Town face an FA Cup third round replay after drawing 2-2 against League Two Portsmouth at Portman Road with Ryan Fraser netting a late equaliser. The Scotland U21 international’s freekick somewhat fortunately beat everyone to find the net in the 88th minute, Tommy Oar having put the Blues in front in the 53rd minute prior to Kyle Bennett and Conor Chaplin hitting back on 55 and 86 to briefly give the League Two side the lead.

Boss Mick McCarthy’s side, which he named publicly on Friday, featured seven changes from the team which drew 0-0 at Burnley last week.

Bartosz Bialkowski was in goal with skipper Luke Chambers at right-back, Jonas Knudsen at left-back and debutant Paul Digby and Piotr Malarczyk - making his first home start - at the centre of the defence.

Cole Skuse was partnered by Luke Hyam in the centre of midfield with Ainsley Maitland-Niles on the right and Oar on the left. Up front, Brett Pitman started alongside former Pompey frontman Luke Varney.

Freddie Sears and Ryan Fraser were amongst the subs, but there was no place on the bench for Jonny Parr, whose move back to Norway and top flight side Strømsgodset we understand could be confirmed as early as Monday.

Portsmouth included ex-Blues Gary Roberts, who skippered Pompey on his first return to Portman Road, and keeper Brian Murphy.

On-loan Blues defender Matt Clarke was ineligible against his parent club, while former Town academy and reserves striker Caolan Lavery, who is also on loan at Fratton Park, hasn’t been given permission to play in the FA Cup by Sheffield Wednesday.

Pompey created the game’s first chance in the fourth minute when Marc McNulty cut inside Malarczyk on the left of the area, but Digby slid across to block as the on-loan Sheffield United frontman was looking to pick his spot past the advancing Bialkowski.

The Blues created their first opening four minutes later. Digby won the ball and then Skuse sent Oar away on the left but the Australian’s shot was blocked.

Moments later, former Blues keeper Murphy was off his line quickly to claim ahead of Varney from a Maitland-Niles through ball.

Portsmouth were having the better of a lively opening spell playing some impressive passing football and on 11 Knudsen did well to help the ball behind as Adam McGurk looked to reach a left-wing Roberts cross at the far post.

The League Two side should have gone in front in the 17th minute when Ben Davies cut the ball back from the right to an unmarked McGurk, who blazed over when he should have at least have hit the target.

Portsmouth continued to have the better of the game and on 20 Enda Stevens crossed from the left and Roberts headed wide.

Two minutes later, Pompey surrendered possession cheaply midway inside their own half but Pitman failed to find Varney with a pass on the edge of the box. On 24 Varney hit a low shot from just inside the box but Murphy claimed easily.

Pompey threatened again in the 32nd minute when Adam Barton sent McNulty away behind what was now a reshuffled Town backline - Digby had switched to right-back with Chambers moving inside and Malarczyk to the left central role - on the right of the box but Bialkowski was equal to his shot.

Varney shot weakly to Murphy on 35, but the visitors were still on top and Bialkowski was forced into another save in the 40th minute. The ball fell to Bennett in space on the edge of the box but the Polish keeper got down to his right to save and push away from the danger area.

Pompey squandered another good chance to go in front in the 44th minute when Roberts scuffed well wide from McNulty’s cutback from the right.

Just prior to the half moving into one minute of injury time Skuse was booked for pulling back McNulty.

The whistle was met by muted boos from the home support after a disappointing first half which had been dominated by the League Two side, who but for a couple of poor finishes would have deservedly been in front.

The much-changed Blues line-up looked like a side which hadn’t played together before, while the visitors passed the ball around slickly and dominated possession.

Town only threatened fleetingly on the break, while Pompey created the period’s only serious chances.

Blues boss McCarthy stuck by his XI at the start of the second half with Town looking livelier in the opening minutes, but without creating a chance until the 52nd minute when Pitman looped a speculative effort over from distance.

But two minutes later Town took the lead. Varney escaped down the right and cut the ball back to Pitman, whose shot was blocked by Murphy. The ball fell to Oar, who took a couple of touches before finding the net to claim his first goal in a Town shirt.

However, the advantage was to last only two minutes with a slick Pompey passing move ending in an equaliser. Roberts found McNulty, who turned the ball on to an untracked Bennett on the left of the box and the former Doncaster midfielder passed the ball into the corner of the net.

Fraser replaced Maitland-Niles in the 59th minute then, after Varney had flicked a cross from the left only just wide of his own goal, Tommy Smith replaced Digby, who had been given a tough introduction to life as a Town player.

