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

warktheline added 19:33 - Jan 9 @me old mate Irishtim, my post is a generalisation of modern football, give me 70's football all day long!
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TimmyH added 19:36 - Jan 9 Interesting to note a year ago we had a replay in the FA Cup in front of the nation (BBC) and put in a turgid lacklustre performance against Southampton when we were on the back of a good run in the league and thereafter league form and performances were not the same again... Should be interesting to see what we do now we're in the business end of the season, a good win today and confidence would have been at a high instead what we have now is an unwanted replay at Fratton Park, we just missed the banana skin for the moment.

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dusth added 19:37 - Jan 9 PS We have 3 games in a week guys!!
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Bert added 19:39 - Jan 9 Great quality from Pompey and the result not unexpected. Just look at the other results and the Liverpool game. It's the cup. Sad that so many of the MM out brigade cannot see that MM needs to play his fringe players. Yes, Pompey deserved to win but I expect a different performance down there. Where was the North Stand again ? Out sung, outwitted by loyal Pompey supporters who stick by their club.

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WhoisJimmyJuan added 19:50 - Jan 9 One of the problems for me with MM when he says we have strength in depth and can afford to rest players for cup matches is that MMS first team is so set in stone that you cannot expect a second string to come in and do a job. They NEVER otherwise get a game! Somebody out! Anyone!
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bohslegend added 19:53 - Jan 9 Exeter v Liverpool West Brom v Bristol City Wycombe v Aston Villa Eastleigh v Stoke ...... (As Blueboy likes to start) ..... Ipswich v Portsmouth Whatever it says about playing fringe players playing I the 3rd round, managers at (currently) bigger clubs than ours also protect their first team players by giving them rest ahead of bigger league games. If the moaning Realists cared to be honest about it, they just have a personality problem with MM and regardless of where we finish in the league (including winning it) they will always moan about him.

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bohslegend added 19:54 - Jan 9 King Realist, you need to state your case now. Are you against people from other countries following Ipswich?
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MicksZzzTactics added 19:59 - Jan 9 Old reliable TWTD never ceases to "amaze" .... especially after games like this one LOL :-) Just to focus on one of several things that stands out here today: On the Forum pages for instance several posters appearing seriously befuddled by us being OUT-PLAYED and OUT-PASSED by a mere 2nd division side .... strangely also goes out of their way not to offend 'The Totalitarian Regime' i.e the non-dissent-accepting "In The Football-Dinosaur We Trust" brigade who vehemently control said Forum :-) .... by carefully adding passages like this one: "I'm certainly not one to complain about our style (cause obbbbbbbbbviously I'm as absolute ecstatic as the 'next' fan that we reside in 6th place), but isn't it a bit embarrassing being OUT-PLAYED and OUT-PASSED by a freakin' 2nd div side???" Doh! Ehhhh not only have we been out-performed by lower league sides before in Cup ties under Dinosaur Mick, but on the broad scale what's the real big surprise here ladies and gents???.......... Dinosaur Mick's ITFC has NEVER EVER played spectacular football -- let alone a positive and passing style of football -- and extremely likely NEVER EVER will, regardless of how many pesos Dinosaur Mick hypothetically suddenly was handed to go shopping for .... 'to his heart's content'!!! Cause from a player perspective we all know his current kind of hmmm 'personal darlings and personal preferences', just like we are all more than familiar with not only his unprecedented stubbornness but especially his somewhat eon's old tactical approach to football anno the second decade of the 21th century LOL .... and it/his too often blatantly accompanying ineptitude!!! We might finish 6th, heck we might even finish 3rd, but the stubborn fact of the matter is -- and will remain to be -- that from a pure 'entertainment, value-for-money and positive football' povs, Mick's ITFC are generally speaking more or less "PiZzz Poor" (also even if you take into consideration the rather surprising high tally of goals we are scoring). Period. Furthermore, while team stats in football and especially tough-as nailes football leagues like The Championship might be of dubious significance (compared to say team stats in several US team sports)???, it's nonetheless very very telling that 'HOOF TOWN' i.e. Dinosaur Mick's hard-grinding but very little creative-minded discount boyz are DEAD LAST in both The Championship team stat categories like 'pass-success-%" (61.9) as well as "dribbles-per-game" (4.5)! So I ask again, all-out rhetorically of course :-) : Yep today's performance was INDEED quite a good bit "embarrassing" folks .... but from the crystal clear inferior to Pompey's passing-game to the overall' entertainment value of our football ,where is the real big surprise (with Dinosaur Mick), even with today's quite different starting XI?....

