Deadly Doyle proving find of season for Royals

Reading 2 Ipswich 0

The 22-year-old Wexford ace laid on the opener - a Richard Naylor own goal - headed home the second and almost broke the crossbar before being replaced by Kitson, who was making his comeback from injury.

Reading took the game to the three-man Ipswich backline straight from the start and deservedly went ahead after 19 minutes.

Chris Makin fed Doyle down Reading’s right flank. The Irishman’s cross was on its way to Lita but Richard Naylor intervened, only to turn the ball into his own net.

Trailing by a goal at half-time, Ipswich boss Joe Royle gambled by taking off defender Jason De Vos and replacing him with forward Adam Proudlock. The move rebounded with Reading adding their second goal just two minutes into the half.

Ivar Ingimarsson sent Glen Little clear down the right and the former Burnley man’s cross to the far post was superbly headed home by Doyle.

It was the fourth goal in eight games this season for the 21-year-old, who has just broken into the full Republic of Ireland squad.

Reading manager Steve Coppell was full of praise for Doyle who he signed from Cork City in the summer, adding: “The lad has come from nowhere. Three of us went to Ireland to look at him at different times and then we just decided to take a chance on the player. I can’t really remember what it was that I particularly liked about him. I had five pints of Guinness in the afternoon and it was all a bit blurred.

“He has taken his chance and the nice thing is he’s what I call a low maintenance player. He comes in, trains and then goes home. He has no ego and he’s a lovely lad.”

READING: Hahnemann, Makin, Sonko, Ingimarsson, Shorey, Little (Oster 72), Gunnarsson, Harper, Convey (Hunt 81), Lita, Doyle (Kitson 64).

IPSWICH: Price, Sito, Wilnis, De Vos (Proudlock 45), Naylor, McEveley, Currie (Bowditch 83), Magilton, Horlock, Forster (Garvan 69), Parkin.

Referee: S Tanner (Somerset).