Ryan Fraser netted an 86th minute equaliser as the Blues drew 2-2 at home to Bristol City. Skipper Luke Chambers headed Town in front a minute after the break but quick-fire goals from Luke Freeman and Jonathan Kodjia gave the Robins the lead before Fraser’s late goal.

Prior to kick-off, Blues legends Arnold Muhren and Frans Thijssen were warmly applauded by the Portman Road faithful on their return to the club.

Having fielded an entirely different XI at Manchester United in midweek, Mick McCarthy made two changes from the team which drew 1-1 with Birmingham in the Blues’ previous Championship game a week ago yesterday.

Daryl Murphy and Ryan Fraser started with Brett Pitman and Larsen Touré dropping to the bench.

The visitors started on the front foot and would have gone in front in the fourth minute but for a superb instinctive Dean Gerken save.

Bristol City left wing-back Derrick Williams, who trained with the Blues Academy as a schoolboy, played the ball into skipper Aaron Wilbraham’s feet just inside the area.

The former Crystal Palace man back-heeled into the path of Jonathan Kodjia and on-time Bristol City keeper Gerken showed quick reactions to block the Ivorian’s powerful shot with his right hand.

The Robins went close again in the 10th minute when Luke Freeman’s corner from the right reached Nathan Baker at the back post but the on-loan Aston Villa couldn’t direct his header goalwards.

Murphy nodded Town’s first chance goalwards two minutes later from Jonas Knudsen’s cross but failed to trouble Bristol City keeper Frank Fielding.

The Robins threatened again a minute later, right wing-back Mark Little crossing and Kodjia turning a first-time effort just wide at the near post.

But Town gradually started to get on top and in the 14th minute Fraser - like his right-sided counterpart Ainsley Maitland-Niles operating in a very narrow role - crossed deep towards Murphy but sent the ball out for a goalkick when perhaps he had better options.

A minute later, Fraser crossed from the left but Freddie Sears glanced across the face and wide.

The Blues began to put the visitors under pressure and on 19 Knudsen saw a strike blocked, Town having kept the ball for a long spell around the edge of the box.

Town continued to press for the opening goal and in the 22nd minute following a corner Christophe Berra sent over a cross from the right but which was too close to Fielding.

Robins defender Aden Flint almost put the Blues in front on the half hour when he headed Fraser’s right-wing corner towards his own goal when under pressure.

Fortunately for the visitors keeper Fielding got across to his right to push the ball away and Smith was unable to get onto the rebound.

On 35 Fraser burst into the area at pace on the left and cut the ball across to Murphy, whose back-heeled effort was blocked. Two minutes later Marlon Pack was booked for a late tackle on Fraser.

Five minutes later, the visitors won a couple of corners, Berra doing well to head the second away under pressure.

Knudsen’s 44th minute long throw from the left beat the City defenders at the front post but bounced over Murphy and fortunately fell safely for the visitors. Booking

Town continued to press as the half moved into injury time, former Robin and boyhood Bristol City fan Cole Skuse seeing a shot blocked.

Moments later, Murphy was found on the right of the area and his shot deflected wide off Baker. Seconds before the whistle Berra headed a Fraser corner from the right over the bar.

Having started slowly - the Robins could have been in front but for Gerken’s save from Kodjia - the Blues gradually took control and were in charge for most of the half, however, without creating any clear-cut opportunities.

But it took only a minute of the second half for Town to claim the lead. The ball was played back to Knudsen following a long throw on the left, the Danish international whipped over a cross and skipper Luke Chambers headed home his first goal of the season off Flint as he tried in vain to clear the ball off the line.

Freeman smashed well wide for the Robins then on 52 Murphy wasn’t far away from his first of the season when hit a powerful strike just past Fielding’s right post.

The Blues lead would only last for another minute with the visitors getting back on terms in somewhat fortunate circumstances.

Freeman brought the ball into the area unchallenged before hitting a shot which looked easy for Gerken until it struck Tommy Smith’s heel, beat the wrong-footed keeper and trickled over the line.

And three minutes later the visitors were in front. Kodija skipped away from Berra, who was caught on his heels, as he received a pass from Wilbraham the left, broke into the area and beat Gerken with covering defender Knudsen unable to get back.

The Blues reacted well to the double blow, however, and on 59 Sears half-volleyed Knudsen’s long throw from the left just over.

Two minutes later, Maitland-Niles crossed from the right and Fraser headed straight at Fielding. A foot or so either side of the keeper and the Blues would have been on terms.

