Macauley Bonne scored twice but the Blues were pegged back twice by the MK Dons in an entertaining 2-2 draw at Portman Road. Bonne netted an excellent opener in the 16th minute but the visitors levelled on 58 through Scott Twine. Bonne put the Blues back in front on 72 before Town gave Matt O’Riley a helping hand to level again three minutes later.

Hayden Coulson was handed his Town debut at left-back as Blues boss Paul Cook made three changes.

The on-loan Middlesbrough man came in for Matt Penney, who dropped to the bench, while Kane Vincent-Young returned in place of Janoi Donacien at right-back with the former Accrington man also among the subs.

Wes Burns was back from injury and started on the right with former Don Scott Fraser moving into the middle behind Bonne with Joe Pigott dropping to the bench.

Centre-half Cameron Burgess and left winger Kyle Edwards were making their home debuts for the Blues.

The mystery player manager Paul Cook had said was ill at his Friday press conference appeared to be Kayden Jackson, who is missing from the 18.

For MK, manager Liam Manning, returning to the club where he was an academy player and coach, made two changes from the team which beat Charlton 2-1 on Tuesday with Dean Lewington replacing Daniel Harvie, who was out with a concussion, and Aden Baldwin came in for Tennai Watson.

Former Town loanee Troy Parrott started for the Dons, while ex-Blues striker Charlie Brown was among the subs.

Prior to kick-off, both teams and staff took a knee to applause from around Portman Road with the Dons keeping possession in the early stages. In the second minute Mo Eisa shot at goal from distance but Vaclav Hladkey claimed confidently.

On four, Coulson sent Edwards away running at pace at the MK defence from deep his own half, skipping past one defender before being upended by Warren O’Hora, who was booked. The free-kick was underhit and headed away from the edge of the box.

A minute later, Matt O’Riley scraped a shot wide for the visitors, before Edwards drew another foul a third of the way inside the Dons’ half, this time from Tennai Watson.

Both teams were having spells on the ball, although with MK looking a little more practised, and opportunities. In the 13th minute, Parrott shot low to Hladky’s right and the keeper saved comfortably.

A minute later the Blues went closer when Burns whipped over a ball from the right and Bonne headed off a defender and over.

But the striker from Chantry didn’t have to wait too long for his first goal in front of the Sir Alf Ramsey Stand.

In the 16th minute Vincent-Young played a superb ball from deep on the right to the on-loan QPR man breaking towards the area on the left. O’Hora allowed it over his head and Bonne, who fluffed a gilt-edged opportunity to make it 2-0 at Cheltenham on Tuesday, deftly took it down before smashing a shot into the roof of the net.

The striker from Chantry gleefully celebrated behind the goal before eventually hugging kitman James Pullen in front of the tunnel.

MK were an inch or two away from an equaliser in the 26th minute when they broke quickly after Edwards had been dispossessed following a Town corner - although the former West Brom man appeared to have been fouled - and eventually Ethan Robson hit a well-struck shot from the left of the box which scraped the top of Hladky’s cross-bar.

A minute later, Vincent-Young tricked his way beyond his man on the right of the area and his low cross was deflected over by Zak Jules. From the corner on the right, the ball was played to Burns 25 yards out and the former Fleetwood man shot not too far over.

Town were very much on top by this stage and in the 31st minute Edwards brought the ball in from the left beating Harry Darling and back from the byline before his low cross was diverted behind.

A minute later, Fraser’s free-kick from the right was sent into the box ahead of his team-mates but after Lewington left it keeper Andrew Fisher was forced to dive to push past his post with the ball otherwise set to nestle in the corner of the net.

Evans tried an audacious effort from distance with Fisher off his line on 34 but the ball looped just over.

Three minutes later, Edwards tricked his way past a number of defenders before cutting in and hitting a 25-yard strike beyond Fisher’s left post.

