Only a 95th minute equaliser from Timm Klose prevented the Blues from ending their nine-year wait for derby glory as Town and Norwich drew 1-1 at Carrow Road, skipper Luke Chambers having given the visitors an 89th minute lead. Chambers looked set to win it for the Blues with a header from a Martyn Waghorn corner but Klose nodded in Grant Hanley's cross seconds from time to save the game for the home side.

Boss Mick McCarthy switched the Blues to a 3-5-2 formation with Adam Webster joining Chambers and Cameron Carter-Vickers at the back.

Dominic Iorfa came in for Jordan Spence in the right wing-back role with Jonas Knudsen on the left as manager Mick McCarthy eschewed his usual 4-3-2-1 system.

Stephen Gleeson was part of a three-man midfield with Cole Skuse and Callum Connolly with Joe Garner and Martyn Waghorn up front.

Spence, Bersant Celina and Grant Ward dropped to the bench alongside David McGoldrick, who was back after his knee injury. Sub keeper Michael Crowe was also among the subs having got over the illness which made him a pre-match doubt.

There was no place on the bench for Freddie Sears, although the former Colchester United man was in the travelling party.

The Canaries lined up in their usual 3-4-3 formation and were unchanged from the team which drew 1-1 at Derby County last week.

At a sunny Carrow Road on what would have been Sir Bobby Robson’s 85th birthday, Town won an early corner on the right.

Waghorn’s flag-kick was dealt with not entirely comfortably by the Norwich defence but the former Sunderland man’s subsequent ball back into the box was too long and Webster was unable to stop it going out of play.

Town made a positive start and they might well have gone ahead in the ninth minute via a familiar derby source.

Gleeson wafted a ball towards Norwich keeper Angus Gunn’s right post towards Knudsen, a scorer in each of last season’s derbies, who headed wide when he will feel he should have hit the target.

Moments later, Gunn was forced into his first serious save of the afternoon, the on-loan Manchester City man diving away to his right to palm Waghorn’s 20-yard shot wide.

Norwich had their first sight of goal in the 15th minute, but Nelson Oliveira’s touch let him down after he had been found by a clever pass over the top. The ball ran loose on the left but the Portuguese frontman’s cross was too long.

In the 18th minute, Garner looked to have sent Waghorn away on goal but Hanley did well to get across and force the Town striker off the ball inside the area. Waghorn claimed a penalty but referee David Coote wasn’t interested, probably correctly.

Town had looked the more threatening side in the game’s opening quarter. The Canaries had had a fair amount of the ball but to little effect. On 22 Oliveira scuffed wide from distance.

James Maddison, the scorer of the only goal when the sides met at Portman Road in October, struck his first effort of the game just after the half-hour mark but his 25-yard freekick was watched past his left post by Blues keeper Bartosz Bialkowski.

Connolly did better with a freekick at the other end in the 33rd minute. His low strike was saved by Gunn down to his left but the keeper couldn’t hold on. Garner looked looked to get on to the loose ball at a tight angle on the right, Jamal Lewis barged into him and sent him to ground but referee Coote waved away the Blues’ striker’s protests.

Josh Murphy flashed a shot wide for the Canaries, then Knudsen saw a strike blocked on the edge of the Norwich box.

Gunn was forced into another save in the 40th minute. Following good work from Gleeson and Iorfa on the right, Waghorn found space to shoot on the edge of the box, the ball looping up into the six-yard box from where Connolly forced Gunn into another save.

The on-loan Everton man will have felt he should have had the ball in the net, but the linesman’s flag was raised in any case.

The Norwich keeper was forced into a more meaningful stop in the 44th minute when a 25-yard freekick was played short to Waghorn and the striker smashed a low strike which the keeper did well to get across to and paw behind.

Just before the break, Iorfa went to ground in the area after losing control of the ball as he burst into the box, much to the annoyance of Klose, who shoved the Blues defender and was subsequently spoken to by the referee.

Town went off the happier of the two sides having had all the first half chances with Bialkowski still to be seriously tested.

Knudsen’s early header was probably the best opportunity, while Waghorn, twice, and Connolly had both stretched Gunn into making saves.

The Blues will probably feel they ought to have made more of their numerous set pieces - both freekicks and corners - with Waghorn’s balls into the box not always as dangerous as they have been at times in previous games.