On 64 Fraser’s cross from the left deflected off defender Luke Ayling’s head and Fielding was forced to tip over with the looping ball set to dip under his bar. From the corner, a Maitland-Niles strike deflected wide. David McGoldrick replaced Murphy on 67.

Williams made an important header on 71, nodding Maitland-Niles’s cross from the left over ahead of McGoldrick. That was the on-loan Arsenal man’s last involvement, one-time Robin Brett Pitman replaced him moments later.

As the game moved into its final quarter of an hour the Blues were camped in the Bristol City half but without being able to carve out many opportunities. And when they did create a chance the visitors’ backline remained resolute. On 76 McGoldrick broke into the area on the right but saw his shot blocked.

Jonny Parr replaced goalscorer Chambers for the final six scheduled minutes, the Town skipper having received treatment on the pitch shortly beforehand.

With four minutes left on the clock, the Blues got back on terms. Jonathan Douglas played the ball down the right to Pitman, who laid it back to Sears. The former Colchester man crossed first time and Fraser slammed home from close range.

Town went looking for the winner and in the 89th minute Fraser curled a strike fro distance into Fielding’s arms.

In injury time Baker rose highest to meet Freeman’s right-wing corner but was unable to direct towards goal.

Deep in injury time, McGoldrick’s 25-yard freekick was blocked but Sears returned the ball to the Blues number 10. The Irish international curled a shot towards goal and Pitman nodded just past the post.

Seconds before the final whistle, Pitman nodded down Knudsen’s ball down the left and Fraser lost his footing as he hit a shot deep into the Sir Bobby Robson Stand.

While the visitors - who drop to the bottom of the table with Rotherham beating Birmingham - will believe they deserved the point, Town will feel it was a game they should have won having had so much of the ball and after going ahead straight after the break.

The first Bristol City goal owed much to the unfortunate deflection, although Freeman was given too much time, while the Blues backline will be more disappointed with the second.

Having gone behind, Town dominated but huffed and puffed and had created few significant chances against a resolute Robins backline until Fraser’s well-worked equaliser.

The Blues, who have now won just once in their last six games in all competitions and are without a home victory in three matches, have dropped to seventh and next face Blackburn Rovers at Ewood Park next Saturday.

Town: Gerken, Chambers (c) (Parr 84), Smith, Berra, Knudsen, Skuse, Douglas, Maitland-Niles (Pitman 71), Fraser, Sears, Murphy (McGoldrick 67). Subs: Bialkowski, Parr, Bru, Touré.

Bristol City: Fielding, Little, Ayling, Flint, Baker, Williams, Bryan, Pack, Freeman, Wilbraham (c), Kodjia (Burns 90). Subs: O'Leary, Moore, Reid, Robinson, Agard. Referee: Peter Bankes (Liverpool). Att: 20,347 (Bristol City: 487).

Photo: Action Images

muccletonjoe added 18:10 - Sep 26 The make up of this side is not correct and most of the major problems are not being addressed week after week. Having a better squad than last season is a matter of opinion in my view
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andy_ipswich1990 added 18:11 - Sep 26 Absolutely awful result. Knew this was going to happen we have scored the most goals in the league and they have conceded the most goals in the league so was obvious we we're going to drop points. We're supposed to be pushing for top 2 yet we can't even keep a clean sheet at all!!! Absolutely awful performance Douglas and skuse can't play in the middle of the park together and they both do EXACTLY THE SAME JOB and leave opposition to much space in the middle of the park. We can't play chambers at right back because he is a centre back. I think tommy smoth has been our best defender so far drop chambers to the bench and play a proper right back for god sake. Before the season started I was optimistic as anybody but after our last few games we look awful. Until we get bishop back in the middle of the park and drop chamber we won't even get top 6 let alone automatic promotion!! Awful!!!

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andy_ipswich1990 added 18:12 - Sep 26 Smith**
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blueboy1981 added 18:13 - Sep 26 bluesince84 ............ good post - you're absolutely right - but that is true McCarthy style, never to be changed i suspect.
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Bert added 18:14 - Sep 26 Typical bunch of post match moaners. Yes, a lack lustre performance but don't you lot realise that Douglas actually made the pass for our second goal. Do any oh you know about managing a team or do you just see what you want to see. No mention of Gerks fine save so dare say many of you are disappointed that he saved a certain goal. Trust the Manager and stop moaning !
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unknown100 added 18:15 - Sep 26 Mccarthy has done amazing to stabilise and take us to where we are but maybe he has taken us as far as he can- which isn't an insult or me slagging him off, just maybe time for a fresh injection of new managent to take us to the next level He builds sides to be hard to beat, which he has done, but you can't get promoted on negative football which I think we play, need to be a team that takes the game to team and be ready to win which we aren't, a little bit one dimensional now and people have worked us out

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warktheline added 18:17 - Sep 26 @blueboy, 'more and more are now seeing it'.... I concur to a point but ,for myself I must emphasise McCarthy's 'achievements' for want of a better word, firstly he prevented relegation, secondly, he re established our 'championship status' and thirdly, he has recruited a group of players well capable of challenging for promotion! Many now are beginning to question his ability to continue the upward trend, mainly due to team selection and tactics.