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bohslegend added 20:11 - Jan 9 You have issues.
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TimmyH added 20:15 - Jan 9 @bohslegend - just goes to show that quite a lot of Premiership teams don't give a fig about the FA Cup as well until they get to the the final 8 or 16 but what I do believe that momentum plays a big part in the lower divisions and how confidence increases on the back of winning and good performances. Okay we haven't lost today but a poor performance against a team 2 leagues below does nobody any favours. I think it was Eastleigh v Bolton by the way.

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VulpineBlue added 20:20 - Jan 9 Lets not take anything away from Pompey today. They played really well with their blocking and chasing back. They were in our faces all afternoon, Respect to them. They won, as do most teams, the midfield battle against us. It was good to see Gary Roberts back at Portman road- was he one of Keanes casualties?- he certainly has a good footballing brain and can still pick an excellent pass, Great Support for their team as well for what was probably an unattractive tie. They wanted it more than us. Their players stuck to the system that they had been told to play, with a well disciplined high back line constantly catching Pitman & Varney offside. MM should have brought on Frazer & Freddie far earlier to deal with this as both run off the shoulder of defenders.

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StochesStotasBlewe added 20:24 - Jan 9 Bohslegend. The players Mick put in the starting 11 today should have been more than capable of beating any league 2 team, the problem is the way they are coached. Man for man, they are more technically gifted, however, they treat the ball like a hot potato & are rarely comfortable in possession unlike Portsmouth,s players who were the complete opposit of us. That, my friend is down to coaches who instill the belief & freedom to express themselves, not treat each game as a war of attrition. Trust me, if you could regularly attend & see for yourself the agricultural rubbish dished up, you may have some sympathy with us so called "anti Mick moaners". I,m NOT anti Mick, I,m anti Micks football style. By the way, our pitch is conducive to passing the ball on it. Exeters, Eastleighs & Wycombes mud pits were not, that was the great leveller in those ties. We have no excuses.

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warktheline added 20:26 - Jan 9 @bohslegend, you are ranting again my friend! Let me second guess you, ' you're not my friend ' blah blah blah...... All on forum ARE Ipswich fans, difference is WE all fall into subsections of opinions, that's all!
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bohslegend added 20:27 - Jan 9 @TimmyH thanks for the correction, my bad. I don't disagree with the sentiment that the FA Cup has lost some gloss btw, but I don't think anyone here has acknowledged that the FA cup year after year throws out results like today's. From the reaction of some you'd think this was the first time a lower league team raised it's game to embarrass a higher league team.
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Steelmonkey added 20:57 - Jan 9 Having read your views on the game today and seen the result of us resting players, I think that -WhoisJimmyJuan- post summons up why MM team is always the same line up,"set in stone" and it's exactly because he knows his first choice eleven, one or two of our fringe players intermingled with the eleven will prove satisfactory, but not whole hearted changes like today, but thats the difference keeping faith with the core helps their performance, it's the difference in playing on the training pitch/warming the bench. It looks a big gap between that and first teamers and those that don't play regulary. Players will have off days, and we see it, especially at home, and we can't see why MM won't make changes, perhaps today has opened a few eyes. But it's disappointing performances like today (in our eyes) that gives those fringe players the insight and experience to what it's going to take to make them into first eleven choices. COYB's lets beat Leeds on Tuesday, and this game won't seem quite so bad.

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StochesStotasBlewe added 21:35 - Jan 9 Essex 57, instead of downvoting, post something for once, preferably constructive, & air your opinions on here.......................I wont hold my breath though.
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Facefacts added 21:36 - Jan 9 This debate is heartfelt and deeply interesting. What top quality signings has Mick McCarthy ever made? What makes you think any top quality player would want to sign for Ipswich Town? The team is 6th in the league, and overperforming. But Mick is not going to sign any real quality. The players we have from Bournemouth were makeweights for Tyrone Mings. If a latterday Pablo Counago, 21 years old, an absolute star the last time we played Portsmouth in the FA Cup, and scorer of the best backheeled goal I've ever seen, was available in Spain, Mick wouldn't be interested. He is a realist. Quality players often lose their man at a defensive set piece. If Marcus Evans wants to take a risk he can bring in a manager who thinks he will 'rock this place'. We know that he has tried this before and embarrassingly failed. Mick we know does not prioritize the FA Cup. We do not need to roll over Portsmouth now, we have a crucial game on Tuesday night. Admission prices are halved for the FA Cup games at Portman Road. You get what you pay for. Realistically Mick is going to stay. He is the right men for where we are now. We need him to take us up and then take things in stages. How desperate is Marcus Evans to get us 'back where we belong' and to keep us there. Can we sustain Premier League football with Mick - I don't think so. But it is horses for courses. He is the man for now.