The visitors had regained their dominance since their goal and on 66 they went close to going in front, Bialkowski making a sharp save from McNulty from close range at his near post.

For the Blues, Fraser, who had made a difference since being introduced, sent over a low cross from the left but too far in front of Varney.

Pompey switched Adam May for Ben Close and Town Freddie Sears for Varney, who had had his usual all-action game, in the 74th minute.

Two minutes after the changes, McNulty cut in and hit a low shot which Bialkowski - still the busier of the two keepers - saved at his near post. On 77, former Blue Roberts was applauded off by the Town support when replaced by Chaplin.

With 11 minutes of scheduled time remaining Fraser cut the ball back from the left after good work from Sears but Hyam was crowded out.

The Blues began to put the visitors under pressure as the final whistle and the prospect of a replay at Fratton Park in 10 days’ time drew closer.

Fraser forced Murphy to push his shot from 10 yards on the left of the box into the side-netting on 84 and from the resultant corner, Malarczyk’s far post header was blocked. Two minutes later, the Scotland U21 international hit another effort from a tight angle that the one-time Town keeper clutched at the second attempt.

But with three minutes remaining, Pompey took the lead. The Blues backline stood off as Chaplin received the ball from Bennett and took it to the edge of the area before hitting a low shot which beat Bialkowski to his left and nestled in the corner of the net.

A deserved Pompey victory and a cup upset looked on the cards but in the 88th minute Fraser sent over a freekick from the left which beat everyone including keeper Murphy, who was under pressure from Chambers, and found the top corner of the net.

As the game moved into five minutes of injury time McNulty broke into the area but his shot was blocked by Smith, then at the other end Barton was booked for a foul on Fraser. The second Blues’ goalscorer shot straight at Murphy from the freekick.

Deep in injury time Murphy saved Sears’s shot from a tight angle on the right but soon afterwards referee David Coote blew his whistle for the final time and the teams will meet at Fratton Park for a replay a week on Tuesday that Town won’t have wanted.

Having gone in front the Blues really ought to have gone on to secure the victory but the visitors, who impressed throughout, hit back immediately and had they gone on to win the game having taken the lead few would have argued with the result.

Town’s equaliser had more than a touch of good fortune about it, although Fraser and Sears had made a significant difference having come off the bench.

But prior to their involvement it had been a very lacklustre display from the Blues’ fringe players and manager McCarthy is likely to have been disappointed with the overall performance. Nevertheless, the Blues join Pompey in the hat for Monday’s fourth round draw, which takes place from 7pm live on BBC1's The One Show.

Town: Bialkowski, Chambers (c), Malarczyk, Digby (Smith 63), Knudsen, Skuse, Hyam, Maitland-Niles (Fraser 59), Oar, Varney (Sears 74), Pitman. Unused: Gerken, Smith, Bru, Tabb, Kenlock.

Portsmouth: Murphy, Davies, Barton, Webster, Stevens, Hollands (Haunstrup 81), Close (May 74), Roberts (c) (Chaplin 77), McNulty, Bennett, McGurk. Unused: Bass, Boco, Tollitt, Evans. Referee: David Coote (Nottinghamshire). Att: 17,020 (Portsmouth: 2,494).

Photo: Action Images

blues1 added 18:09 - Jan 9 What I will add is you can't judge whether the depth of the quality of the squad is good enough or not, based on a team with so many changes. Normally, only a couple of changes are made to a team enabling those coming in to integrate into the team much easier.
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carsey added 18:10 - Jan 9 Whatever the reasons for not buying some quality players whether it's McCarthy or Evans or a combination of the two nothing excuses the appalling style of football we are paying to watch. Not a single player who wants to control the ball and pass the ball to a team mate in the back four or centre midfield. That is down to McCarthy and his philosophy. Portsmouth don't have any big names but look how they play - 10 or 12 passes from back to front forcing us to run and chase the ball. But for a mistake from the keeper they would rightly be through to the next round and Town would be out. Today was a disgrace.

