Tommy Smith’s second goal of the season saw Town to a scrappy 1-1 home draw against Bristol City at Portman Road. The Robins went in front via Neil Danns in the 11th minute and might have been further in front before Smith equalised on 32, the Blues having a couple of chances to win it late on.

Boss Mick McCarthy named an unchanged side but with midfielder Luke Hyam returning to the bench having been out for a month with a calf injury and then a bout of illness. Former Blue Jon Stead started for the visitors, who lined up 5-4-1.

The first chance of the game, played in very slippery conditions after heavy rain, fell to Stead in the fifth minute. City left-back Greg Cunningham crossed but the ex-Town man missed the ball completely. Soon after, Paul Anderson’s shot was blocked with the visiting players claiming, somewhat hopefully, that the ball had been handled.

The Robins had looked the more threatening side in the opening minutes but on eight the Blues came close after a corner on the right. The ball wouldn’t fall for Guirane N’Daw on the edge of the box but eventually it was played back in by Tommy Smith but squirmed away from Luke Chambers just inside the area.

Soon after, Daryl Murphy was flagged offside from Lee Martin’s clever lob over the Bristol City backline with DJ Campbell chasing the same ball and probably onside.

The visitors went ahead on 11 when Aaron Cresswell cleared the ball against Chambers on the edge of the box and it fell kindly to one-time Colchester man Danns, who smashed a shot past former Robin Stephen Henderson and into the net. It was a very poor goal to concede from Town’s perspective.

The Blues weren’t far from getting back on terms on 17 when Murphy knocked down a high ball towards Campbell, who forced Robins keeper Tom Heaton to block. The Blues frontman got to the rebound but was again thwarted by the ex-Cardiff man.

Stead shot low to Henderson’s left in the 20th minute, then the Robins took advantage of more poor Town defending, Danns turning Richard Foster’s cross from the right goalwards, the ball rather fortunately striking Orr on the edge of the six-yard box.

At the other end, Martin curled the ball over from the left in the 24th minute but the visitors were still looking the more dangerous side with the Blues were struggling to settle into the damp conditions.

The Robins threatened again in the 26th minute but Albert Adomah lashed wildly high and wide from the right when Danns amongst other was well placed in the centre. For the Blues, Campbell flicked Martin’s cross from deep on the left over.

The Blues could well have been two or even three goals down but in the 32nd minute they got back on terms. Martin sent in a corner from the right, Chambers headed it down and Smith hooked home his second goal of the season.

The goal gave the Blues a boost and N’Daw’s deflected 30-yard strike — the second of two attempts — was saved by Heaton. For the Robins, Anderson hit a shot from the edge of the box which Henderson saved but couldn’t hold, Stead subsequently stabbing the rebound rather embarrassingly wide but when offside.

Edwards shot wide when he ought to have done better, then at the other end Chambers got an important touch on a ball over the top for Stead to see it safely through to Henderson.

Moments before the whistle, Stead found himself space for a shot from just outside the box but Henderson saved down to his left.

Town were a touch fortunate to find themselves on terms at the break. The visitors had been the better side for the most part with the Blues looking shaky at the back, having not dealt with the soggy conditions particularly well.

The home side might well have been two or even three goals in front by the time Smith scored his equaliser, with Campbell’s earlier effort which forced the excellent double save from Heaton was Town’s only other notable effort on goal.

The Blues had improved after getting back on terms but were still some way from dominant in what had been a largely scrappy half with the conditions not helpful.

Stead forced Henderson to save in the opening minute of the second period, then at the other end Murphy screwed a shot wide with Heaton momentarily out of his goal having come for a cross.

Danns shot wide on 53, then moments later Cunningham failed to hit the target by some distance with an effort from the right after a short corner.

Two minutes later, N’Daw sent Martin away down the left, a Bristol City boot just getting in ahead of Murphy. After the resultant corner had been forced away for a throw on the right, Murphy headed wide.

Michael Chopra took over from Campbell two minutes before the hour mark, then for the visitors Anderson took the ball past the advancing Henderson but wide on the right, the Blues keeper blocking his cross.

Cunningham headed wide from a Danns cross from the right with the game continuing in the scrappy manner of the first half with neither side really on top.

Drury shot over from 30 yards, then Jay Emmanuel-Thomas replaced Murphy, who had appeared to suffer a knock a few minutes earlier.

