Town stretched their unbeaten record to seven games as they drew 1-1 with AFC Bournemouth at Dean Court. Daryl Murphy put the Blues in front in the 59th minute but Brett Pitman equalised for the Cherries on 74.

Mick McCarthy named the same side for the fifth successive game, lining up in their now familiar ¬4-3-3 formation, while the Cherries replaced suspended midfielder Harry Arter, a Town trialist back in 2009, with Josh McQuoid.

The Blues started brightly and in the third minute Charlie Daniels did well to turn an Aaron Cresswell freekick from the left behind from the corner, from which the ball flicked off Christophe Berra’s head and away from goal.

The early stages of the game were played almost entirely in the Bournemouth half with Town winning a succession of corners.

After the Cherries had failed to clear one of those flagkicks, former Bournemouth loanee David McGoldrick hit a looping half-volley which gave Cherries’ keeper Lee Camp little trouble.

The Blues continued to dominate with the home side unable to string two passes together. On 13 Frank Nouble hit a 25-yard strike which Camp claimed at the second at the second attempt.

Despite Town’s dominance at that stage, the Cherries almost went in front in the 15th minute when McQuoid fed Lewis Grabban on the right and the former Millwall man cut the ball back to Ryan Fraser, whose shot was deflected wide.

The Cherries were gaining the upper hand and on 21 Berra was forced to head Simon Francis’s cross from the right behind.

A minute later, Cresswell almost gifted the home side a goal when his wayward pass across his own area to keeper Dean Gerken played in Fraser, who should have done better than his shot over the bar.

The Blues were by now the ones under pressure and on 24 Gerken tipped wide Eunan O’Kane’s 30-yard attempt at catching him off his line, then saved low from Francis after Town had only half-cleared the corner.

Bournemouth went close to going ahead again in the 36th minute when on-loan Norwich midfielder Andrew Surman played Grabban in on goal with a backheel, but Gerken came off his line quickly to block superbly.

Three minutes later Smith got in the way of a Grabban strike at the far post with the home side as dominant as Town had been in the opening stages.

Daryl Murphy curled a rare Town shot over two minutes before the break, then Hyam struck a deflected effort wide.

As the third official’s board went up signalling a further minute, Cole Skuse crossed from the right but Nouble couldn’t find a Town team-mate with a header.

After the Blues had dominated the opening minutes, the Cherries had taken over and only an excellent Gerken save and some poor finishing had prevented the home side going in ahead at the break.

Referee Phil Gibbs waved away an early and hopeful Bournemouth penalty appeal when Fraser fell when battling with Chambers, but it was Town who created the first significant chance of the second period.

Skuse sent Murphy away down the left and the Irishman cut back to Hyam, the ball initially getting caught under the midfielder’s feet before he hit a shot which struck Elliott Ward and then Nouble before going wide.

Grabban wasted a great opportunity for the Cherries in the 56th minute when sent away in space down the right by O’Kane. With several players waiting for his cross, the striker hit the ball against Berra.

Cherries skipper Tommy Elphick went close with a header which flew just wide from a Matt Ritchie cross in the 57th minute, but two minutes later, the Blues went in front.

From a Chambers freekick deep on the right, McGoldrick chested the ball down to Nouble, who whipped over a low cross which Murphy slammed into the net from five yards.

Moments later, the Irishman, who has now scored seven goals this season, had another opportunity, but smashed his shot wide when in space on the left.

Gerken saved down to his right from Fraser on 66, then at the other end Ryan Tunnicliffe’s deflected strike bounced somewhat fortunately into Camp’s arms.

Having gone in front the Blues were content to sit back and they seemed to be comfortably soaking up their pressure until the 74th minute when the Cherries got back on terms.

Gerken superbly saved down to his left from Surman’s edge of the area effort, but sub Pitman reacted quickest to slam the ball into the roof of the net.

The momentum was again very much with the home side and in the 78th minute they thought they’d got their noses in front when Gerken mishandled Ritchie’s cross into the net, but referee Gibbs felt the Blues keeper had been pushed by Elphick and awarded a freekick.

