Ipswich ended the day with just 10 men

Reading's Nicky Forster scored a stunning hat-trick at the Madejski Stadium as temporary Ipswich boss Tony Mowbray suffered defeat on his first game in charge.

It was more disappointment for struggling Ipswich who ended the game with 10 men after Pablo Counago was dismissed for violent conduct.

Ipswich began the brighter with Marcus Bent caught offside in the opening minutes and Jamie Clapham sending an ambitious shot from 25 yards out wide of the left-hand post.

But the home side soon began to take a hold on the game, and Matthew Upson had a goalbound shot blocked by Jim Magilton.

Ipswich could have taken the lead in the 13th minute against the run of play through Counago, but his 18-yard shot was tipped round the post by Marcus Hahnemann in the home goal.

The resulting corner was cleared to safety by John Salako.

Reading swiftly countered, and James Harper tried his luck from 18 yards but his strike was parried by Andy Marshall, while Forster's 25-yard effort went wide.

The visitors had another chance to break the deadlock but Clapham's shot flew over the crossbar, and they were left to rue that miss when Reading opened the scoring in the 28th minute.

The Royals were awarded a free-kick for a foul on Forster by John McGreal.

Ricky Newman floated the ball in from the right and Forster beat the goalkeeper to head in from six yards and give the home side the lead.

Ipswich could have been level within three minutes, but Matt Holland's header from Clapham's cross was well saved by Hahnemann.

Forster made no such mistake in the 40th minute when he doubled the score, latching on to a long hopeful ball from Adrian Williams and letting fly with a sensational shot.

Marcus Bent was replaced by Alun Armstrong at half-time and the visitors battled hard to get back in the game.

Violent conduct

Hahnemann was up to the task however, and he saved well from Darren Ambrose and Holland in the first 10 minutes of the second half.

He was finally beaten in the 61st minute by a free-kick, conceded by Forster for a foul on Clapham.

Ambrose sent in an unstoppable shot from 25 yards out that flew into the top right corner of the net to halve the deficit.

Any chance of a comeback for the visitors was dashed however when Counago was sent-off following a bad foul on Williams in the 67th minute.

Forster got his hat-trick two minutes later, finishing well from 18 yards after springing the Ipswich offside trap.

Reading: Hahnemann, Murty, Shorey, Williams, Upson, Watson, Harper, Newman, Salako, Rougier, Forster. Subs: Mackie, Butler, Cureton, Igoe, Ashdown.

Ipswich: Marshall, Ambrose, Clapham, Hreidarsson, Makin, McGreal, Venus, Holland, Magilton, Counago, Marcus Bent. Subs: Armstrong, Gaardsoe, George, Pullen, Wright.

Referee: B Curson (Leicestershire)