ball to Bent, who made no mistake with the chance, sending the travelling fans delirious.

Well it would've been the winner, but 40 seconds later Reading levelled things up. Town were asleep, thinking they'd won it. You can laugh about it all you like, but it was 2 points given away, 2 points which we may desperately need come the end of the season. Grrrrrrr.

It seems that we always get to play the team who has just lost it's manager, with players wanting to prove themselves and all that. Maybe with Coventry under caretaker management it wasn't quite the same situation, but Coventry started the game very positively and with a definite purpose none the less.

With barely a minute on the clock it was the Midlanders who got the first chance on goal, when Morrell found himself racing through onto a looping ball over the Town defence, but thankfully he completely miscontrolled and was clean through on goal without the ball.

Ipswich didn't take long to gather composure, but although they had stepped up a gear their passing game was stuttering and with Coventry closing them down quickly, chances were few and far between.

The stuttering continued and the visitors were first to score, and in the first 15 minutes too. A sleepy defence, not playing to the whistle and hoping the offside trap would save them allowed Stern John of all people clean through on goal. Davis did his best to put him off but a side-step put John in an open goal situation 10 yards out.

At this early stage though, Town could afford to plug away at getting their moves working, and with no sign of panic the chances started to come. Wilnis came close, and on more than one occasion Currie whipped in teasing crosses which were tantalising close to Bent or Kuqi.

Coventry were not finding it difficult to create their own chances though, and at times things were still uncomfortable at the back.

It was to be evens at the break though, when in the dying seconds of the first half Wilnis sent in a low cross which Bent side-footed home under challenge from his defender. Always a good time to score of course.

The restart didn't see much improvement from either side, chances falling to both, but no flow to the game.

It took until the hour for the next goal, thankfully Town's. Jim 'The Wizard' Magilton sent Benty through on goal but with the angle tight it looked as though he'd have to hold play up until the cavalry arrived. No, he controlled and hit it with great precision around the 'keeper and in off the far post. An excellent, Bent-of-old goal.

"Great, let's go onto to wrap it up". That thought lasted only a minute. Coventry weren't going to lay down and went down the other end and narrowly missed, with Davis being forced to push the ball wide for a corner.

When the low ball came in it met Shefki, normally fine of course, but this time he used his hand. Evens once more from the penalty spot, again the game remained the same, neither team on top.

The Town forwards looked too eager to score at times, if their is such a thing. When a pass would have been more sensible they shot, you know the sort of thing, "there he is!" standing unmarked in the box while the shot canons off a defender.

It was obvious Shefki wanted to make amends for his gaff at the back, and indeed he did.

We all moaned out loud as a ridiculously bad Davis kick whizzed upfield at chest height, then gasped as not one outfield player got a touch on it and it found Shefki in a forward position. He took a touch around the defender and lashed the ball goalwards and beyond the Coventry 'keeper. Fantastic. Ridiculous. Brilliant.

One more thing in the last quarter of an hour sticks out in my mind, and that is the image of Richard Naylor picking Andrew Whing up off the grass by the scruff of his neck! Psycho was obviously incensed at the Coventry player's attempt to get a penalty through diving. Naylor showed his obvious passion for Town. They were both shown a yellow.

So a frustrating match, but exciting. Good to see Bowditch get a run out, he was lively and a pain in Coventry's arse, so maybe he's back as a regular now, albeit a sub. Bent could've laid off the looking good thing, what with the "open" sign up in the shop window, but so far no offers... yet.

Hardly cup fever, but a decent enough turnout at a blustery Portman Road for the visit of Premiership giants [ahem] Bolton Wanderers. A chance to test ourselves against a team that we may, stress may, could feasibly, it's not out of the window yet but I'm counting no chickens, touch wood be playing next season, should we be fortunate enough to, although it's no certainty by any stretch, get promoted.

Joe Royle made some forced non-changes, if you get what I mean. Dean Bowditch was going to come in but had a note from his mum saying he'd got flu so he was out, or rather not in. Matt Richards was due for a start, but again he was unable to play through sickness. This mean't that Arsenal loanee Danny Karbasiyoon started at the back, along with Scott Mitchell given a rare start with Richard Naylor out. Fabian Wilnis shifted inside at the back along with Jason De Vos.