After Hyam had been booked for a foul, Pitman headed across the face of goal from another sub Marc Pugh’s cross in the 83rd minute with the home side looking the more likely winners at this stage.

As the game moved into its final five minutes, Gerken saved down to his left from Surman, and despite the Cherries continuing to put the Blues under pressure during four minutes of injury time no one was able to find a winning goal.

Town boss Mick McCarthy is unlikely to be too disappointed with the point, despite having gone in front.

The Blues were put under pressure by the impressive Cherries for long spells with keeper Gerken outstanding and in the end a draw was probably a fair result.

McCarthy will be more than happy with four points from the two away Christmas fixtures ahead of the New Year’s Day home match against Charlton.

AFC Bournemouth: Camp, Francis, Ward, Elphick (c), Daniels, Ritchie, O'Kane, Surman, Fraser (Pugh 74), Grabban, McQuoid (Pitman, 60). Unused: Allsop, Addison, Harte, Hughes, Thomas.

Town: Gerken, Chambers (c), Berra, Smith, Cresswell, Hyam, Skuse, Tunnicliffe, Nouble (Taylor 76), McGoldrick (Mings 87), Murphy. Unused: Loach, Tabb, Edwards, Anderson, Graham. Referee: Phil Gibbs (West Midlands). Att: 11,096 (1,412).

Photo: Action Images

bluemikey100 added 17:08 - Dec 29 in the play offs good reading lost due to a couple leadboots goals
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jas0999 added 17:12 - Dec 29 Delighted to be in the top six this evening. Overall a decent result, particularly considering they seem to have been the better side for long periods of the match. We won't play well every game, but grinding out results when not at our best is a very good sign. If we can beat Charlton it will be a very good Christmas period.
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StochesStotasBlewe added 17:15 - Dec 29 A much tougher test today, Bournemouth are a half decent team, but after taking the lead, I feel a tad disappointed with a draw. Still, 4 points from 2 away games pretty good & just back into the play off places.
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NoCanariesAllowed added 17:19 - Dec 29 Halfway point of the season. And we're in the position that we've been dreaming of perhaps finishing this season. Cannot fault it. How far this club has come in just over a year, folks. Savour it.
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Jimmy86 added 17:20 - Dec 29 Do well town!! Finishing the year in the play off places, Mick is doin a great job on a shoe string budget. Time for you to back ya manager now evans!!! Certainly would have taken a point away at bournemouth, shame we couldnt quite get all 3 tho. Coyb!!!
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TractorBoy666 added 17:21 - Dec 29 I felt the team that went in front first in this game would go on and win the game, but it wasn't to be. However to be 6th considering where we were this time last season is a massive improvement. Now with Ebanks-blake becoming fit for our next games I'm confident that we can get into the top 6 as Mick knows consistency is key and at the minute, we are getting results consistently. Delighted with the years progress, well done to Mick and TC and lets hope for an ever better 2014! COYB

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Seasider added 17:25 - Dec 29 A good point against a team in form;and despite attendances lower than ours somehow managed to pay over £2m for player in summer who wasn't even on bench. However from commentary and above report once again after taking lead appeared to try and sit on one goal lead.Can anyone who was at the match confirm this;or were we simply pushed back by a better team who were boosted by their equalizer?