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blueboy1981 added 18:14 - Jan 9 bohslegend ........... much to say - But were you there to see it ?? ..... yet again. I rest my case.
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Stato added 18:15 - Jan 9 I agree with much of what you say Jas but Evans doesn't pick the team or dictate the style of play. The football being played under McCarthy at Portman Road is dire and only one person to blame for that. Pompey have a fraction of our budget and yet they showed what is possible with a lot less money than Mick has. It's such a myth that Mick has progressed us year on year and today showed that as Pompey were weakened by having 2 of our lads intelligible to play. The lack of budget argument is smoke and mirrors that distracts from the facts of hoof football. Well done Bart btw

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hancockingoal added 18:15 - Jan 9 Portsmouth were today a much better footballing side than I would have imagined and didn't look like a team two divisions below us? In all honesty we could have had no complaints had we have been knocked out. We did not play well and some players did not look good enough? The biggest disappointment to me is Maitland Niles. I thought he was an exciting winger who would cause the opposition problems? Today he never got wide once and spent most of his time tracking back 20 yards inside. This allowed the opposition bull back to attack at every opportunity, shouldn't it be the other way around? For those demanding we buy quality in this transfer window, you are fooling yourselves! No club will sell their quality players at this stage of the season! Let's hope injuries are kind to us and we once again scrape into the playoffs.

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BlueMachines added 18:19 - Jan 9 Diabolical. AMN getting worse with every game. Blueboy, I agree with a lot you say but why start every post with a series of full stops? .........Completely unnecessary.
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OldClactonBlue added 18:22 - Jan 9 Bohslegend. The gloom will never lift with the current philosophy. You need players who want the ball so that they can influence the play. We have very few of them.
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sproughtonblue added 18:23 - Jan 9 bohslegend So what was your take of todays game ? Question not sarcasm!
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Pip50 added 18:23 - Jan 9 6 points from next two with our rested players back or you will look a pr@t Mick. Sir Alf and Sir Bobby statutes had visibly gritted teeth. How far we have fallen. Time to get a Eddie Howe esk manager in to truly build our club. How about this Portsmouth guy he looked like he knew how to set up a football team even one owned by the supporters and no financial depth!
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irishtim added 18:37 - Jan 9 Must say at times i'm disgusted to be a town fan on here. Some of you are unreal. Some need to grow up and some need to realise the good times were when sky was something we looked up at.
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Fatcatevans added 18:37 - Jan 9 Quite dreadful! the first half was beyond awful with Pompey playing us off the park. why not start the game with a strong side, and then substitute players when we are ahead instead of fielding a weakened side and then sending for the cavalry? By doing the latter MM got the one result nobody wanted. good to see Bart perform well and interesting to see that Hyam still hasn't mastered the art of passing the ball forward during his loan period. He Gave us his usual headless chicken impersonation

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irishtim added 18:42 - Jan 9 @sproughtonblue. Commom sense. But throw a gordons if you like.
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cornishblu added 18:44 - Jan 9 ...sadly as I have mentioned before..,we would all have great sympathies with anyone that would be our current manager based on funds being tight and circumstances being v difficult , but what no one can argue against is the abject style of football our current manager is deciding to play ..if you loose but play an exciting style of football you win the fans ..win but play the dross that is being served up week after week and fans will get disenchanted (aka ManU, Newcastle, Chelsea etc) ...no one should be surprised that AMN burst onto the scene at the start of the season giving us real hope if exciting football and now is being vilified by his style of play.....look no further than MM for that . Budgets are tight in most clubs link will dhow you that Pompey haven't spent a penny on current squad bit their manager is getting them to play an exciting brand of football, breeding success and keep their fans loyal ....MM is a one trick pony and will not change ...this is us until someone with influence actually wakes up http://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/portsmouth-fc/transfers/verein/1020/saison_id/201 COYB

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sixtyblue added 18:44 - Jan 9 After this performance getting a letter from the club saying you may have to move your seat to account of we may get promotion to the premiership this season seems a sick joke.much more of this sort of performance makes the letter a sick joke.sixty years a supporte and they treat you like this.
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oldegold added 18:49 - Jan 9 I am thinking of writing to the club president asking him to compel McCarthy to A) Play his best team and B) Compel him to try with all his integrity to actually try to win cup matches. As a Town supporter since the Sir Bobby years who has lived through all the ups and downs imaginable, there is one matter I cannot tolerate and that is having a manager who effectively cons the Ipswich Town paying public by deliberately selecting below par teams in all cup games. Call in indirect sabotage and I feel shortchanged. McCarthy has already been hauled over the coals for selecting sub standard teams in cup games and certain matches where he felt his team had no chance of winning i.e Man Utd Vs Wolves is a recent case. I feel he is abusing the integrity of the club and conning a public that pays hard earned cash to see Ipswich teams geared to losing or throwing the game due to his selections. I was brought up on the principle that Town will ALWAYS play their best team and not mealy mouthed, lily-livered and jelly fished versions of the Blues. I have had enough of this mediocrity and I know there are lots of fans who agree. Enough is enough..