It was a pacey match, Town got into their stride from the off with some good moves particularly down the left, with Karbasiyoon and Currie knocking it around between each other nicely. Bolton were soaking it up quite comfortably to start with, but eventually there were a few chances on goal.

The visitors always looked to break quickly and each time they got forward there was an uneasy, threatening feeling. They didn't create that many clear chances though, and for the first hour it was Town who were on top of the game.

At which point Joe made what can only be described as two uninspired substitutions. Off went Jim and Darren Currie. And with them the stability and creativity which was the keystone of Ipswich. The game turned at this point, unarguably. Justification though was sure, the FA Cup for a team at the top of the Championship is without doubt, a distraction to Premiership ambition. We'd hopefully had the game either lost or won by this time, and with players not from the usual starting 11 now on show but by others not so used to a starting place. Injuries had mean't that regulars had to fill in their own boots for their understudies, so ultimately they'd have to be rested for the league.

These changes had dramatic effect on the game. A minute after they left the field Bolton were 1 up, through a marginally onside goal which I was convinced that the linesman had completely misread, although upon tv-reflection it was clear that a perhaps inexperienced Scott Mitchell unwittingly played on the forward man. 7 minutes later Town were 3 goals down. Number 2 looked offside even after seeing it on the telly, but number 3 was quite impressive by Pederson, who looked to pass but instead rifled into the net with no other options.

Oh well, 3-0 was looking rather unjust, but Tommy Miller grabbed one soon after to keep things interesting if not respectable. Not a bad goal from a Counago knockback, Pablo showing a bit of unusual persistance.

So the game had turned very quickly from "this seems quite easy" to "what the....". As Joe said, that's Premiership footie, played on the break. We had the chances though, and as can be said of a few Championship games this season, if only we'd have put them away... In other words, we have nothing to fear if we get promoted. The glass is definitely half full this week.

Once again Town found themselves in need of a good result to bounce back from a poor defeat. Plymouth was probably not the best place to have to go in search of it, but they have been showing some less than average form recently after having lead the table early on in the season.

Joe Royle decided to give loanee Daniel Karbassiyoon a place in the starting line-up, his first chance to impress the Town faithful, and Kevin Horlock was also brought back in, both at the expense of Jim and Matt Richards.

It was a nasty place to get to on a bank holiday Monday, the conditions were less than favourable too and as the game got underway it was clear this wasn't going to be a pretty affair.

The Tractor Boys had some early chances, the best opportunity being yet another one-on-one with the 'keeper for Darren Bent, and yet again he missed with the goalie getting a hand to the ball. This is already becoming a habit for Benty, one he needs to make a new year's resolution to kick it. Then again, with the transfer window open maybe a few laclustre performances won't go a miss...

Plymouth offered little in reply to Town's efforts on goal, and the half ended scoreless.

The restart saw much of the same but with nothing coming from it and with Plymouth finding more confidence, Joe Royle made a double substitution to shake things up. Magilton and Richards came on for Miller Karbassiyoon.

20 minutes into the half Town at last got the chance to break the deadlock. Bent latched onto a ball from Jim and as he surged into the box the 'keeper brought him down as he passed. The ref had no hesitation in giving the penalty. Who would take it seemed less certain as first Bent grabbed the ball with spot-shot regular Tommy Miller being off the field, but then Currie stepped up and rifled the ball home.

The home side didn't lose heart and kept up pressure, and both teams could've scored as the game approached full time. It was Town though who got the second, and it was again from Darren Currie who scooped the ball home after Jim unselfishly squared a ball to him in the box.

Things got a bit tense late on when Plymouth pulled one back out of the blue but we hung on.

Other results once again favoured Town, notably old-boy George Burley's men turning over Reading, previously unbeaten at the Madjeski this season, and also Gillingham coming away with a point from a difficult trip to Sunderland. Cheers to them!