Town allowed a 4-1 half-time lead slip as Derby County fought back to claim a 4-4 draw at Pride Park. Daryl Murphy scored twice and Christophe Berra and Aaron Cresswell once each before the break with the home side having pulled one back through Zak Whitbread. The second half was almost constant Rams pressure and they eventually grabbed a point with skipper Craig Bryson scoring twice and Jamie Ward once.

Mick McCarthy named an unchanged team for the third successive match with the only switch in the 18 Tyrone Mings’s return to the bench in place of striker Jack Marriott.

The Rams, watched by new boss Steve McClaren, who takes charge tomorrow, handed a debut to defender Whitbread, who joined on loan from Leicester yesterday.

On-form Blues striker David McGoldrick went looking for what would be his first ever Town away goal early on, but failed to find the target from 20 yards in the fourth minute.

At the other end, Craig Forsyth crossed but former Norwich man Chris Martin got under the ball with his header.

But it was Town who would draw first blood in the sixth minute. McGoldrick won a freekick on the left after he was fouled by Jake Buxton. Aaron Cresswell sent a freekick to the far post and Christophe Berra powered home his second headed goal of the season.

Two minutes later, Daryl Murphy forced Rams’ keeper Lee Grant to parry a shot from the right. Ryan Tunnicliffe was unable to get in a clean strike at the rebound and McGoldrick’s subsequent strike deflected wide.

From the corner, Town went two in front. Cresswell again whipped the ball over and this time it was Murphy who powered home the header.

Three minutes later, the home side pulled a goal back after Connor Sammon forced Berra to concede a corner on the right having beaten Cresswell. Ben Davies whipped the ball in and debutant Whitbread’s header flew past Gerken.

But it took only another two minutes for Town’s two-goal lead to be restored. Good work from Cresswell, Tunnicliffe, Murphy and Paul Anderson on the left ended with the former Forest midfielder playing in the left-back at a very tight angle. Cresswell brought the ball in before hitting a low shot which struck keeper Lee Grant and then the back of the net for his second goal of the season.

The basketball style end to end scoring eventually subsided, although the Blues could have been 4-1 up in the 18th minute when a McGoldrick shot deflected to Murphy with the Rams’ defence again all over the place but a defender’s toe stabbed the ball out, although referee Trevor Kettle awarded a goalkick.

Just before the half hour Berra headed over from another Town set piece, this time a corner, then at the other end Ward curled a shot wide for the Rams. Two minutes later, McGoldrick shot wide after being cleverly played in by Luke Hyam.

Town did make in 4-1 in the 34th minute and once more from a set piece. Cresswell whipped the ball in and Murphy flashed a header past Grant and into the net for his second of the season.

Large numbers of the home fans decided they’d seen enough of the first half at this point and were sung on their way by the Blues’ support, who earlier had given Steve McClaren his first burst of ‘You’re being sacked in the morning’ before he has even officially taken charge at Pride Park.

Davies shot wide for the Rams, then with five minutes of the half still McGoldrick headed Anderson’s right-wing cross beyond Grant’s left post.

Gerken was forced into action in the 44th minute when Ward dispossessed Anderson but the Blues keeper reacted quickly and blocked. Moments later, the former Sheffield United man curled a strike over from distance.

Referee Kettle’s whistle brought a breathless half to an end after a lengthy spell of injury time in which the Rams won several corners.

Town were worthy of their lead with the home side unable to deal with Cresswell’s set pieces for three of the goals and having been taken apart by slick Blues passing for the goal the left-back scored himself.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, Derby's interim manager Darren Wassall made two changed at the break, John Eustace taking over from Sammon, leaving Martin as the only out and out central striker, and youngster Mason Bennett replacing Davies.

Within two minutes the Rams pulled a goal back. Will Hughes playing in skipper Craig Bryson on the left of the area, from where he slipped the ball under Gerken much to manager McCarthy’s frustration in the technical area.

The home fans were suddenly in far better spirits and the volume was turned up several notches. There was another scare for the Blues a minute later when sub Bennett was played through on goal but Berra made a superb challenge as he burst into the box. Eustace lashed the loose ball wildly over.

Town weren’t far away from a fifth in the 50th minute when Cresswell and Skuse played a well-rehearsed freekick to McGoldrick on the edge of the box but his shot was just too high.

But the home side’s comeback was to continue. In the 61st minute. Martin backheeled the ball into the path of Hughes on the left and the promising youngster’s low ball into the six-yard box was diverted home by Ward.