3

tractorboybig added 18:20 - Sep 26 await mm rubbish on this one with bated breath!!!!
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Surco72 added 18:20 - Sep 26 Best two players on pitch in last league game were Toure and Pitman both dropped for this game ? Keeper and back four repeatedly make mistakes and are untouchable ? Douglas and Skuse offer nothing but clearly favourites roll on last season's Tabb or the year before Nouble how this selection policy breeds competition for places or team spirit I don't know , doesn't matter how you play I will pick my favourite players . How Dids cannot get in this team is a joke , how the back 7 get in every week is a joke . Makes Weds game of playing a weak side even worse now . Fortress Portman Road , what a joke , MM got it badly wrong again today

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bluefeast added 18:21 - Sep 26 We are conceding more goals than the rest of the championship because we have been sussed out totally and completely. Namely runners from midfield moving off our midfield. This stat says it all. Of the goals we have conceded 82% of them are scored by opposition midfield players. Play a balanced side you will keep a shape ,constantly pick a team of square pegs you get what you deserve. Interestingly also our form since Jan 1st would place us 4th from bottom

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EssexTractor added 18:23 - Sep 26 Radio Suffolk approx 5.40 pm... interviewer poses vital question to manager.."what about today?" manager to interviewer, "well to be fair Bristol City, not a bad team!" Bristol City are 24 th out of 24! Bristol City had a busy midfielder who we treated as though he had a contagious disease as no one tracked him, and three defenders who we tested with our unending supply of " up and under balls". Oh dear oh dear... Muhren and Thijssen why didn't you bring your boots!

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Count_Arthur added 18:26 - Sep 26 Could someone tell me why the pitch is so heavily watered and how many mistakes our players have made / goals we've ultimately conceded because our players have slipped over? Slightly off topic I know but it doesn't seem to be helping!?!
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timkatieadamitfc added 18:29 - Sep 26 Dear me,if these posts were written 4/5 weeks ago there would have been 1000s of minuses lodged against anyone who dared say anything resembling a negative about us.I think we are seeing now just how good we really are,unfortunately it's not that good.I can't really argue or disagree with most of the posts as they raise valid points.Right back at right back,Bart in goal,creative midfielder needed,sears and mcgoldrick to start.OH WAIT I THINK 1 OR 2 PEOPLE MAY HAVE ALREADY RAISED THESE FEKIN POINTS

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DannyITFC added 18:29 - Sep 26 I was at the game today and like most people utterly disappointed with the performance but at least we rescued a point. Bart is the better keeper however Gerks had a top game today credit where it is due. I know Chambers scored but his performance was poor at RB as usual....personally I would rather see Emmanual or Parr in that position with Chambers in the right hand side of central defence with either Berra or Smith....... And there is the central midfield....well Douglas and Scuse are too similar so surely Bru has to replace Douglas? Give us some flair in there Mick please! Murphy is out of form so play your best two strikers in Sears and Pitman/Mcgoldrick but we need to play to ball on the deck as Murphy is not the player he was last year so hoofing it up to him is not working! Certainly when Murphy is not playing we should not be playing long high balls. We have pure class and pace on the wings in Fraser and Niles why don't we keep the ball on the deck and use them? Mick needs to adjust his best team selection and style of play soon otherwise I can't see how a top 6 finish is achievable.

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brian_a_mul added 18:30 - Sep 26 No team has a right to 3 pts, we were the better team and were unfortunate with their first goal. The team showed good spirit to get level and on another day we would have grabbed the 3 pts. I agree that improvements can be made, iv no doubt when bru and bish are back we will see a more effective team. We are well capable to get a win at ewood, our team is better set up to play away at the moment!

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PJH added 18:32 - Sep 26 Certainly a disappointing result from a game that we should expect to win. I think Berra is so far this season looking a shadow of the very good defender he was last season. In my view only Smith and Fraser really come out of the game with much credit. I would like to see Bru in for Douglas and,as most people are saying,Bart in goal. We obviously need to tighten up defensively whether that is with change of personnel or better performances.

