Joe Ironside scored an 88th-minute leveller as Cambridge United came from two goals behind to draw 2-2 with the Blues at the Abbey Stadium. Town looked to be coasting to victory after Sone Aluko had netted on 10 and 36, his first Blues goals, but James Brophy pulled one back for the U’s before half-time and the home side completed a deserved comeback when Ironside headed home two minutes from the end.

Aluko and former Cambridge loanee Idris El Mizouni came into the Town team for Wes Burns, who dropped to the bench alongside Bersant Celina, who was back from international duty having missed last week’s 2-1 home win against Shrewsbury, and Lee Evans, who had presumably picked up a knock.

Aluko started on the right wing with Tunisian international El Mizouni in central midfield alongside skipper Sam Morsy. Town were otherwise unchanged from the team which beat the Shrews.

Cambridge were captained by former Blue Paul Digby but Jack Lankester missed out having picked up a knock in training.

One-time Town trialist Shilow Tracey and Wes Hoolahan returned to the Cambridge XI with Liam O'Neil the other player to drop out.

The Blues started brightly and in only the second minute Macauley Bonne was sent away down the left by Morsy. The striker’s angle was too tight to hit a shot so he cut back to Conor Chaplin, who blazed his effort well over.

Less than a minute later, the former Barnsley man curled another shot not too far wide after good work on the right from Aluko.

Cambridge attacked for the first time on five, George Williams hitting a strike which Matt Penney blocked.

Aluko had looked Town’s main danger in the early stages and in the 10th minute Nigerian international put the Blues in front with his first goal for the club.

Cameron Burgess headed clear and Aluko nipped in to take the bouncing ball away from the hesitant Conor Masterson before deftly lobbing home keeper Dimitar Mitov from the edge of the box.

Four minutes later, Town threatened again, Penney crossing low from the left but Mitov reached it ahead of Bonne.

On 22 Penney crossed from the left again and Chaplin turned a shot well wide when he will feel he should have done better.

Town continued to control the game, often looking to get it forward very quickly. Just before the half hour, Aluko crossed from the right to Bonne at the near post but Mitov saved the striker’s header.

On 31 Morsy shot wide following a Town break after a Cambridge attack had broken down.

Two minutes later, Mitov slipped when trying to cut inside Chaplin when miles out of his area. His poor clearance fell to Aluko well inside his own half but this time the ex-Reading man’s attempt at goal skewed well away from the target.

The Blues pressure continued, Chaplin making a clever run into space down the right before crossing low for Bonne, who tried to work space before hitting a shot which deflected out for a corner.

And from the resultant 36th-minute flag-kick, Town doubled their lead with Aluko again the man finding the target.

The corner came over from the right, George Edmundson’s header hit the post and the ball landed at the feet of Aluko, who slotted home off keeper Mitov from a few feet.

A minute later, Chaplin was booked for kicking the ball away after the referee had already blown his whistle, which seemed a harsh yellow card.

It had been all Town but in the 40th minute the home side pulled a goal back out of nothing.

As so often having scored this season, the Blues were guilty of switching off and Tracey found Brophy in the area on the left in loads of space from where he struck a shot which beat Vaclav Hladky, a spectator up to that point, hit the underside of the bar and crossed the line.

Aluko went looking for his third of the afternoon, hitting a shot from a tight angle on the right of the area which was deflected behind and moments before the whistle, Burgess headed away a Cambridge corner.

Town had been completely dominant and looked to be coasting to victory at 2-0 up via Aluko’s two goals. The first was a great finish reminiscent of Finidi George’s goal against Sunderland in the 2001/02 Premier League season, while the second was a predatory finish from close range.

From there, the Blues ought to have seen the half out but again allowed the opposition to get back into the game with a poor goal at a time when Cambridge were looking a well-beaten side.

Cambridge created the first chance of the second half in the 50th minute and it was a decent one.

Ironside chasing a Lloyd Jones ball down the right channel and got in behind Burgess before hitting a shot which the advancing Hladky did well to stop with his legs.

Two minutes later, Morsy brought the ball in from the Town left but scraped his shot wide.

Town began to take control again and Bonne and Aluko got in one another’s way after Chaplin crossed low from the left having been played in by Fraser.

Just after the hour mark Aluko turned a low ball back from the right to El Mizouni but the Paris-born midfielder’s shot was blocked.

The Blues spent a spell playing keep-ball in the Cambridge half. Chaplin was just unable to get enough on a Penney cross from the left, then in the 64th minute Edmundson turned an El Mizouni ball in from the right weakly to Mitov.

Town swapped Aluko, who was warmly applauded off by the Blues’ travelling support, for Burns in the 69th minute.

The Blues’ performance drifted again as the game moved into its final 20 minutes and on 74 Brophy crossed from the left and Williams headed into the side-netting at the far post. As Hladky prepared to take the goal-kick, Town swapped Chaplin, who had put in another lively display, for Celina.

