A quick-fire double lifted Ipswich further clear of trouble after a 2-1 home win over 10-man Reading.
McAuley and Walters goals make 10-man Royals pay
A quick-fire double at the end of the first half lifted Ipswich Town further clear of relegation trouble after a 2-1 home win over 10-man Reading.
The visitors were a man down from the half-hour mark when Matthew Mills was sent off for a two-footed challenge on David Norris.
Ipswich broke the deadlock four minutes before half-time through Gareth McAuley and Jon Walters soon added a second for Roy Keane's side.
Gylfi Sigurdsson did net a last-minute consolation for Reading, who are now only a point above Town in the Championship table.
Reading received a double boost prior to the game, with Brian McDermott being named as the Championship manager of the month for March and midfielder Sigurdsson picking up the player of the month award.
Brian Howard saw a shot deflect wide for the visitors early on, while Ipswich's David Healy forced Adam Federici into action from an acute angle.
Town midfielder Norris was then booked for simulation after going down in the box under a challenge from Zurab Khizanishvili, before Healy threatened again with an overhead kick that forced Federici into further action.
Reading responded with Jobi McAnuff testing Brian Murphy from 25 yards.
But the Royals suffered a setback on the half hour as Mills was dismissed following a strong tackle on Norris.
Alex Pearce was introduced in place of Brynjar Gunnarsson as McDermott looked to reorganise.
Quick to capitalise
However, Ipswich were quick to capitalise on their numerical advantage and took control with two goals in four minutes at the end of the first half.
McAuley opened the scoring with a header from Grant Leadbitter's corner, after the latter had seen a 30-yard strike tipped away superbly by Federici.
And Reading's misery was compounded on the stroke of half-time as Daryl Murphy nodded David Wright's cross back into the six-yard box, where Walters was on hand to apply the finish.
Wickham was introduced at the start of the second half, with Healy the man to make way.
Reading refused to throw in the towel after the interval, although Jimmy Kebe, Shane Long and Brian Howard all failed to test Brian Murphy when presented with chances.
Daryl Murphy sent a curling shot narrowly over and Wright tested Federici from 12 yards as Ipswich looked to put the result beyond doubt.
Wickham, Leadbitter and Jack Colback also brought saves from the Royals goalkeeper as the game drifted towards its conclusion.
Sigurdsson curled home a 25-yard free-kick in the final minute of normal time to set nerves jangling among the home support, but Ipswich were not to be denied.