On 78 Emmanuel-Thomas shot wide with the Blues looking the more likely scorers in an attritional game of little quality.

Town’s two subs combined in the 80th minute, Emmanuel-Thomas finding Chopra in the area, the striker skipping away from his defender and hitting a shot which Heaton saved well.

Both sides continued to huff and puff as the game moved into four minutes of injury time in which Town ought to have won it. Drury cut the ball back from the right to Martin, but the former Manchester United man’s weak shot at goal was blocked when he should have scored.

With time running out, Drury made a driving run from deep to the edge of the area where he was felled but the one-time Luton man wasted the freekick, volleying Martin’s flick-up wide.

A draw was probably the right result from a scruffy game which neither team particularly deserved to win.

The visitors, who will be happier with the result, had the better of the first half, while Town were probably the more dangerous side in the second and had chances to win it late on.

Manager Mick McCarthy will be disappointed that the Christmas run of fixtures didn’t begin with a win, but will at least be pleased that his unbeaten home record as Town boss remains unbroken.

The result leaves the Blues in 20th but now only three points from the relegation places with Peterborough, Sheffield Wednesday and Barnsley all winning.

Town: Henderson, Orr, Chambers, Smith, Cresswell, Edwards, N'Daw, Drury, Martin, Campbell (Chopra 58), Murphy (Emmanuel-Thomas 72). Subs: Loach, Hewitt, Higginbotham, Hyam, Reo-Coker.

Bristol City: Heaton, Foster, Bates, McManus, Fontaine, Cunningham, Adomah, Danns, Skuse (Elliott 84), Anderson (Baldock 84), Stead. Subs: Gerken, M Wilson, Bryan, Kilkenny, Davies. Referee Mark Haywood (West Yorkshire). Att: 17,290 (Bristol City: 240).

Photo: Action Images

oscarwhiting added 17:16 - Dec 22 Not a bad result. Puts less space between us and the drop but overall not bad
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francisb123 added 17:25 - Dec 22 Awful performance Flat and no tempo constant hoofball I'd rather have someone else as manager then clueless Mick I was snoring halfway through the game
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kuyski added 17:30 - Dec 22 crazy Peterborough won on 5-4！ IN January must need some fresh and hungary players join in，what's a crazy league that was！
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BillBlue added 17:33 - Dec 22 Oscarwhiting How on earth do you calculate that? We are two points nearer the danger area and in effect back in the relegation dog fight. Where were we outplayed, in midfield or allover? In either case why were there no meaningful substitutions? The real question is have we improved? COYB
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TrickyBlue added 17:38 - Dec 22 Now finally some of Ye disillusionised clowns who think mick mac is the man to take town up will cop ye're selves on........we're going nowhere fast with this clown in charge......
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Michael11 added 17:45 - Dec 22 Not a good result at all. Especially as Sheffield Wednesday, Barnsley and Peterborough all won. It's worrying how tired our players looked today with such a busy schedule over the next few weeks. Looks like we're back in a dog fight after all. P.s shut up TrickyBlue you weren't saying what a clown he is when we were in form over the last 8 weeks were you!
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Morgan added 17:48 - Dec 22 Standard knee jerk reactions. Get a grip! Ipswich fans are so frustrating. We have two tough games coming up, I missed today so can't comment on performance but will need to put in 100% to get anything out of both of those. It's important to become hard to beat when we are rebuilding. If we can turn defeats into draws in the next two away games we will pull away. Big test coming up. If we get 4 points out of the games it will make my Xmas. I would take 2/3 pts, anything less we are back in trouble. Come on you blues!