McGoldrick screwed a shot from a tight angle wide on 62 but it was the home side doing most of the pressing. On 66 Eustace was booked for catching Tunnicliffe with an elbow. Three minutes later, the on-loan Manchester United man joined him for a revenge foul on the veteran midfielder.

After a Eustace header from a corner was blocked, Carlos Edwards replaced Anderson and Jay Tabb took over from Tunnicliffe.

On 74 McGoldrick was booked for a foul on Ward, the freekick flying wide off Eustace’s head. Soon after Berra joined him Mr Kettle’s book, also for a foul on Ward, then Skuse was yellow-carded for a foul on Adam Smith.

Frank Nouble replaced McGoldrick for the final 10 minutes with the Blues hanging on to their slender lead in the face of near constant Derby pressure but the additions of Tabb and Edwards having notably made a difference.

With seven minutes remaining, Ward hit a low shot through to Gerken, then Cresswell’s name was added to referee Kettle’s book for timewasting at a freekick.

In the 88th minute, the equaliser which the home side had been threatening to score came. Gerken failed to deal with a corner from the left which was headed up into the air. Whitbread’s header was blocked but the loose ball fell to Bryson, who slammed into the net to a rapturous reception from the Rams’ crowd.

In injury time, a low Nouble cross into the box almost caused problems for the Derby backline but the ball was eventually cleared, the Blues frontman picking up a late booking for a challenge on keeper Grant.

Edwards tried a repeat of his goal in the final moments of the game here in April but this time failed to hit the target and the whistle went soon afterwards.

Town had the game all but won at the break but handed the impetus to the home side by conceding the second goal so soon after the start of the second half.

From there, the Blues defended too deep, rarely venturing out of their half and ultimately paid the price.

Boss Mick McCarthy is unlikely to be impressed with the way his team threw away what should have been their first away victory of the season and only their second of 2013.

Derby: Grant, Smith, Buxton, Whitbread, Forsyth, Davies (Eustace 46), Bryson, Hughes, Ward (Russell 90), Sammon (Bennett 46), Martin. Unused: Deeney, Lowe, Hanson, Jacobs.

Town: Gerken, Chambers, Berra, Smith, Cresswell, Anderson (Edwards 71), Hyam, Skuse, Tunnicliffe (Tabb 71), Murphy, McGoldrick (Nouble 82). Unused: Loach, Hewitt, Mings, Wordsworth. Referee: Trevor Kettle (Rutland). Att: 21,037.

Photo: Action Images

StowTractorBoy added 22:47 - Oct 1 Obviously could not get there tonight but so deflated right now and feel for those fans that went. Really really surprised that a Mick McCarthy team has let a 3 goal lead slip and it sounds as though he was tactically out manouvred by the Derby management as they changed their formation and we did not counteract it. Unfortunately in one of the most important positions on the pitch we are not good enough as Loach nor Gerken are up to the standard required and both have cost us points this season. Agree with others we must get a new goalkeeper in and there must be a 3rd choice premier league keeper out there better than what we have Henderson for one. Not just Gerkens fault tonight as the the outfield men did not do their jobs in the second half. Sheffield Wednesday have not won a league match this season and who is for the chopping block Saturday, please not us but nothing surprises me anymore. So so gutted.

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bennyitfc added 22:49 - Oct 1 Was so excited about tonight's game coming off the back of some great performances. 4-1 up I was genuinely imagining a top 6 finish. How foolish of me, this is Ipswich. McGoldrick didn't score, we were back to our ways of defending under Paul Jewell, and we've dropped a place in the table after scoring 4. Embarrassing.
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thebeat added 22:51 - Oct 1 StowTractorBoy i can see the headline already. Wednesday get 1st win of the season against everybodys go to team when your out of form Ipswich Town.
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Gian10 added 22:52 - Oct 1 The beat, why so negative?
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bennyitfc added 22:55 - Oct 1 The number of yellow cards is also highly unprofessional. Hope there are no sloppy tweets tonight from the likes of Cresswell and Mings... We need to be ruthless to make the top 6 and Mick still has a lot to teach them.
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blues1 added 22:58 - Oct 1 The beat. Why would this affect their mentality rest of the season? it might if we were in bottom 3 as ur mental state completely different. Tractorboy666, dont know where ur coming from about Gerken having made several mistakes prior to Wigan. ThT was his 1st error compared to many from loach, which is why he kept his place. Im not mind you, convinced with either of them and do feel a loan keeper may be required.

