Debutant sub Kenwyne Jones headed an 82nd minute equaliser as Town and Bournemouth drew 1-1 in an exciting top of the table encounter at Portman Road, Freddie Sears having put the Blues in front in the sixth minute.

Mick McCarthy, whose side had dropped to eighth following the day’s earlier games, made three changes to the team which won at Watford a fortnight ago with Zeki Fryers making his debut at left-back for the suspended Tyrone Mings, while Teddy Bishop, back after a shin injury, came into the middle of midfield for Kevin Bru, who missed out with a calf problem.

Sears started up front alongside 23-goal Championship top scorer Daryl Murphy with David McGoldrick and Jonny Williams, who received a warm ovation as he walked to the dugout, both on the bench. Luke Varney began on the right of a four-man midfield.

For Bournemouth, top scorer Callum Wilson started up front despite manager Eddie Howe having said he expected him to miss the Easter matches.

The visitors carved out the game’s first chance in the fourth minute, Simon Francis laying the ball back to Matt Ritchie, who whipped over a cross which Ryan Fraser headed wide having got ahead of Blues skipper Luke Chambers.

A minute later, Town went in front via their first opportunity of the game. Cole Skuse’s cross from the left found Daryl Murphy at the back of the box. The Irishman was given time and space to play a pass across the area to Sears, who slammed home from six yards with Steve Cook playing him onside. It was the ex-Colchester man’s fifth goal for the Blues and his 19th this season.

The Cherries immediately looked to hit back, Ritchie finding Andrew Surman, who sent a ball across the Blues’ six-yard box from the right.

Moments later, Brett Pitman just failed to reach a cross from the left, the loose ball eventually falling for one-time Town trialist Harry Arter, who blazed over.

The visitors had been on top since the Blues’ goal but on 12 Varney fed Fryers in space on the edge of the box, however, the debutant left-back shot well over.

At the other end, Christophe Berra blocked from Wilson, then, as what had been a pulsating first quarter of an hour came to an end, Francis just got in ahead of Varney after the on-loan Blackburn man had been threaded in by Sears. Referee Robert Madley awarded a goalkick, however.

The Cherries continued to look threatening every time they went forward but with Town so far preventing them from creating any big chances. On 25 Chambers was booked for a late tackle on Ryan Fraser.

There was a scare for the Blues on 31 when Bishop stabbed the ball away from a Bournemouth player into the path of Pitman, but the striker turned his shot straight at Bartosz Bialkowski from the edge of the box.

The Town keeper was forced into his first serious save of the game six minutes later. Ritchie fed Fraser in space to his left and the Scot hit a shot which Bialkowski did well to push past his left post.

Arter was booked for a cynical foul on Tabb as Town broke before Bialkowski again saved from Fraser. The winger whipped over a cross which swerved towards goal and the Pole did superbly to tip the ball over at his far post as it appeared to be dipping under the bar.

Moments later, Chambers and Berra reacted angrily to Wilson rather obviously diving between them inside the area. The Cherries striker then shoved the Town captain and was spoken to along with his skipper Tommy Elphick but referee Madley kept his cards in his pocket.

Varney felt the Blues ought to have been awarded a penalty in the 42nd minute when his cross struck Elphick’s arm. Referee Madley awarded a corner from which the visitors broke after Fryers had slipped, the on-loan Crystal Palace man perhaps fortunate to avoid a booking for fouling Ritchie.

Bialkowski was in action again two minutes later, the Polish keeper punching away Ritchie’s well-struck 25-yard shot. The loose ball fell to Fraser on the edge of the box but his shot screwed well wide.

The Cherries kept up the pressure in the closing stages, Chambers blocking a shot from Francis on the left of the area, the full-back having got away from Jay Tabb. Soon after, referee Madley brought an riveting half to an end.

Having taken their early chance the Blues had largely been on the back foot with Bournemouth passing the ball around slickly and looking dangerous whenever they went forward.

However, for the most part Town had been able to limit the Cherries’ significant opportunities, while Bialkowski made a number of important and impressive saves towards the end of the half.

Sears scraped the first opportunity of the second period wide three minutes after the restart when playing the ball to Murphy to his left might have been a better option. Soon after, Bishop scuffed a shot through to Cherries’ keeper Artur Boruc.