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warktheline added 18:54 - Jan 9 For me, McCarthy, and he's not alone, disrespected the competition by playing fringe players. What a shame, most Town fans would love a long cup run. Sky sports have a lot to answer for. The promise land is where all want to be, but who's counting the cost,true football fans.
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Steelmonkey added 18:59 - Jan 9 muccletoejoe - no we just didn't look like a championship side, so glad that we don't have to bring in any better fringe players to improve the squad, such quality fills with me with confidence. Ok, seven changes would alter any sides ability to suddenly come together and play cohesive and attractive football to compete with any confident promotion pushing side. So was it in the plan to move the young Digby from central defence to right back, as he is in your words a centre back MM? So lucky to still be in the competition, however if MM sticks with the starting lineup for the replay it's a forgone conclusion what the result will be, and an unnecessary extra game to fit in. Totally played off the park until the subs came on, and out supported in the stands. On this showing Leeds looks a really tough game on Tuesday night.

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StowTractorBoy added 19:01 - Jan 9 Unfortunately Mick McCarthy got it badly wrong today as 7 changes is just too many. How can two thirds of the team bed into a well oiled machine and within the 7 incumbents we play a totally inexperienced lad in Paul Digby at the centre of the defence who has hardly played there. He was like a fish out of water and only MM knows why we have him on the books but he obviously sees something in him. The greatest disappointment for me was the pathetic display by Maitland-Niles who was just not interested and not the player we saw earlier in the season. Chambers again badly exposed when he reverted to right back in the second half which is hardly surprising as opposition Clubs' know where our weaknesses are. Fraser is a breath of fresh air and must start on Tuesday. The anti Douglas brigade will not be happy when I say he has to come back against dirty Leeds as Hyam no better on todays display. We are all disappointed and thoroughly frustrated but we are still in the Cup and will Pompey play as they did today - we will see ?

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Ipswichbusiness added 19:06 - Jan 9 To draw at home to a lower league side and for that team to have two thirds of the possession is disappointing, to put it mildly. However, the other month I was watching an Ipswich match on YouTube. The commentator started by saying, "Ipswich play it longish." The Ipswich 'keeper early on came for a cross and didn't get anywhere near it. The left back and the left midfield both looked distinctly right footed. Certainly, there were long passes from defence to the forwards. What a disgrace! Sack the manager! The match in question was the 1978 FA Cup Final. We won one nil.

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Dissboyitfc added 19:12 - Jan 9 to compare sir Bobby's Fa cup winning team to this team is just wrong!
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StochesStotasBlewe added 19:13 - Jan 9 Outfought, outpassed, outplayed by a league 2 team on our own patch. Once again, a piss poor display at home. I sat in upper SAR today, a much higher position than usual (SAR lower) so I could see movement off the ball, moves developing etc but to be honest, there was bugger all until Fraser was introduced. What was very noticeable however was how easily Portsmouth pulled our back 4 out of position all afternoon with their quick incisive passing, they could with more composure in front of goal been 3 up at the break. The only positives were Bart,s display & the fact we didn,y lose a game we should have. On another note, a Dad was sitting behind me with his young son, his 1st match. "Dad, why did you bring me today, this is really boring"(60 minutes). "Well son, it was cheap, theres no way I,d buy tickets to watch this crap again"............... I rest my case.

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irishtim added 19:18 - Jan 9 @warktheline. Respect. But what would you prefer? Chance of premiership or Fa cup win like pompey wigan??. Be careful what you ask for.
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Zondervantheman added 19:23 - Jan 9 Surely the way to tackle these cup games is to start with a strong team, get a few goals ahead and then let the fringe players show what they can do. Then hopefully we are not dragging the whole squad around the country for a replay. And what kind of a player is Matt Clarke if he is keeping out their centre half barton 15, I thought he was awesome today making pitman and Varney look like school boys.!!

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Pip50 added 19:29 - Jan 9 Ipswichbusiness what bull. I was there not my recollection. Please don't compare our late 70's team to today frankly moronic.
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dusth added 19:33 - Jan 9 Might be worth mentioning that Man United at home with a decent team had barely a shot on target against a League One side at home and scraped through with a late Rooney penalty. Promotion to premiership and getting in the Champions League now dominate everything. I don't think players want to get injured half way through the season and don't give a hundred percent in the cup any more. Lame results and performances all round today. Tell me someone, are we not doing all right at the moment? What does this change? Sanity please. (Or as is at as Grouch Marx said "I don't believe in Sanity Clause!" Then you're all comedians.

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