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Keaneish added 23:00 - Oct 1 Also, if Eustace was sat in front if their back four pulling the strings, why didn't we lose one from up front and just sit someone on him. We were 4-2 when he started playing... MM, think you might have to hold your hands up tonight for the first time since you've been here.
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thebeat added 23:01 - Oct 1 Gian10 are u for real? No team should ever throw away a 4-1 half time lead ever!! Im normally very positive but tonight is just too much. Its totally unacceptable. Do u honestly think tonight is something to be positive about? Its a total disgrace! If you think thats a good result your deluded, simple as
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bohslegend added 23:03 - Oct 1 NSL and Blueboy,we didn't sit back 2nd half on Saturday. We actually played some really good football (especially down the left) and although we didn't increase our lead we were well in control. Some of you on here are so fickle it's amazing. These things do happen in football. It's very disappointing alright but hey, build a bridge and get over it. On to Saturday for an important 3 points. COYB!!!

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bennyitfc added 23:04 - Oct 1 Had a power cut with 10 minutes to go... couldn't even get 3G on the phone... desperately refreshing Stuart Watson's twitter feed, knowing full well that because it was Ipswich, it would either be 4-4 or 5-4. Firstly, I now need a new phone, secondly agree with a comment above which said at 2-4 most of us could have said with a certain degree of confidence that we would throw it away. I should have put a tenner on it. I'm so angry, but believe we can still make the playoffs if the players react well to this situation.

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Edmunds5 added 23:07 - Oct 1 Back to the ways under Paul Jewell did I just hear? drawing that comparison over 45 minutes of football is daft.
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bennyitfc added 23:11 - Oct 1 Edmunds5 - It was a comparison, as you say. I don't know any way in which that second half display was any different to the Jewell days. Spineless, lack of concentration, soft...all words we can use for PJ's Ipswich and tonight's 2nd half
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algarvefan added 23:18 - Oct 1 We are still a work in progress and that hasn't changed. No we shouldn't squander a 4-1 lead but most teams get a few weird results every season and tonight was one of ours. Lets not throw away the obvious progress we have made but lets work towards consistency that's what's need now
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Lord_Mac added 23:23 - Oct 1 I'm sitting in my hotel room overlooking Pride Park! It's easy to understand why all the comments about it being unacceptable come out. But Derby played as well in the second half as we did in the first. In that sense, it was a great game. Of course, we are disappointed that we didn't hold on, but by the end, we might have lost 5-4, and if we hadn't played out of our skins in the first half, or tney'd stayed with their normal formation, we'd have lost 5-0. Most of us would have taken a draw tonight, and that's what we got, plus an opportunity for 3 more points on Saturday. We've got 10 points from the last 5 games. Plenty of lessons and room for improvement though. The goalkeeper doesn't give me a lot of confidence - very few saves in recent games. Also with Chambers out wide, we are vulnerable to a pacy winger or a ball over the top.

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Gian10 added 23:32 - Oct 1 I never said it was a good result, but if we win Saturday then tonight doesn't look as bad, win our home games and pick up points here and there on our travels and we'll be around the top 6
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Gian10 added 23:32 - Oct 1 I never said it was a good result, but if we win Saturday then tonight doesn't look as bad, win our home games and pick up points here and there on our travels and we'll be around the top 6
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HarryfromBath added 23:56 - Oct 1 According to Derby fans, Derby didn't revert to a diamond, but they brought Eustace on to support Bryson and Hughes in a narrow midfield three, allowing the latter two more creative players to get forward. They took one of the two central strikers off (Sammon) but went to three up front, with each wide front-man closing down our full backs, pretty much as Leeds did in the second half at Portman Road.

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runningout added 00:00 - Oct 2 SLOPPY AND NAIVE.. that's not all of them.. Those guilty I hope know who they are, and not let themselves, team mates and us mugs down again..
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bluelady added 00:57 - Oct 2 Thank goodness for that! Had we have one comfortably again what would the moaners have been able to post about! Those that don't have anything positive to say and simply thrive when they have a good excuse to knock MM in that "told you so" manner! Not saying I think it's good enough AT ALL so please don't get my wrong, but I think many will know where I am coming from!