At the other end, the Blues’ three-man backline had been comfortable for the most part, while Gleeson was starting to see more of the ball in midfield towards the end of the half.

Shortly after the restart Hanley did well to nod Garner’s ball for Waghorn back to Gunn ahead of the Blues striker.

Bialkowski was forced into his first save of the match in the 48th minute, Maddison, surprisingly quiet in the first half, curling a freekick from just outside the area towards the top corner until the Blues keeper palmed it over.

There was a further scare for the Blues from the corner. After Chambers had headed it clear, Harrison Reed looped it back into the box towards the unmarked and on side Klose on the edge of the six-yard box but the Swiss international defender was unable to get the ball under control and the danger passed.

Garner picked up the game’s first yellow card in the 55th minute for felling Maddison 30 yards out. The highly-rated youngster took the freekick himself and Webster did well to head away his dangerous ball into the box.

Moritz Leitner joined Garner in the book for tripping the breaking Knudsen just before the hour. In the 62nd minute Garner was replaced by McGoldrick.

Soon after, Maddison skipped into the area but shot well over, then on 64 Skuse was booked for a late challenge on the former Coventry midfielder. Two minutes later, Luke Hyam took over from Gleeson.

Within seconds Connolly was booked for a foul on Maddison a couple of yards outside the area. Again Bialkowski was equal to the youngster’s shot, pushing it away from goal to his right.

The Canaries were by now dominating and the Blues had Bialkowski to thank again in the 75th minute when he got down to his right to superbly save from Oliveira’s edge-of-the-box effort.

Two minutes later, the Pole was in action again, helping a Maddison shot which had struck Connolly past the post to his left.

On 79 Spence took over from Iorfa at right wing-back. The defensive nature of the substitution led to chants regarding McCarthy’s style of football from the Town support in the Jarrold Stand.

Waghorn and then Spence were booked for fouls, then on 83 Reed scraped a shot wide from the right of the box. With six minutes remaining Denis Srbeny took over from Murphy for the Canaries.

As the clock hit the 85-minute mark the Town support applauded and cheered in tribute for legendary boss Robson on what would have been his 85th birthday.

Town had shown little attacking threat in the second half but in the final scheduled minutes they began to look more dangerous Spence winning a freekick on the right.

Then in the 89th minute Knudsen’s cross was diverted out for a corner and from the flag-kick the Blues took the lead. Waghorn sent the ball into the box and skipper Chambers got away from Tettey to nod down and into the net sending the travelling Blues support wild.

TV footage appeared to show manager McCarthy - presumably in reaction to the earlier chants - gesture and swear in the direction of the Town support as he celebrated the goal.

Norwich swapped Tettey and Reed for Onel Hernandez and Mario Vrancic in injury time as they went looking for an equaliser.

Town looked like they were going to see the game out to record their first derby win in nine years until the fifth minute of injury time when Hanley chased down a ball which looked to be going out of play on the right and - with Bialkowski retreating having initially gone out chasing the ball - crossed back to the far post where Klose nodded in the leveller. There was no time for the Blues to hit back before referee Coote ended the game.

The late goal out of nothing was a sickener for Town having waited so long for a derby win and with the game seemingly all but won.

However, on the balance of the second half, a defeat would have been harsh on the Canaries, who had had all the chances up to Town’s goal, the Blues having been poorer after the break having been the better team in the first half.

The result leaves the two sides eight points off the play-offs - 12th and 13th following Bristol City's 2-2 draw at Leeds - with 14 games left to play.

Norwich: Gunn, Hanley, Zimmermann, Klose, Reed (Vrancic 90), Tettey (c) (Hernandez 90), Leitner, Lewis, Maddison, Murphy (Srbeny 84), Oliveira. Unused: McGovern, Pinto, Stiepermann, Watkins.

Town: Bialkowski, Carter-Vickers, Chambers (c), Webster, Iorfa, Skuse, Connolly, Gleeson (Hyam 66), Knudsen, Waghorn, Garner (McGoldrick 62). Unused: M Crowe, Celina, Spence, Ward, Carayol. Referee: David Coote (Nottingham). Att: 27,100.