The visitors began to get more into the game as the half passed the 40-minute mark, Twine’s snap-shot from 30 yards arcing past the post the Hladky’s left and into the side-netting with the Town keeper not panicking.

On 43 a Darling shot deflected through to Hladky from the edge of the box in the wake of a corner from the right.

As the half moved into one minute of added time, Bonne won the ball on the left of the box and fed Edwards to his right. The winger feinted away from a defender before hitting a shot which was blocked by Darling.

That was the last action of an entertaining half in which both sides had had spells on top and chances with the difference Bonne’s brilliantly executed goal.

The Blues had looked much better going forward than in previous games, although stil without creating many clear-cut opportunities, with Bonne the focal point up front, while Edwards and Burns had both looked a threat down the flanks and Fraser had been more comfortable in the role behind the main striker.

While MK had kept the ball for long periods at times, their best opportunities had come on the break as the Blues sought to get numbers back after their own attacks or corners.

Five minutes after the restart, Darling headed to Hladky following a Dons free-kick to the left of the box but again the keeper wasn’t particularly troubled.

"Almost immediately at the other end, Edwards tricked his way to the byline on the left and cut across the area but behind everyone in a blue shirt. Vincent-Young brought it back in from the right and played low into Fraser, who teed-up Bonne, whose shot deflected wide when the striker looked certain to claim his second of the game.

A minute later, Burns intercepted a loose MK pass not far outside the area and drove into the box on the right before hitting a shot which Fisher somehow managed to turn on to his far post, the ball managing to avoid Town players on its way out.

Evans scraped a shot wide from distance on 55 and two minutes later another Edwards ball flashed across the box without a Town player making the final contact.

The Blues having been on top and dangerous since the break but with MK having won a number of corners and free-kicks in threatening areas.

And in the 58th minute a set piece paid dividends for the visitors. After Woolfenden had fouled Twine 30 yards out and been booked as a result, the former Swindon man took the free-kick and Hladky was only able to palm his curling strike into the net to his right.

Portman Road is proving a happy hunting ground for Twine, who scored a long-distance strike for the Robins in their 3-2 victory in Suffolk last season.

Town swapped the tiring Coulson for Penney two minutes after the goal, before Twine hit another effort from distance, this time from open play, which Hladky did well to palm behind. On 67 Town switched Burns for Tom Carroll, who was making his home debut.

The Blues had struggled to get back in firm control following MK’s leveller and substitutions for both sides, but in the 72nd minute Bonne restored their lead.

Sub Penney fed Fraser on the left of the box with an incisive pass and the Scot crossed towards the far post where Bonne slid in to score his second of the game and his third of the season.

However, the lead lasted only three minutes with the Blues once again gifting their opposition a goal. Evans hesitated on the ball midway inside the Town half and was robbed by O’Riley, who took it into the area and confidently beat Hladky.

On 77 Eisa shot over for the Dons, whose tails were unsurprisingly up following their second equaliser.

Two minutes later, Armando Dobra replaced Fraser, who had picked up a knock and received a less than friendly send-off form his old fans. Ex-Blues youngster Brown took over from Eisa for MK.

Edwards sent Bonne away in space on the left in the 85th minute and the striker hit a shot from a tight angle which Fisher batted into the air and grabbed at the second attempt.

There was a big scare for the Blues a minute later when Twine, who had been a big threat with his shoot-on-sight policy in the second half, brought the ball to the edge of the box and played in the untracked Jules, whose effort at goal was blocked by the advancing Hladky. The MK defender will think he should have made more of the situation.

As the game moved into five minutes of injury time it was the visitors on top and looking for openings from which they would score the winner.

Town started to show more of a threat but seconds before the end the visitors almost won it when Twine teed-up sub Josh Martin to his right inside the area and his shot slammed against the bar and away. The final whistle was met by boos and then applause.

A second 2-2 home draw for the Blues in League One this season and as in virtually every match this season it was a game Town will feel they ought to have won having led 1-0 and then 2-1.