2

sereneblue added 18:33 - Sep 26 Right back.
4

airliner added 18:35 - Sep 26 It's so obvious that Gerken is not the no 1 keeper , so why does mick keep playing him? We were better off playing long ball so why this stupid mad winger game it just does not work. Also all the money that has come in has been saved and those that have been given new contracts have lost their spark !! Really pissed off!!!
1

battyblue added 18:36 - Sep 26 obviously MM hasn't grown out of his stubbornness and arrogantness from last season and will he ever i doubt it he is holding this club back now something needs to change eg: playing players in their best positions and rightful positions instead of moving them around to accommodate favorites and under achievers ,he does the opposite to what he was preaching when he took over as manager here,we now have the players in the club to fix this dilemma but!.... no in mick we trust.....he is to stubborn,,i quote its my team i will pick who i want and the more you protest the least likely i will change it......i ask you what sort of attitude is that.

5

oddball added 18:36 - Sep 26 Omg. What a bunch of whingers :-)
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jpring89 added 18:37 - Sep 26 I know were not on form and are making mistakes left right and centre but if it wasnt for bad luck in the past 2 games with berra slip against birmingham and there deflected goal today we could have 4-6 points instead of 2 and it would not look so bad. Still massively disappointing Just need a win to get confidence back again
0

neillrumsey added 18:40 - Sep 26 Two positives from todays game. First we didn't lose Secondly our second goal was as a result of playing football on the deck. That's all you can say. The tactics used by MM played into the hands of a very poor Bristol side. Ask a child what he sees when Bristol enter the pitch, they would reply they play in Red and are a very big team. Why lump the ball high when we have Murph up front who rarely wins a header especially against giants. Terrible for the fans to watch such garbage. This season MM has acquired some real talent in AMN and Fraser but they together with Sears cannot thrive on this type of hoof ball. We must play to our strengths. Not happy with Gerken starting but he must take credit for a good save early on to keep the scores level thereafter he was indecisive and rarely on his toes as seen for the deflected goal. Tommy Smith is our outstanding defender this season with Berra still way of the pace and the two full backs poor as usual. Kenlock needs to be given a chance for me as Knudsen was impressive for two games and his performances for me are now well on the decline. Chambo great leader terrible full back who was taken to the cleaners first half. Centre Midfield again very poor two defensive minded players. Fraser and AMN both played well and Sears came alive after McG and Pittman came on.... McG has to start for me. MM is too stubborn to change... Rant over very disappointing home game yet again.

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Cakeman added 18:41 - Sep 26 Fully agree with gippeswyk there were more positives from the Man U game where I thought the back four plus Bart did very well against far more stronger opposition the Bristol City. Would like to see the likes of Yowerth and Emmanuel given a run because the current back four just ain't cutting it. Midfield is consistent though i.e. Non existent!
5

itfcsince1974 added 18:49 - Sep 26 I was at the game today and, honestly, it feels like a defeat. Enough said.
4

jas0999 added 18:53 - Sep 26 Bitterly disappointing result and performance against poor opposition who frankly looked no worse than us and thoroughly deserved their point. The first half was atrocious. They ripped us to shreds for the first 15 minutes and we failed to create a single shot on goal against a team in the bottom two. Unacceptable. The second half started well, but defensive frailties once again hit. Douglas passed too easily for their somewhat fortunate equaliser and then oh dear for the second. Despite the fight back for a point, we were overall disappointing. The problem is although we have improved on the wings, with Fraser excellent and AMN playing well; defensively we are worse than last season. Berra out of sorts. Plenty created by the opposition down the right and the new left back although decent, is not as good as Mings. The keeper situation hasn't improved, despite one good save from Gerken today. The biggest problem is in central midfield. Douglas looks like a poor signing I'm afraid. Backwards passing. Negative. Slow. Whilst Skuse excellent last season, really has offered nothing in terms of attack or supporting the defence. We need creativity in there for a home game and Skuse/Douglas offered none. When will Mick learn that we can't have two very defence minded players in the middle? I remain disappointed that we didn't sign an attack minded goal scoring central midfielder in the summer. However, these players cost money in terms of a fee, and as we know ME is primarily interested in frees. Up front Murphy is out of form and today looked uninterested to me. On paper we have a great attack, but two of the four have really struggled. We have now failed to win any of our last three home games. Not good enough if we want automatic promotion or indeed a play off place. In fact just one win in six. Poor. More worrying is the abysmal defensive record which is the second worst in the league. 5 points from last 15. Mid table form at best.

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