Photo: TWTD

warktheline added 21:07 - Feb 18 Obviously Dave not so Brave this evening! Running out of excuses no doubt! You certainly aren't the only one! Maybe coolcat could help! Grooovvvvyyy!
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masetheace added 21:18 - Feb 18 In all this ranting about the style of football no one mentions the missing creative midfielders - Huws Bishop Dozzell and Adameyi - With these four available we would be to deliver a more attractive style whoever was in charge
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Tony88 added 22:27 - Feb 18 Yes truckerblue I am fed up with the bile that comes out of so called supporters mouths week in week out. If you want to make a point why not have banners to show your dissatisfaction with our style of play but maybe that's not a very good idea as looking at the spelling mistakes made on here week in week out you would make yourselves look more even more stupid.
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Northstandveteran added 22:51 - Feb 18 Thanks Ipswichbusiness Thought I'd just ask for people's thoughts on the idea. Turns out I was talking utter b######s as it has been pointed out that he is currently in charge at Middlesbrough. Mind you, I did predict a 2-0 town victory. This is what happens when the nurses release my straps and allow me out on a Sunday....
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bluesman added 23:20 - Feb 18 Brilliant result today considering we were playing a team that has spent 20 times more than we have over the last five years. And a brilliant season too given the pathetic financial support the manager gets from the owner. Far from investing McCarthy has had to find over £2m a year to GIVE Evans from transfer deals. And he's still managed to build a decent squad. No wonder he's frustrated! I'm pretty sure we'd have got down if it hadn't been for MM. Unless you think Evans is holding his money back for his successor LOL

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Felstow1978 added 23:26 - Feb 18 The FA should look at McCarthy's foul-mouthed outburst, apparently directed at his own travelling supporters, which was captured by the Sky cameras. A poor example to set as an experienced manager and one which only serves to drag the modern game deeper into disrepute.
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Minneapolis_ITFC added 01:17 - Feb 19 Bottom line the team came closest to beating this opposition at any time today since it last occurred eight or nine years previous. At the end of it all a point a piece was probably a fair score given the balance of the two periods. Some talk about McCarthy's behavior near the end and possible profanities directed at our traveling support. Some ambiguities about what was said and to whom, guess in the heat of the moment these things will happen, shouldn't detract from what was otherwise so near to a standout victory. Possibly the score essentially ended both teams chances of a play-off finish but play like we did if correct first period and omit those late opposition goals, there will still be something to shoot for while time permits itself.

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ChrisFelix added 07:45 - Feb 19 Has anyone else realised that their goal was identical to the Sheffield Wednesday game. The wide ball should have been dealt with by our left full back
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Yorkshiretown added 08:23 - Feb 19 I can believe the sensitivity and double standards of some of the comments on here. Get real for goodness sake. There is a sense that some of you feel ITFC have some kind of divine right to be a Premiership team. Evans isn't a billionaire and frankly without Mr McCarthy's endeavors we'd be in division 1. He's commercial and perhaps not spectacular, but he's kept us in the division. It bemuses me to listen to some of the armchair experts who are living out their clearly insignificant lives through the pages of this forum. Either you support ITFC or you don't, don't renew your season ticket we don't need transient glory hunters. I am from Stowmarket, living in Yorkshire and what you see is what you get with Yorkshire folk. Don't dish out abuse if like those of you who took offence to Mick's venting can take any yourself. If Mick does decide to take his leave I suspect there will be several clubs who will be keen to take him. I for one will be sorry to see a good man go. I suspect you'll all be braying for the next managers head when we are languishing in the relegation zone should he depart.

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KiwiTractor added 10:03 - Feb 19 The few times I get to see Ipswich on TV I'm always shocked by how poor a passing side we are. Has the Championship deteriorated or is it just us? Off to bed now, I'm going to prey to the Gods for a new manager, a new owner, a skillful playmaker for central midfield and for Real Madrid to make an 8 figure offer for Knudsen....
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AlexanderFields added 12:22 - Feb 19 If only we could sign the entire Rochdale team. Or get their manager to give MM and TC some lessons in coaching players.
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TimmyH added 17:29 - Feb 19 @KiwiTractor - it's 5 years or so under a manager whose footballing philosophy is not to get beaten and to stop the opposition from playing, creativity and quick passing does not come into the equation.
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