Too many set pieces had been given away prior to Twine’s first equaliser that it seemed inevitable a Dons goal would eventually come, while the second was another which stemmed from an individual error.

The Blues were again good in patches, playing their best football of the season at times, but again suffered for self-inflicted wounds at the back.

Town remain without a win after four league games - plus the cup defeat to Newport County - with AFC Wimbledon at Portman Road next Saturday.

Town: Hladky, Vincent-Young, Woolfenden, Burgess, Coulson (Penney 60), Evans (c), Harper, Edwards, Burns (Carroll 67), Fraser (Dobra 79), Bonne. Unused: Holy, Pigott, Barry, Donacien.

MK Dons: Fisher, Watson, Lewington (c), Jules (Baldwin 90), O’Hora, Darling, O’Riley, Twine, Eisa (Brown 79), Robson, Parrott (Martin 70). Unused: Ravizzoli, Baldwin, McEachran, Boateng, Ilunga. Referee: Josh Smith (Bedfordshire). Att: 18,622 (MK Dons: 501).

Photo: Matchday Images

ashp19 added 17:28 - Aug 21 Good is Bonne!
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RobsonWark added 17:29 - Aug 21 Pezzer added 17:17 - Aug 21 "At this rate we'll have to play 3 centre backs....." Maybe 3 goalkeepers!
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Bluearmy_81 added 17:29 - Aug 21 Can't wait for Edmunson to replace Woolfenden. He makes mistakes every game that cost us. The free kick for their first was his fault. He's useless
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ThaiBlue added 17:36 - Aug 21 We only seem to play well in 1half.started well but 2nd half we were 2nd best,dont win enough balls in midfield.harper looks slow evans poor as well as the keeper and woolfenden.we should be more direct at times instead of sodding about at the back not good atall.well done bonne edawards burgess but alot to change,not as good as we thought it was going to be,long way to go so have time.well done mk,thought they played some great stuff and should of one it at the end.

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SickParrot added 17:39 - Aug 21 Another silly mistake cost us a goal but MK had 19 attempts at goal with 8 on target so they deserved at least a point. We have conceded two goals in all four of our league games and that's why we are still without a win. PC needs to improve our defending quickly. Perhaps he needs a good defensive coach. Pity he couldn't find room on his coaching staff for Terry Butcher.

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runaround added 17:39 - Aug 21 2 points thrown away by individual errors yet again. A game we should have won easily that we almost lost at the death. Played some excellent football at times but until stop giving opponents easy goals then things will not improve. So frustrating
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midastouch added 17:41 - Aug 21 We're not doing ourselves any favours by failing to kill teams off and giving away sloppy goals. Very frustrating! Some of the football is exciting but we seem expert in undoing good passages of play in almost an instant! We obviously need to break the habit of giving away cheap goals as until we do we're not likely to be going anywhere fast. I thought the new squad would have some teething problems but it's proving even tougher than I expected so far. We obviously need a win to get things up and running. The longer this goes on the worse it's going to feel for everybody. When I looked through the opening fixtures I honestly expected at least a couple of early wins on the board but the wait goes on for an elusive win.

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UhlenbeekDownTheWing added 17:43 - Aug 21 Harper was excellent for much of the match, strong in possession, playing on the half turn and moved the ball forwards. He faded when we changed from 4231 to 4141, which was a formation shift that worked in that Carroll shut down Twine, who was finding so much space between our 4 and 2, however it did appear none of the midfield 4 had any idea how to operate that shape and we lost all ability to retain the ball. Evans steadfastly refused to play in any direction other than the way he was facing throughout the match - spurning many opportunities to turn and move the ball progressively. This brought about the second equaliser, as he ignored the simple ball to Penney and took the ball back towards our goal, getting mugged in the process. If we are going to stick with 4231 we need more discipline from the 2 to avoid being dictated to by a false 9 (Twine today was excellent). We also need our 10 (Fraser today) to do more to shut down deeper playmakers - OReily was also excellent for MK today. Weirdly, given we let two in, our defence was very solid - they were left wide open when the midfield went AWOL, but even then defender pretty solidly. Edwards is such a threat - gotta get him on the ball more than we managed. Fraser was so quiet (assist for second aside), especially first half - can't agree he was ‘more comfortable playing centrally', unless he is comfortable being anonymous. Bonne was immense. Touch for the first goal was insane - no idea how he brought it down so beautifully, then the finish. Wow.

