Jon Stead dented Reading's automatic promotion hopes further with the only goal of the game for Ipswich.
Ipswich dent Reading's promotion push
Jon Stead dented Reading's automatic promotion hopes further with the only goal of the game for Ipswich at the Madejski Stadium.
Stead broke the deadlock with a stunning strike at the start of the second period as he produced a superb bicycle kick to fire David Norris' cross beyond Marcus Hahnemann.
Dave Kitson came close with a first-half header on his return to the Royals, but Steve Coppell's side rarely troubled visiting goalkeeper Richard Wright in the second 45 minutes.
Indeed, Ipswich almost added a second late on when Kevin Lisbie's header was superbly parried away by Hahnemann.
The defeat leaves Reading 10 points behind league leaders Wolves, although they do have two games in hand on the men from Molineux.
Kitson made his second debut for Reading after re-joining the club on loan from Stoke earlier in the week.
Goalkeeper Hahnemann also returned to the Royals' starting XI in place of Adam Federici, while James Harper and Brynjar Gunnarsson replaced Kalifa Cisse and Marek Matejovsky in midfield.
Flowing
Ipswich named new loan signing Giovani dos Santos among their substitutes, while Stead and Gareth McAuley came into the side for Jon Walters and Ivan Campo.
Kitson almost got Coppell's men off to the perfect start as he headed narrowly over from Glen Little's free-kick.
Wright was then forced to gather the ball at the feet of Stephen Hunt following a flowing Reading move, before Shane Long tested the Ipswich goalkeeper with a driven effort from 20 yards.
The visitors finally managed their first attempt on goal in the 24th minute, although Alan Quinn's 25-yarder posed little problem for Hahnemann.
It was Reading who remained the most likely to make the breakthrough and Harper forced Wright into further action in the 29th minute with a low left-footed strike from the edge of the area.
Ipswich improved as the half drew to a close and Tommy Miller curled a shot over the crossbar after 36 minutes.
Stunning
The Tractor Boys then took the lead in stunning style two minutes after the interval through Stead's 10th league goal of the season.
Quinn then saw an effort saved by Hahnemann before Kitson came close again for Reading with another header which drifted over the bar.
With the play now switching from end to end, Stead drilled wide for Ipswich from 25 yards, before Reading came agonisingly close to grabbing an equaliser as McAuley cleared Michael Duberry's goalbound header off the line with Wright well beaten.
Jimmy Kebe was introduced in place of Hunt and Kevin Doyle came on for Long as the Royals fought desperately to get back on level terms.
However, Ipswich continued to push forward themselves in search of a killer second goal and the impressive Stead burst through again before firing high and wide from 20 yards.
The shot proved to be the striker's final contribution as he made way for Giovani to make his debut with 19 minutes remaining.
Six minutes later, Hahnemann made a superb save to keep his side in the game as he parried away Lisbie's header, but it was to no avail as Ipswich held on to claim three points.
