Ipswich snap poor run to sit on Reading’s heels

Darryl Murphy opened the scoring just past the hour with a shot off the underside of the crossbar and substitute Paul Anderson secured the win in the 90th minute.

Ipswich were watched by new loan signing Frazier Richardson with the 31-year-old right-back completing a move from Middlesbrough until the end of the season.

After a lacklustre start to the year, including three straight defeats, manager Mick McCarthy was delighted with the way his Ipswich side bounced back.

He said: “We weren’t particularly great in the first half but we were a lot better in the second half and we deserved the win against a good Reading side.

“It was an excellent defensive performance in the second half and keeping a clean sheet was great for them.

“The players were hurt by their performance at Millwall (a 1-0 defeat the previous week) so it was nice to come back with a win.”

Derby manager Steve McClaren described Patrick Bamford as a “natural goalscorer” after the striker netted late on to give his side a deserved 1-1 draw at Blackburn.

The 20-year-old is on loan from Chelsea having enjoyed a 17-goal spell at MK Dons earlier in the season. He scored for the second successive game to cancel out Rudy Gestede’s header after 47 minutes.

It was a result that leaves the Rams fourth and McClaren thinks the young forward will be a “real asset” as the battle for promotion comes to a boil.

He said: “He’s come in, his temperament is fantastic. It’s as if he’s been here for years.

“I think he’s shown in the two games the qualities he’s got. He’s a natural goalscorer and the goal, there was no backlift. It was just hit early with pace, power. We’ve got a real asset on our hands.

“He’s got a long way to go and a lot to learn but he’s a sensible and very intelligent boy and he’s making the right steps.

“He wants to play every game but he’s being patient and showing everybody what he can do when he comes on. We’ve got three games this week and he’ll definitely start one.”