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Monkey_Blue added 17:43 - Aug 21 what are the odds PC comes and says there are no excuses then reels off a load of excuses. Whatever you think of Cook he fires off excuse like an uzi fires off bullets.
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grow_our_own added 17:44 - Aug 21 Surprised neither match report nor commenters have mentioned Hladky's clear error for their free-kick goal. Very similar to Cheltenham's first on Tuesday. He appears to be too scared of the post to commit to diving. If you're scared of your post, you shouldn't play in goal. Evans' shocking error for MK's second comes after his error for Morecambes first, our first conceded this season. Watch him go to ground like a sack of spuds on 34 seconds: Ipswich Town 2-2 Morecambe - Highlights 8th Aug 2021 09:10 Highlights of yesterday's 2-2 home draw with Morecambe via the club's YouTube channel. 4 Confused why a stocky >6 footer wants to take our corners (badly) instead of contest headers fromthem. You can't drop your captain. Hence on evidence so far Evans is not captain material. I'd give it to Burgess.

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fistpumpfury added 17:44 - Aug 21 The game I just watched comprised two teams. One was a slick, fast passing outfit whose players mover around continuously and won everything in the air. The other was slow, outplayed and relied on hoof ball too often. MK Dons will wonder how they dropped two points today. I hope it's not too long before Town team gel and get their act together but at the moment we really haven't improved much from last season albeit at times we looked ok. I'm not being unfair or deliberately knocking Town, but we have much to improve upon. Uppa Towen….

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Bluearmy_81 added 17:44 - Aug 21 I don't see how anyone can criticise Harper, he's absolute quality
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bluemay77 added 17:45 - Aug 21 Excellent game today far from the poor performances we got used to last few years pity about Evans mistake for their second just need strength I midfield a bit of aggression needed and we will be okay Bonne mom on next week roll
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bluemay77 added 17:45 - Aug 21 Excellent game today far from the poor performances we got used to last few years pity about Evans mistake for their second just need strength I midfield a bit of aggression needed and we will be okay Bonne mom on next week roll
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Bluearmy_81 added 17:47 - Aug 21 Harper, Edwards and Bonne are my favourite 3 of the new signings. Looking forward to seeing more of and more from Piggott, Burns and Carroll
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chepstowblue added 17:48 - Aug 21 Whilst we have by no means played ourselves out of it, there is very little leeway for any more poor results. A sizeable deficit will become difficult to bridge if we fail to beat Wimbledon and then lose at Wycombe, two fairly bailed on results at present. Undoubtedly we have some quality players in the side, games are more entertaining than for many years, and a long winning run is very possible, but those wins will be hard to come by if we're conceding two every game. Edmundson without playing a minute is already likely to be the most important signing of the summer.

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tractorboybig added 17:49 - Aug 21 Even the most ardent happy clapper must admit that the fixture list gave us the easiest start of any club in this div.After four games the world is not about to end but if alarm bells are not ringing you have a problem. To be quite honest Mr cook has not impressed in his 24+ games so far.
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Blue56 added 17:49 - Aug 21 Felt for Macauley Bonne, two well taken goals, their first goal was from a poor free kick to concede and keeper badly placed. Second goal, well, talk about a gift, individual errors are costing us, nothing to do do with team gelling. Not 100% sold on Paul Cook or Hladky, but can't blame Cook for so many individual errors. MK never really looked like scoring until we gifted them both goals. We seriously need to improve before we play the "bigger" teams.