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WhoisJimmyJuan added 21:44 - Jan 9 I agree with you Pinewood : Essex 57: let's hear it then??
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Hegansheroes added 21:49 - Jan 9 Is Currie10 really Chambers in disguise cos sucking up to McCarthy must be the way some of the players get in the team. Pompey were really entertaining compared to the utter sht the Town played. Hope all my mates from the south coast & IOW had a good day out and must be rubbing their hands in expectation of going into the 4th. round which they deserve
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Keaneish added 22:04 - Jan 9 I agree warktheline. I'm fed up of the way Mick treats the cup competitions with complete disdain. It's absolutely a chance to play a few fringe or younger players when we get a lower division side but slot them in alongside a system with first team regulars so you can have a proper look at them. What would Mick have learnt today playing such a disjointed team with 7 changes? It's really inept in my view. Cup runs are good for us all so treat them with the respect they deserve. It's a great competition. Can someone tell me why Skuse didn't dominate that midfield today? Listened to it on the radio and barely heard his name mentioned it Hyam for that matter!

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GiveusaWave added 22:20 - Jan 9 We were lucky. We really didn't deserve the replay so we now have a chance to make amends for what was (quite frankly) a disgraceful performance. I'm not so concerned with the 2-2. I am more concerned with our strength in depth. Malarcyk and Digby were poor in the centre and even when Digby was switched to right back he looked nothing like a Championship player. We do need players who can come into the side and deliver the goods. Like so many others have already said, our rivals are strengthening in the January transfer window to make sure their squads have enough quality for the big push. When they get injuries (like Brighton) they instantly bring in replacements like Knockaert. Meanwhile we can bring in Coke, Toure, Malarcyk and Digby.

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BanksterDebtSlave added 22:30 - Jan 9 On the McCarthy as ' Saviour' or 'Dinosaur' spectrum I am still slightly nearer the former however the confirmed fear after today is how close we are to being badly found wanting defensively. Not having the cover from a proper central defence(on several occasions they just ran around Malarczyc) exposed how average our fullbacks are and how vulnerable any injury to Smith or Berra would leave us. I really hope there's going to be a rabbit pulled from the hat to cover Parr's departure (clearly our best footballing fullback) otherwise we're an injury away from real trouble. Also I concur that it does still seem that Luke Hyam is a little unsure as to which way is forwards!

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GiveusaWave added 22:48 - Jan 9 BanksterDebtSlave It's hard to know with certainty, but I think that Digby IS the replacement for Parr.
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bluelady added 22:49 - Jan 9 I feel really sorry for Digby a midfielder who covers full back occasionally, hasn't played in months and put in a brand new position of CB with another inexperienced player - genius McCarthey! Chambers was good when placed as CB showed how that really is is role but was skinned several times as a RB. I have been critical of Smith and maybe it was how poor our defence had been before he came on but I thought he looked a different class and very assured. As for Knutson I only hope Parr leavings means we are bringing in a decent LB because quite frankly he is one of the worse players i have seen in a town shirt in a long time and when he had AMN behind him we looked like a non league team let alone league 2!!! AMN does nothing to impress at all, the class difference between him and Fraser is immense... Oar totally outshine AMN and whilst he is not a Fraser this is most defiantly a player in the making there and he deserves more game time. Skuse to me was MOM got us out of trouble on many occasion and put some intelligent through balls in. Hyam faded in and out of the game but had a few good touches cannot fault his commitment. As for up front how pedestrian? One decent poacher with no pace and a back from injury not exactly Eusane Bolt partner we were never going to scare there defence! I like both strikers but please not together.. Leaves me with the keeper, how much better is his kicking than Gerkin? Some great saves too, I know Gerkin has improved of late but this guy didn't need weeks and weeks to get into the game he came in and did a great job he deserves to be no 1. I am a Mick M fan but today he was wrong from the outset. I wouldn't mind but we didn't real give any of our youngsters a chance either!

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afrodids added 22:51 - Jan 9 In MM we trust hahahahahahahaha really this club is a joke no ambition I said it once and I'll say it again McCarthy and Evans are going to keep us a steady championship team. FORGET the PL with these 2 at the club. my message to marcus evans is put some money up or ship out and take mccarthy with you. NO Ambition ,No clue, out played by a league 2 side it's embarrassing !! Minus me as much as you like I'm a realist not a rose tinted spectacle wearing optimist!!!

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