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WarkyWonderLand added 18:01 - Dec 22 Why some people support this club and pay money god only knows. It's one game with 17 points from last 10. Get a grip and support the team. Too many people appear to get pleasure from when we don't win and that is out of order. Support the team win, lose or draw. Coyb
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itfcjc added 18:02 - Dec 22 Crap performance against a crap team Drury is an embarrassment to watch
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VINNIEBLUE added 18:03 - Dec 22 The waters are begining to be a bit choppy, but we knew this would happen but we still picked up a point. With botom three winning its seems more disappointng that it is. Lets not dwell to much, draw a line, move on. Next up Charlton
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Infineteregress added 18:04 - Dec 22 Some of the posters on here are pathetic. One mediocre performance and they're rubbing their hands in masochistic glee, laying into the manager and finger pointing at those who had the nerve to express support/ confidence in the team. Grow up. COYBs!
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bigolconnor added 18:17 - Dec 22 Hyam will play and we will win.
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bluefeast added 18:19 - Dec 22 True comment re drury ,hes better away from home than at home. He just cant create , he has zero assists this season ,and has not scored. He works hard ,but thats it.
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harlingblue added 18:31 - Dec 22 Get off Drury's back, he was the best of a very poor home midfield. I suggest you take a look at the contribution of the other three today. Danns for Bristol was the pick of the midfield players by a mile.
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lintonblue added 18:31 - Dec 22 Teams fighting relegation that have escaped the drop have done so by taking points from the teams below them in the table. The worrying thing for me that our record is not that great in this respect. Result against Charlton will no doubt cheer everyone up though...COYB!
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h32 added 18:50 - Dec 22 Typical 'loanee team' performance against Leeds and again today - nobody knows where they stand right now, and it shows. As I said last week - all the teams below us are capable of winning matches, as proved today. We are far from being out of the mire - needed 3 points today.
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StochesStotasBlewe added 18:51 - Dec 22 This was a poor performance against a poor Bristol team, who could & should have had the game wrapped up by half time. However, two months ago, we would have been delighted to be out of the relegation places at Christmas. The january sales will soon be upon us, then MM can hopefully add some quality to the squad to start taking us foward. Personally, thought Smith had a decent game & took his chance well & was the pick of a poor bunch today. Also, Stead was very wasteful for them in the first half so a point gained in the circumstances. COYB,s, lets make some noise at Charlton & cheer the boys on to 3 important points.

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h32 added 19:06 - Dec 22 ...... not so sure that after today DJ will be keen to stay - not a happy buddy as could be seen.
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h32 added 19:20 - Dec 22 pinewoodblueboy - hope you're right - won't ask you how confident you are though ......
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StowTractorBoy added 19:34 - Dec 22 What really annoyed me today was that right from the kick off we just were not up for it. Bristol City were sharper right from the kick off and for the rest of the match we struggled. Where was the spirit we saw against Millwall it is just all so frustrating. Today was a crucial match but the players nor our crowd seemd to realise this, as we were were all so flat. Mick McCarthy tried to drive us on but to no avail and at one time I thought we would lose. DJ Campbell was in my opinion wrongly substituted and whilst I concede he was not at his best he has goals in him whereas Chopra looked very ordinary. I'm beginning to think JET is not going to make it and again only my opinion it was the midfield that should have been changed as N'Daw was awful, Martin has no end product and Drury was just about adequate and Edwards looks so leggy. How Hyam can be left out when fit baffles me but I am sure there will be changes on Boxing Day.

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h32 added 19:48 - Dec 22 ....... I have every belief that MM is the man for the job at this Club - however 'flatness', as mentioned, is generated by lack of confidence throughout. I would prefer to here a little bit more in the way of positive words from MM - rather than keep referring to 'a scrap to the very end' type quotes from him.
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TimmyH added 19:50 - Dec 22 Strange how we play poorly against the teams around the relegation zone? - Peterboro (lucky to get a draw), Sheff Wed (PJ managed and inept performance) and now Bristol City (where we never looked to get out of the blocks) and not forgetting a draw away at Barnsley yet we've managed to beat Nottm Forest and then an inform Millwall comfortably. I can't help thinking that a few players went into this game a bit lackadaisical after recent performances, this was an important game today to get clear daylight between us and the other relegation candidates but we were unable to do it, whether the players had xmas on their minds who knows! Please please get Mr Hyam back in the team as he adds the extra guile and purpose I think Drury hasn't got. An off day today for too many players and we can't afford to have too many of these otherwise all the teams below us (3 won and Bristol's draw with us) have all made it very tight again. No complacency lads! Oh by the way where have all the Tommy Smith knockers gone?!? - One of our most solid performers since MM has been in charge. (Never doubted him).

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h32 added 19:57 - Dec 22 TimmyH - nice quote about TS, I too have NEVER doubted him - the 'knockers' are obviously poor judges of a players ability !! And remember - he's been playing in a relatively poor team ! - has to be said, because the table doesn't lie.
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TimmyH added 20:13 - Dec 22 agreed mate!
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muccletonjoe added 20:36 - Dec 22 Agree with comments about tommy smith and not a bad result today , performance not brilliant but a defeat would definitely have returned us to the back foot . As it is i fancy us for 3 points against charlton
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