Cambridge should have levelled in the 81st minute after a dreadful mix-up between Hladky and Edmundson. The keeper appeared to call and came to punch but Edmundson either didn’t hear the Czech or ignored him and headed weakly to Brophy beyond the far post from where, fortunately for the Blues, the winger looped his volleyed effort well over. On 83, Town swapped Fraser for Kyle Edwards.

What should have been a game which was over before half-time was coming to a nervy end with the home side pushing for an equaliser in the closing minutes and Town showing little going forward. And in the 88th minute the second Cambridge goal came.

Jones’s looping header sent a left-sided corner back across the box and Ironside nodded home from close range.

Having levelled the home side were on the front foot going into four minutes of added-on time but neither side were able to create a serious chance and the home fans cheered the final whistle having secured a draw which looked hugely unlikely after the Blues had gone into a 2-0 lead.

But this Town side has shown on too many occasions this season that they can wilt in games and that was once again the case.

Having conceded the goal just before half-time, the U’s were given something to cling on to in the second half and after the Blues were unable to add to their lead while on top, the home side put Town under pressure in the latter stages and should have scored even prior to Ironside’s goal.

A disappointing afternoon for the 2,513 travelling Blues who made the trip to the Abbey Stadium - where Town are still to win a league game - after it had started with such promise.

The result sees Town drop to 15th ahead of Tuesday’s trip to manager Paul Cook’s former club Portsmouth.

Cambridge: Mitov, Williams, Iredale, Digby, Jones, Brophy (Knibbs 85), Ironside, Hoolahan, Tracey (Smith 77), Masterson. Unused: McKenzie-Lyle, Dunk, Okedina, Weir, Worman.

Town: Hladky, Donacien, Edmundson, Burgess, Penney, Morsy (c), El Mizouni, Aluko (Burns 69), Fraser (Edwards 83), Chaplin (Celina 75), Bonne. Unused: Holy, Harper, Jackson, Nsiala. Referee: Leigh Doughty (Lancashire). 7,944 (Town: 2,513).

Photo: Pagepix

TimmyH added 17:14 - Oct 16 I'm afraid the words 'resilience and Ipswich Town' don't go together...Burton, Morecambe, Cheltenham, Accrington and now this all matches we should have done better and got more points.
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algarvefan added 17:14 - Oct 16 What the hell happens in the changing rooms at half time, was that the same team that came out in the second half. Poor performances from Hladky and Burgess at the back and I'm not convinced at the greatness of Morsy, he slows everything up too much for me, should have been out of sight by half time yet again. In some respects I was glad we drew could have been worse.

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fizzyblue added 17:17 - Oct 16 Watched the game on ifollow. Where do I start…. Oh dear old dear…. Cambridge were there for the taking but such is the story this season of missed opportunities and sitting back letting other teams come onto us. We simply fail to boss teams and do the ugly side of the game effectively. Not impressed with frazer at all. He is by far the slowest player in the football league. I feel he just slows the game down instead of spotting a quick pass. All via aluko we failed to put out our strongest attacking players, with burns and co on the bench. If your best players are fit play them for pete sake... Sorry to be negative just left feeling incredibly frustrated after watching a game we should have won. Positives are we are certainly more entertaining to watch.

3

martin587 added 17:17 - Oct 16 Oh dear what a waste of three points.I don't like to name players but Burgess and Penney are very weak.The keeper hesitates on crosses the subs were all wrong why the hell when we are under pressure do we change the forwards is ludicrous.I'm now having grave concerns over PC and his decision making.Very hard games coming up.A few changes are needed in certain places but still I'm very confident.At least we never lost.That's about it. Plenty to think about on my drive back to the cockle sheds.

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BobbyPetta11 added 17:18 - Oct 16 Keeper and Backline are woeful I wasn't a chambers fan but is Burgess any better ? Penny lightweight JD can't go forward Ed tad over rated Imagine being an attacking player in that side
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herfie added 17:18 - Oct 16 From world beaters to panel beaters in the space of one match! Remember that other Scouse manager named Paul?
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TB42 added 17:19 - Oct 16 From the jaws of victory…. Deja vu strikes again…. Meanwhile, good to see with all their personnel changes, Wigan are still struggling to gel ….
8

cat added 17:19 - Oct 16 If you don't turn up second half then what do you expect. Very dissatisfied with that performance. Bit of day light robbery on that result. Failure to kill off a game once again bites us on the Ass!
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Markp68 added 17:22 - Oct 16 Cook is not and never has been the man for the job. Yes he's had success elsewhere but he's never managed a squad of this quality or strength and it is top quality at this level even if a bit of shoring up at the back is still required.He said in an interview just this week, I think, that he still doesn't know what his best team is and I find that mind boggling and very worrying this far into the season. With no disrespect to any of our opponents we should not be surrendering leads to Cambridge Utd or Morecambe or MK Dons et al but it's happening too often.

16

blueboy1981 added 17:23 - Oct 16 If any of this lot, including the Manager, think they are better than RELEGATION from League 1 - then I suggest they ALL start showing it collectively …. !!! Still early days, but with each passing week, thinking you are good enough but not showing it where it matters - will NOT avoid the big word …. !!! Talk is always cheap and worthless - action and commitment yields reward.