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mental1 added 01:51 - Oct 2 Never a dull moment being an ipswich fan! Christ, how ever much it hurts when the team implodes and has a shocker you have to admit we are in a much better, stronger 'team' position than we have been in years. The direction we are moving in and the basis of the team MM/TC are building is exciting, young and a platform for future success. The return we have had this season already without high risk spending (FFP) we would have cut our arm off for last season under PJ around this time. Us fans really have to be patient and not panic- you don't go from disorganised, tactically inept and mentally poor, to disciplined, ruthless and winning week in week out overnight. What's important is that things ARE improving and MM/TC know what they are doing- comparing them to RK and PJ its like the difference between jaa jaa binks and yoda. It concerns me how quick the negativity spreads, its more embarrassing than tonights result to be honest! and being a tractor boy living in scumland trust me- tonights result hurts and is embarrassing!!! But i for one will stay firmly 100% behind the team, positivity is everything........ if you expect a dog to bite you, it probably will. COYB ITID

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troyse added 02:16 - Oct 2 the beat ur nasty to hyam his such a hard worker and merits his place 4 sat and beyond
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Sindre94 added 03:15 - Oct 2 Just returned to London after a long old day in derby, gutted to say the least. Came over only for this game and Id taken a point in advance of this fixture, but when it turned out the way it did I cant cheer about us only drawing the game. Going back to Norway tomorrow and in such a sad mood. The way we let a 4-1 slip is remarkable and I could see it coming when they scored their second goal so early on in the 2.half. Really disappointed that we never came out from the dressing room a tad more optimistic and aggressive after what turned out to be a crazy first half, we should have been out of sight before they even got a tiny hope of getting something out of it.. Although I dont want to panic just yet I would really like us to improve our flanks and especially the left hand side. In my opinion Tunnicliffe is a great player but not suitable as a left midfielder, I find him way to predictable and limited to play there. To be perfectly honest we never really threatened them except when we scored the three set plays and the other goal. We were really clinical to put it that way. Hope we can go to Sheff Wed now and rebuild some momentum and get our winning streak back together:) Here are my player ratings from today: Gerken (3) havent seen the goal he apparantly was at fault for over again but I heard it was his blooper who lead to it. A decent save from an Anderson mistake in the first half, although Dean was the one who put Paul under that pressure in the first place. Id like us to sign a goalkeeper. Chambers (5) got peppered by Derby and was by himself for huge parts of the game. I like him better at CB. I was looking forward to see his fistpump, well well... Berra (4) hes alright but cannot say Ive been too impressed by him so far. Doesnt look comfy on the ball at all. Hope he proves me wrong but not convinced yet. Smith (5) dominant in the air but as Berra he's not a ballplaying centre half. Leads by example. Cresswell (7) 2 assists and 1 goal that is? Produced everything we had. Definate MOTM, easy. Such a good player, lucky if he's here after january. A class of his own. Anderson (4) so much effort but unfortunately he's not really a threat down the wing is he? As with Berra I only hope he keeps improving, still think he can be a solid player for us. Skuse (5) great player on the ball but looks a bit slow. As I'm heading for sleep I wont be bothered by commenting on the rest, so I'll just give my rating instead. Hyam (4) Tunnicliffe (4) Murphy (5) McGoldrick (5) SUBS/ Tabb (4) Edwards (3) Nouble (5) I'll be back for the Blackpool game in November, see you there Ipswich till I Die

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Bluroo added 07:31 - Oct 2 We scored 4 and took a point away from home. We're a pretty average side so take the positives. Who cares in what order the goals were scored. Many would have been ok with a 0-0 so why not 4-4. A lot of over reacting.
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Hegansheroes added 07:43 - Oct 2 3 goals from set play, no finesse or tactics, long ball up to Murphy & that's about it. I can't decide if MM is the Court Jester (from his inane interviews) or the Village Idiot-the latter I think.
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tractorboydan added 08:22 - Oct 2 I think we'll all do well to remember that yes we were poor in the second half, but that alone isn't necessarily going to lead to conceding 3 second half goals - we have to give Derby credit for turning it on and giving it a right go - at the end of the day they got exactly what they deserved. If we were to look at the flip-side and it were Town that were 4-1 down at half time and we clawed it back to 4-4 we'd all be raving about how good our second half performance was, and not how poor Derby's was. They changed their system at half time and we struggled to cope with what were clearly sterling performances from Bryson, Eustace and Hughes. I'm as gutted as anyone, but there's a lot of classic fickle Town 'fan' remarks on here of doom & gloom based on one result. At the end of the day we are a far better side than we were this time last season, there's obvious progression and as a whole we're going in the right direction. I think a few fans need to get some perspective (not to mention a grip!) Fully expecting lots of -1s now....

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