There was a mix-up between the on-loan Southampton keeper and Cook soon after, the defender laying the ball back to him when he wasn’t expecting it and the Pole was forced to clear ahead of Sears.

But soon the pattern of much of the first half was restored with the Cherries looking for the goal which would get the back on terms.

On 51 Bialkowski was off his line quickly to paw the ball out of play after Charlie Daniels had escaped down the left. From the resultant throw, the keeper comfortably stopped Surman’s low 25-yard effort.

The chances began to come thick and fast for the visitors. Fraser crashed a shot into Chambers’s face from the edge of the area, then Berra blocked from Ritchie and Wilson shot into the side-netting from a tight angle on the left. Three minutes before the hour mark, Richard Chaplow replaced Bishop.

Town began to look more dangerous, but Varney’s 63rd minute effort from distance flew well over. Two minutes later, Yann Kermorgant replaced Pitman for the Cherries.

Fraser broke away down the Bournemouth left in the 69th minute and crossed to Wilson, who was unable to find himself space to shoot under pressure from Berra. Eventually, he stabbed the ball back to Ritchie, whose shot was blocked before Berra cleared the danger.

Despite that opportunity, the Blues were presenting more of a threat going forward than they had in the first half. Murphy failed to make the most of a break on 69, then four minutes later the Irishman won a freekick on the left, which was headed over ahead of Berra, who committed a foul, according to referee Madley.

Chris Wood replaced goalscorer Sears with 11 minutes from time, while Bournemouth brought on Kenwyne Jones and Adam Smith for Cook and Fraser.

Moments later, Varney went close to increasing Town’s lead, the 32-year-old tenaciously battling for the ball and breaking into the area before finding his path blocked by Boruc.

The Cherries finally broke through the Blues’ backline with eight minutes of scheduled time remaining. Ritchie whipped over a corner from the left and Jones got ahead of Smith to head home a debut goal with what must have been his first touch of the ball.

In the final minute Matt Clarke replaced Varney, who had suffered what appeared to be an ankle knock in his earlier collision with Boruc.

As the game moved into four minutes of injury time Arter scraped a shot wide, then moments before the whistle Berra conceded a needless corner from which the Cherries almost won it.

Ritchie sent over a ball to the far post which Kermorgant nodded back towards goal and Bialkowski reacted superbly to claw it away from goal. Adam Smith’s rebound was blocked by Skuse and moments later referee Madley sounded the final whistle.

While Town fans will be disappointed to have conceded from a set piece so close to the end, a draw - the fourth in a row between the two sides - was a fair result on the overall balance of the game.

Bournemouth again impressed with their trademark passing and movement, but the Blues showed their battling qualities to stay in front having come under a great deal of pressure having taken their early chance.

Man of the match Bialkowski made a number of vital saves, not least in the final moments from Kermorgant.

The result moves Town back to sixth but with fourth-placed Watford and Derby in eighth in action later this evening.

Town: Bialkowski, Chambers, Smith, Berra, Fryers, Skuse, Tabb, Bishop (Chaplow 57), Varney (Clarke 90), Murphy, Sears (Wood 79). Unused: Gerken, Anderson, Williams, McGoldrick.

AFC Bournemouth: Boruc, Francis, Cook (Jones 79), Elphick, Daniels, Ritchie, Surman, Arter, Fraser (Smith 79), Pitman (Kermorgant 65), Wilson. Unused: Camp, Ward, Gosling, MacDonald. Referee: Robert Madley (West Yorkshire). Attendance: 22,672 (Bournemouth: 963).

Photo: Action Images

MHS added 23:08 - Apr 5 Just a response to some of the criticism some fans are aiming at Chris Wood. He proved his ability against Watford, held the ball up brilliantly, brought others into play. Since then (and before then) hes only had 10 minute cameos where he hasnt really had a chance to prove himself. Admittedly he hasnt done alot in these cameos but I think its harsh to label him as 'Dead Wood' when the only real chance hes had to prove himself he actually did play very well. Happy with the Bournemouth result after being largely dominated for 70+ mins, resilient defending and hard working from the front - MM got it spot on! Making the long journey to Huddersfield tomorrow, COYB

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