Town face third-placed Reading at Portman Road on Saturday looking for only their second win of 2017 and hoping to avoid falling to back to back defeats for the first time this season.
Danny Williams netted the game’s third penalty deep in second-half injury time to hand Reading a 2-1 victory over the Blues at the Madejski Stadium, Jonas Knudsen having been adjudged to have hauled down Joey van den Berg at a corner. In first-half injury time Grant Ward had been harshly penalised for handball for the game’s first spotkick, Garath McCleary putting the Royals in front, with Brett Pitman firing home Town’s penalty five minutes after the break having been fouled by Tyler Blackett.
Steven Taylor and Emyr Huws are both handed their debuts as Mick McCarthy makes five changes as the Blues take on third-placed Reading at Portman Road.
Tom Lawrence scored twice to take his tally for the season to 10 - and eight in his last eight games - as Town drew 2-2 at home to Reading. The Blues will feel they deserved to claim the three points against an under par Royals side who levelled twice through Jordon Mutch and then Jordan Obita.