Town boss Paul Jewell felt his side’s 3-3 home draw with Middlesbrough could have ended seven each with both sides having plenty of chances in addition to their goals. The Blues manager was less than impressed with his team’s defending, which he thought was uncharacteristically poor, but was pleased with their spirit as they came from 3-1 down.

Jewell said: “We started the game really well, went 1-0 up and we could have been in front before we went 1-0 up. The goal took a bit of a deflection, obviously.

“Then we made two mistakes and they were right back in it. We looked so nervous and in the end it could have ended seven-all. Our keeper’s made two vital saves at 3-1 down and their keeper’s made three great saves at three-all.

“From a defensive point of view it wasn’t a great night but from a character point of view we’ve come back from 3-1 down and got a point from an end to end game.”

The Blues boss said Damien Delaney and Gareth McAuley had an unusually difficult evening: “The two centre-backs have been brilliant since I’ve been here. Tonight wasn’t their best night, their two front players caused them a lot of problems after the first half hour where we were comfortable.

“Then one mistake led to another, which led to another and you could feel the nervousness and the edginess throughout the team.

“We’ve had a decent defensive record and that’s not just the back four, but the whole team as a unit are defensively a bit loose.

“It’s something we need to address in the summer. Teams break on us a bit quick, certainly at home, and that’s an area where we’ve got to try and knuckle down.”

In the end Jewell was hoping his side might even grab a win: “At 3-1 down you’d take a point all day, but in the end I was a bit disappointed. When we got to 3-3 we’re thinking that we could win it and how the freekick from Jimmy doesn’t go in I don’t know. That’s in no textbook I’ve ever seen!

“[Boro keeper Paul Smith] made a brilliant save from Connor, a great save from Damien and it was all end to end action and either team looked like they could score.

“I’m pleased the way we’ve come back and I think supporters have gone home happy that the team have given everything they’ve got. They could have thrown the towel in at 3-1 and hidden but they didn’t hide, they kept going.”

The Town manager was unhappy that Connor Wickham had his goal ruled out at 3-1: “It’s so far onside it’s unbelievable. It’s not even close. He comes from just past the penalty spot to tap it in. It’s a ridiculous decision.”

Middlesbrough manager Tony Mowbray thought his side were flagging towards the end: “I think they were a tired team at the death. We had a massive game at Sheffield United on Saturday which went right to the end. We had a five-hour trip here and I think it showed at the death.

“Great credit to Ipswich for keeping going and getting themselves back in it from 3-1. They showed great desire not to get beaten.

“The bottom line is that both teams are now in positions where they aren’t threatened from behind any more. It was an open, attractive game of football.

“We can talk about bad defending and yet there were six good goals and there could have been another six.

“There was a bit of everything in the game and hopefully the supporters enjoyed it. It’s a decent point for us but obviously we’re frustrated because at 3-1 we had three one-on-ones with the keeper and Joe Bennett could have had a hat-trick from left-back.

“But to clarify that, our keeper made two or three great saves as well. It was a good game of football.”

Mowbray had no complaints regarding Town’s penalty but revealed that defender Seb Hines broke his jaw in two places and will have to stay in hospital overnight to have an operation.

Photo: Action Images

tractorblue99 added 23:13 - Apr 12 Dont think i've been more nervous at a game all season!!! what was going on at the back? but credit to middlesbrough there keeper made some brilliant saves. best wishes to Hines though, it looked like a nasty clash of heads.
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clive_baker added 23:20 - Apr 12 Another game unbeaten, let's hope we can still be saying that on Sunday and importantly next Thursday night!!
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KnightZ_87 added 23:35 - Apr 12 Such a funny game! The last game i went to was the 3-2 win over Doncaster back when PJ first came in. That was scary at times as well! I think a point was a fair result at the end. Pretty poor defending at each end. I would also like to wish Hines best wishes and hope his jaw gets better. It was nasty!
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TractorBoy added 23:50 - Apr 12 Exciting game! Shame we couldn't win it, but would have taken a draw at 3-1!
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Hungry_Badger added 00:00 - Apr 13 Great attacking game to watch like watching town 5/6 years ago, HAVE to sign Bullard soooo much quality- just need someone to get on the end of his deliveries a little more often. But really enjoyed the game tonight looking forward to next season (Y)
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RetroBlue added 00:21 - Apr 13 Cant wait for next season . Town will be right in the top 6 mix, and In Paul Jewell we have at long last got a manager that can truly build a promotion winning team. BRING OT ON PAUL !!
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Garv added 00:59 - Apr 13 Great composure from Leadbitter to stick the pen away, missed his last one, I was right behind the goal and he kept his cool superbly (despite half the Sir Bobby stand shouting "give it to Jimmy!"). Good header from Connor, nice to see because as a big lad he should be looking to score a header every game. Very pour degrading but midfielders have to be taken into account as not much tracking back was done! Smith in goal for boro had a stormer, how he kept out delaney I've no idea (what a cross from Jimmy that was after the corner had been cleared). In the end a good result because at one point boro could've run riot but we dug in and got a deserved point (Martin changed the game for me).

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michaeldownunder added 02:47 - Apr 13 A good draw after being 3-1 down at one stage, can we remain unbeaten for the rest of the season ? Strange thing I heard on the radio when they interviewed Paul Jewell after the game. He said Ipswich do not have a defensive midfield player at the club, what about Luke Hyam ?
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MVBlue added 05:23 - Apr 13 Good stuff. Things ticking along very well, these goalfests are real Ipswich games.
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Garv added 07:11 - Apr 13 Defending*
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DiamondGezzer added 07:13 - Apr 13 Only heard it on the radio, sounds like DD and GM had a suicide pact, but of course we know its totally different when you're there watching it for yourself. Also, it sounded as though Leadbetter had another good game [ please feel free to correct me if I'm wrong ]. None the less, exciting stuff [ if you're not biased ] and I guess a point is good when you've been 3-1 down. Good come back, heads didn't drop, well done lads.