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Bluroo added 17:23 - Oct 16 Paul Cook is a tactical simpleton and it's beyond obvious our form isn't going to drastically improve with this melt at the helm. This is the painful bit now, waiting for the inevitable sacking to happen whilst watching our season slip away.
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grow_our_own added 17:24 - Oct 16 Can analyse this team all you want, but the long and short is: we have a dodgy keeper. Hladky not good enough. We are now top conceders in League One. Cook must act. HolyWalton must be selected ahead of him, and if they're not trusted either, need a new keeper in Jan.
12

Suffolkboy added 17:24 - Oct 16 This Liverpool fan can consider fanning off it seems from both the report and informed comments . They say empty barrels make the most sound and boy do we get a lengthy verbose diatribe from PC week in week out ! Get a grip , PC if you know how ,but make it soon ,there's no more excuses to dream up ; looks like too many aren't up to the task or happy to take the money and sit on contracts .Perhaps PR should take over pdq ? This is truly awful and let's down ITFC and the supporters as well as Suffolk ( not to mention the owners) . COYB

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jas0999 added 17:25 - Oct 16 Failing to beat Cambridge would have been a bad result … throwing away a two goal lead makes this an atrocious result. No excuses. Our recent wins were at home to the then bottom two clubs. Overall, Cooks record this season is very disappointing. 15th and nearer the relegation zone in mid- October simply isn't good enough. Surely, Gamechanger are recruiting a replacement? This can't go on! We must beat Portsmouth now.

19

bernie added 17:27 - Oct 16 Ffs not good enough , go 2 nil up four minutes later they score , absolute rubbish how can we be counted promotion runners and can't beat teams like Cambridge, Cheltenham, Wimbledon etc and can't believe people going on about a local derby , come on !! Really . Morsy was supposed to be the saviour I don't think so . Does. Cook know what he's on about ??
15

runaround added 17:27 - Oct 16 Another draw that feels like a defeat. With the players we have available we should not be dropping points from 2-0 up in this league. Seems an obvious mental block with the players on the pitch but they are the only ones who can overcome it on the pitch. I remain supportive of Cook as he has been there seen it done it at this level but things have to improve results wise and soon

7

SickParrot added 17:27 - Oct 16 Same old story. Cruising at 2 nil, quickly concede a goal, start to panic and concede again at the end. Paul Cook seems unable to deal with our mental fragility. Perhaps Peter Reid can have a go because we don't look like developing a winning mentality anytime soon. Still only 3 wins in the league and 3 points above the relegation zone. Just not good enough Mr Cook.

9

Edmundo added 17:28 - Oct 16 I listened on Radio Cambridgeshire and they were right: Cambridge dug deep and wanted it. Weseem to have players who can't be bothered to do the dirty work.
9

dirtydingusmagee added 17:31 - Oct 16 very disapointed, in fact double disappointed, i changed my prediction of 2-2 just before match to 1-3 , we should have got that win today, but last 20 mins we just lost the plot again .and spent that period under the cosh . Credit to Aluko ,very good performance , .Really sad to see us going wrong way in lge again we should by now be firing on all cylinders, and climbing our way up .

5

DaGremloid added 17:32 - Oct 16 Are we sure Gamechanger are not actually involved in pensions but some betting syndicate where we throw matches in the second half?
2

chopra777 added 17:33 - Oct 16 What happened to motivating your team when they went 2 nil up. You call yourself a scouser.. Sorry Cook your football pedigree is not nothing like Sir Alf or Sir Bobby. Hopefully the Americans will see sense and get rid you before Xmas.
4

Bluroo added 17:33 - Oct 16 The major problem with this club is that it hasn't signed a decent manager for 20 years (thanks to Evans). Perhaps that memory is causing some trepidation amongst Town fans. But with The Americans and Ashton at the helm I'm massively confident we'll get the next one a lot more right. GET ON WITH IT!!!
5

RobsonWark added 17:33 - Oct 16 2 weak links in the team: Penny - he is not a defender. He says he want's to follow in the premier leagues footsteps of Aaron Cresswell and Tyrone Mings. NO CHANCE! Hladky - The worst goalkeeper we have had for a number of years. This whole Hladky v Holy reminds me of Mick McCarthy's Dean Gerken v Bartosz Bialkowski. Everyone could see that Bart was the best goalkeeper apart from MM and now everyone can see that Thomas Holy is better than Hladky apart from PC!!

8

runningout added 17:33 - Oct 16 Said before.. need some ‘Professional Brutality' in midfield and elsewhere! Not paying the going rate or over the odds for Crooks was a bummer!! We are soft and have been for years (Doesn't mean you go to get booked game on game) Cambridge must feel they've missed out on 3 points. I'm wondering if we have been encouraged to have defensive practice when we are ahead. Iffy on that front.

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HappyKitten added 17:36 - Oct 16 Not heard Cooks responce but here it is. We'll work hard, credit to Cambridge; the're a good team, im not happy. Well here is the truth, nor are we, you have (on paper) built a great team but somthing is wrong and that somthing is you are you coatching staff. Come on Mark, make the call and get rid.
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