SOCCER:DAMIEN DELANEY'S unfortunate own goal piled more misery on Ipswich but lifted Nottingham Forest to the brink of the Championship play-off places.

The only goal of the game came in first-half injury-time. David McGoldrick’s cross from the left was missed by Ipswich keeper Marlon Fulop and the ball went into the net off Delaney, who could not get out of the way in time.

Town finished the game with 10 men as Grant Leadbitter was shown a straight red card for a high challenge on Paul Anderson.

A seventh defeat in the last nine league games means Roy Keane’s team continue to plummet towards the drop zone.

Conversely, Forest are only two points outside the top six after just one loss in the last nine matches.

Shane Long continued his hot streak in front of goal with a brace as Reading leapfrogged managerless Burnley in the table.

Long struck in either half to take his tally to six goals in his last five games as Brian McDermott’s side kept up the pressure on the play-off pack.

Caretaker manager Stuart Gray had seen Ross Wallace put Burnley briefly ahead but Long – who was superb throughout – soon levelled before finding a winner after the break.

Neil Warnock blamed two pieces of “schoolboy defending” after his side were pegged back by a last-gasp equaliser against Bristol City.

The Championship leaders had come from a goal down to lead with six minutes remaining courtesy of Alejandro Faurlin’s strike and an Adel Taarabt penalty.

But, having gifted City the lead when Clint Hill let in Brett Pitman, Rangers self-destructed when Steven Caulker was left alone to nod in Jamal Campbell-Ryce’s stoppage-time corner and secure a 2-2 draw.

“City are not a bad side but I thought we were superb,” said Warnock. “We made two schoolboy errors at the back which is unlike us this season. They were a disgrace at any level let alone the Championship.”