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Mark added 07:44 - Apr 13 At 1-3, I thought we could be looking at a 1-5 defeat, just a few days before the early-bird season ticket deadline! The manager didn't panic though and made just one very important substitution: Martin for Scotland, meaning Wickham moved up front. Connor looks a far superior player as a striker and I think we should stop playing him on the left of midfield. So, 3-3 it ended and it felt like a win.

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brian_a_mul added 07:56 - Apr 13 Great comeback lads. Shows the lads are up for a fight right till the end of the season. Carson sent in a few nice crosses and looks like he could be a very good player indeed. I would like to see Civelli get a few starts towards end of season.
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broomfield123 added 07:56 - Apr 13 DD and MAC best centre backs in the league.Your haveing a laugh.Maybe in your local pub league. There are as bad under Jewell as they were under Keane and Magilton.They are not in the same class as when we had Mogga and Venus
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bluelady added 07:57 - Apr 13 How many times recently have I seen us go behind by a couple our heads dropped and game over, for me last night showed the Passion and belief jewell has installed into the team, even with little to play for league wise the boys did not give up and got a well earnt point, like to know how many goals we scored before jewell and during his few months..... ok defence needs a rocket after last night but finally we are getting entertaining football not the keep it in defence ans hope we can sneak a goal we had become accustomed to... well worth a season ticket for me to witness games like that!!! Tighten the defence get another decent striker and we will be a force and a team people once again respect for playing proper football

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Back_The_Boss added 08:26 - Apr 13 Exciting games, could have gone either way and a draw was a fair result for both sides.
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Calmingwind added 08:43 - Apr 13 before kick off last night i could really see a win and a win coming at bristol on sat and maybe us mugging leeds or forest for the last P/O spot end of the season but never mind lol, last night reminded me of that crazy game against crewe several seasons back that ended 6-4 or 5-4 to us. frustrated but thuroughly entertained.
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hogster1970 added 08:51 - Apr 13 well a good game in parts and not so good in others thought the back 3 of del mac and kennady had a mare and to often when they could have played the ball up the field the kept laying it back to aaron just to be hoofed up the field, and aaron when had chance to release a quick ball to edwards ect he didnt and just hoofed it thats why our center midfield was not at its best, how ever was a good result and showed great character to come back to draw. for once grant had a good game and bullard was busy, and josh had a decent game also but like others think the team that finished should have been the team that started but hope he keeps the same line up with martin on the left and whickham upfront for the rest of the season, as scotlnad on his own and conner on the left just doesnt work or swich to a 4 4 2 but come on lads a win on sat will see us atleast to match or beat the scum next thursday

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Garv added 10:12 - Apr 13 Broomfield - Delaney didn't play under Magilton, bang goes the theory.
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Lightningboy added 10:26 - Apr 13 Great comeback..this is so much like the Joe Royle "never say die" days. Can't wait for next season..keep up the great work Jewell.
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blueherts added 10:33 - Apr 13 Loved it - what football is about ... We will be better next year and this was an end of season affair - my kids loved it and I enjoyed it ... I think PJ knows who he wants now but still not sure where O Connor and Hyam have gone ??
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broomfield123 added 10:40 - Apr 13 ok but you hopefully understand my point
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AFCC added 11:02 - Apr 13 Only saw the goals late last night on Sky I would certainly blame Boro's 2nd & 3rd on the full backs. Edwards is not a natural defender and keeps drifting inside leaving the flank wide open. Kennedy's tracking is terible, just like against Palace on Saturday he allowed his man to peel off with ease bring the ball under control and slot it away totally unchallenged. Sign up Bullard, 2 new full backs & a new striker and we have a squad that can start to go places.

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Ipswich24 added 11:54 - Apr 13 What a rollercoaster of a game. at 1-0 it was so comfortable Boro looked very poor but we stopped at 1-0 and out of nowhere bang Boro were 1-2 up some vey poor defending by delaney inparticular. I feel we are very prone to the counter attack as kennedy and Delaney are very slow goodness knows what we would do without McAulay at the back. lee-Barrett after his brilliant game saturday was very poor throughout. Second half again we were all over the place and was no surprise when Boro scored again to make it 1-3. I thought at that point we were in for a right thrashing. But the man who changed it was Lee Martin Jewell finally realised that Scotland the useless fat lump needed to come off he offers nothing no pace, no height and no threat in behind. When Wickham was pushed into his proper position we were a different animal. Martin and Carson suddenly come alive and after Connor pulled the score back to 2-3 the whole crowd got behind the boys and could sense a comeback. Then Martin won us the penalty and Leadbitter tucked it away nicely. Then we had some great chances to win it with their keeper making some great stops. All in all I think 3-3 was a fair result and I wentv home very happy watching a great end to end game but we need five really good players in the summer. Two strikers a left back and two midfielders and maybe a centre half too.

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dobbie73 added 13:15 - Apr 13 Mad game, I think my heart stopped at least 3 times! Very good start, then all the players seemed to take a sh!t pill all at once and Boro had us on the ropes. Then at 3-1 I thought it was all over, but credit to Jewell for a good sub (Wickham up front and Martin on the wing made the difference), and credit to the lads for making a fight of it at the end. All in all a good game, decent entertainment (mostly), and a reminder that sometimes a season ticket is worth 20 duff games for 2 or 3 crackers! Now lets get ready to rumble ...... COYB!!!!!!!!!!!!

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