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Suffolkboy added 17:51 - Aug 21 It's easy to allow despair to set in ,and the consequent critique to be adversely affected: it appears to be happening ,unless it is that only the ‘baddies ‘ feel motivated to write and in their individual ways condemn . From a distance ( & we really look forward to being there next week ) there are some bright and even exciting spots,with final deliveries not finding an Ipswich boot – that speaks of yet to develop understandings and partnerships ,and throughout the pitch we must hope these come about relatively quickly ! What is concerning , is to read of avoidable personal errors , to learn they are being committed by ‘Imports' from higher divisions and to inevitably speculate upon the recruitment policies and judgements . How many of these new players really bring in the quality we seek , how many are going to excel in this league ? How many can PC drive on to perform and cherish the badge ? Inevitably so many questions hovering over ITFC on the pitch : but hope must spring eternal and hints and glints of promise will surely mature into confident performance, unity and victory ! COYB

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Help added 17:51 - Aug 21 So I complained at the first game about all the cross field balls and now we just hoof it up front. Does a PC side actually play football. Because today MKdons played us off the pitch, as have other teams so far. As PL used to say 2.NiL is a dangerous score. We cannot even get to that. Still individual errors that need stamping out quickly. Still look sloppy at the back and I dont just mean the back 4, the two in front looked spent today. Evans and Harper do not create for me. KVY gets 10 yards onto the opposition half and stops and passes it back. Same as the first home game does not go forward anymore than that. Edwards looks our best player if he gets the ball to his feet. Bonne took his chances well. Disappointed for Burns hitting the post. As for Edwards cross goal balls, everyone else was sitting in the goal line why?, why was no one coming in. Do they not practice where the ball is coming from the wide? I always thought it was to penalty spot?? Also why in our corners do we sit so many players on the goal line and then run away from goal. No one coming in from the outside the box. We just do not look like we can hold a lead or even a draw. MK dons look just as likely to win it as we did, if not more so. I would like to see more football on the floor from ITFC, as not enough so far in the two home games. MK Dons played lovely triangles and passed the ball which meant we had to chase nearly all game long. We hold off and do not defend close. The opposition defend close and do not allow us to get the ball. Finally why can Evans and Harper not control the ball, in fact many of the players first touch is poor. Disappointed. Another home game next week. Got to tighten up at the back and defend earlier stop letting teams use the ball. Less hoofing the ball when we have it and retain possession more, make the opposition run around and not us. Rant over.

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IPSWICHMOUSE added 17:52 - Aug 21 Quick question to all our supporters who are so quick to condemn Evans...Have you ever made a mistake in your workplace & thought ' oh! b*llox' ? Yeah ..me too...so shut the f&ck up & move on yer muppetts......COYB..ITID....
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UhlenbeekDownTheWing added 17:52 - Aug 21 First goal wasn't Woolfendens fault! All game Twine dropped into the space behind Evans and Harper, they didn't shut down the ball into him all game (hence why we belatedly moved to 4141 with Carroll taking on that responsibility). First goal: ball goes into Twine in space (again), he turns upfield and drives (again), this time it is a three on three as our midfield are COMPLETELY AWOL. Woolfy makes sure he doesn't get past him - absolutely necessary and correct defending. Twine then SIDEFOOTS a free kick from thirty yards and Hladky pushes it into the goal. Woolfy had a very good game today, won't hear otherwise. Evans and Hladky did not have good games today.

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GSH71 added 17:53 - Aug 21 That picture says it all lol
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Bazza8564 added 17:54 - Aug 21 MK deserved a point, they are a good side and played well. If people around me boo a game like that, im gonna seriously get banned for clocking them, our effort was excellent and sadly once again a mistake cost us. Ashamed of the boo boys, and if people seriously think this is just like last year they are deranged. If you cant support your team, **** off somewhere else

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tractorboybig added 17:55 - Aug 21 ipswichmouse yep we all have but Im not paid thousands a week mate.
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