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TractorCam added 17:28 - Dec 29 A pretty decent point considering we had to hang on a bit. Bit sloppy at times and Gerken kept us in it with some amazing saves. Unbeaten away in 3 months and in play-offs for new year, can't complain!
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HALLSJ added 17:29 - Dec 29 Said id be happy with a pt and so it was. Excellent end to a good year. Cement 6th on Wednesday at home to Charlton.
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battyblue added 17:33 - Dec 29 excellent first half of season makes a nice change i believe we were a bit fortunate to take a point today well done Dean Gerken for another fine performance just need to push on now by boosting the team up a little with Hunty,Silvan, and Taylor onwards and upwards .
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Fatboy added 17:34 - Dec 29 Unbeaten in December and starting the new year in the playoff places. Hard to be disappointed with that despite having a lead pegged back yet again. Now to put a bit of daylight between us and the chasing pack.
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Tonyitfc82 added 17:39 - Dec 29 Good result. These are the kind of points that make the difference come may. I might be getting carried away but there is no reason why we cant even push for top 2. There is half season left and only 9 points of second. I think we can do it anyway.
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essexboy added 17:41 - Dec 29 Very good point.Team played well and 4 points from 6 is very good.MM has done a fantastic job.COYB.
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backwiththeboysagain added 17:47 - Dec 29 All the best for the New Year MM, TC amd the players, haven't felt this excited about a season run in for years. COYB
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JLCitfc added 17:52 - Dec 29 Good result! Now 6th in league so looking good COYB!!
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OceanSpaceman added 17:52 - Dec 29 This time to the day last year we were 19th with 30 points and a -18 goal difference, now we're 6th with 35 points and a +9 goal difference! A 5 point and 27 goal turnaround! Last season was quite bizarre for most teams involved though. Congratulations to MM & TC for making us hope............
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IpswichLewis added 17:52 - Dec 29 A point away is always good, although I was slightly disappointed in a few individuals. Frank nouble is about 6ft5 and solid, although he can't win a header or hold up the ball? Saying that he redeemed himself by setting up murphys goal with a delicious cross. Luke Hyam had a 50/50 game today, better in the second 1/2. Cresswell made a few hospital passes which made me bite my nails like a type writer. Gerken was absolutely immense today, Saved our bacon about 4 times. Overall I'm happy, we're in 6th place after Xmas, and unbeaten away in over 3 months. Bring on Charlton :) Merry Christmas to all 6th place town fans ;)

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OceanSpaceman added 17:54 - Dec 29 Or should I say, letting us hope.
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runaround added 18:01 - Dec 29 A somewhat fortuitous point but a hard fought one all the same. Bournemouth really impressed me with their incisive & clever brand of football & we could not have complained had we lost. Too many of our players seemed to have lead in their boots at times today with Cresswell in particular being very off key. First quarter of an hour we were all over them & showed the odd good but of play in second with the front 3 combining well for the goal but the rest of the game belonged to the home side. Many sides would have crumbled under the pressure but Micks Ipswich are made if sterner stuff & earned a vital point. Halfway through the season and we are 6th which I'm sure we would have all settled for in August! Happy new year

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blueboy1981 added 18:08 - Dec 29 Decent point - as indeed I guess any away point is , need to kick on tho' because it appears Gerken saved our bacon a few times today - so no laurel resting has to be the order of the day. No disrespect to them at all - but it was Bournemouth after all, let's not forget that. COYB - sitting nicely right now.
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TimmyH added 18:11 - Dec 29 Thought Bournemouth would put up more of a fight than Doncaster and that proved to be the case and on the balance of today's performance have to be content with the point. Yes we are in the play-offs at the half way point of the season and we would have all taken that at the start of the season so let's hope we can continue the good form into the New Year starting with a good chance of getting 3 points at home to Charlton. Well done all!

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thebeat added 18:30 - Dec 29 Good result and we move on to Wednesday. A few players seemed jaded today. Id like to see the squad utilised against Charlton, remember what happened against Brighton last year after playing the same team thru Christmas? Im sure Mick will get it right. Got the feeling the 2nd half of the season is gona be a bit of a rollercoaster. COYB
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neillrumsey added 18:33 - Dec 29 I must congratulate MM and TC for making us a tough side to beat. This is a very positive end to 2013 sitting in 6th place and dare I say it without being particularly good. I think we can play far better in the second half of the season and with Sylvan joining the squad we will have that big goal threat which could turn the draws into wins. Dont see this as a negative post as I think there is alot more to come from this team. Roll on 2014

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muccletonjoe added 18:59 - Dec 29 I think everyone would have taken top 6 by new year at the start of the season , so its a big well done to mick and the boys and onwards and upwards
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MathieandMarshall added 19:11 - Dec 29 Feeling positive! The squad we have is possibly over achieving to be top 6 but with Hunt and SEB to come into the side I feel good about 2014
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