Town twice let two-goal leads slip in a bizarre, topsy-turvy game at the Valley which ended 4-4 with four goals in injury time. George Edmundson and Tyreece John-Jules put the Blues 2-0 in front but the Addicks hit back through Jes Rak-Sakyi and and Albie Morgan. However, in injury time, Town restored their two-goal advantage through Freddie Ladapo and Sam Morsy but Terell Thomas and George Dobson netted in the sixth and ninth minutes of the additional time to claim a remarkable point for the home side.

Town made three changes for this afternoon’s game at Charlton with skipper Morsy returning following his suspension.

Morsy was joined by Dominic Ball in the centre of midfield with Cameron Humphreys dropping to the bench following his goalscoring full league debut at Port Vale on Tuesday.

Manager Kieran McKenna again shuffled his front three with Kayden Jackson replacing Kyle Edwards alongside Conor Chaplin behind lone striker John-Jules with Ladapo, who netted twice at Vale Park, among the subs.

Kane Vincent-Young was back in the 18 following his calf problem with Cameron Burgess and Panutche Camara dropping out having been in the matchday squad at Vale.

Thomas was handed his full league debut for the Addicks on the left of the back three, coming in for Ryan Inniss, suspended following his red card in Tuesday’s 2-0 home defeat to MK Dons.

Steven Sessegnon was back in the team having been rested against the Dons, while Corey Blackett-Taylor was on the bench having missed the previous two matches due to injury. Former Town midfielder Scott Fraser started in the home side’s midfield.

There was a scare for the Blues within the first minute, keeper Christian Walton scuffing a a pass out of the area to Edmundson. Addicks skipper Jayden Stockley seized on it but hit a first-time shot straight back to the relieved keeper.

With the game yet to establish a pattern, there was a break as the 10-minute mark approached as Addicks right-sided wideman Mandela Egbo underwent treatment.

Moments later, Ball was shown the game’s first yellow card for a foul on Rak-Sakyi in the centre circle. On 14 Egbo succumbed to his earlier knock and was replaced by Morgan.

Three minutes later, Eoghan O’Connell joined Ball in the referee’s book for a foul on Jackson on the Town left as the match continued in a very stop-start manner.

Town won a corner from the free-kick which came to nothing, then on 19 Wes Burns struck a low shot from 25 yards across the face and wide.

Two minutes later, Sessegnon sent a low ball across from the left towards Stockley, but too close to Walton, who claimed.

On 25 Town, who were starting to get their game going after a bitty start in which they’d been forced long on too many occasions by Charlton’s high press, carved out their first serious chance.

Leif Davis exchanged passes with John-Jules on the left and cut back. Jackson left it and Chaplin struck a shot which was blocked.

Chaplin curled a 25-yard free-kick into the Charlton wall in the 32nd minute having been fouled by Thomas with the Blues now in charge and with Davis on the left increasingly influential.

On 36 Town made a promising break down the left but as Jackson received the ball, a whistle from the crowd momentarily caused the Town players to pause. However, Chaplin in any case won a corner and before it was taken referee Josh Smith indicated to the fourth official that someone in the crowd was using a whistle.

Two minutes later, Morsy played John-Jules in on goal behind the Addicks backline and as the on-loan Arsenal ran through the whistle was again heard from the crowd with the striker evidently pausing as a result, allowing O’Connell to make a challenge when he looked certain to score.

The Town players again protested to the referee and, while O’Connell underwent treatment for an injury suffered in the incident, a PA announcement called on the person with the whistle to stop or the players would be taken off the field. O’Connell was eventually stretchered off and replaced by Sam Lavelle.

After play restarted, the fourth official indicated six minutes of injury time for the treatment to the two Charlton players and a couple of minutes in John-Jules again went close to netting.

The Arsenal youngster cut into the area on the left, cleverly working himself space for a shot which looked bound for the corner of the net until a hand, which appeared to be Thomas’s rather than the keeper’s, tipped it wide of the post. The Town players protested to referee Smith that they should have been awarded a penalty but to no avail.

However, from the resultant corner, the Blues went in front. Davis’s ball into the near post was met by Edmundson, who powered a header across goal and into the corner of the net for his third goal of the season, sending the 3,000 travelling fans behind the goal at the other end - as well as Ed Sheeran watching from a box - into raptures.

Before play restarted, John-Jules was yellow-carded for taking his time to get back into his own half.

That was the last action of a half which had taken a while to settle after a stop-start opening period.

Once the game had settled into a pattern, the Blues got on top and had begun to create chances regularly as the break approached.

The errant whistle almost certainly prevented John-Jules from taking his first chance, then a Charlton hand the second but Edmundson superbly headed home from the corner to give Town a deserved lead.

Soon after the break, Davis required treatment following a heavy challenge, then in the 50th minute Dobson was harshly adjudged to have fouled Ball as he broke towards the area and was booked, much to his frustration. Sean Clare joined him for refusing to get back 10 yards as Town prepared to take the kick.

And in the wake of the resultant free-kick, the Blues doubled their lead. Chaplin’s shot was blocked, but the ball fell back to the forward, who played it back to Burns on the corner of the box from where the Welshman sent a cross to the near post and John-Jules beat home keeper Joe Wollacott to the ball to head into the net right in front of the Town fans.

Charlton were furious that Town had scored as a result of the incorrectly awarded free-kick with manager Ben Garner taking his protests too far and being shown the red card. As he made his way to the tunnel, the former Swindon boss tried to encourage home fans to make more noise to get behind their team.

Once play had got back under way, the Blues weren’t too far away from a third goal, Davis sliding in and sending the ball wide at the far post from Ball’s cross from the right. On 57, Morsy was booked for a foul on former teammate Fraser.

Five minutes later, Charlton made a double change, swapping Stockley and Charlie Kirk for Chuks Aneke and Blackett-Taylor.

And a minute later, the Addicks, who had looked little threat since the break, pulled a goal back with both subs involved.

Aneke beat Edmundson and crossed from the right for Blackett-Taylor, whose first-time shot as he broke in from the left was blocked brilliantly by Walton, but Rak-Sakyi was on hand to slam the loose ball into the net. Walton was booked in the aftermath, presumably for protesting that Edmundson had been fouled in the build-up.

Town immediately went about looking to restore their two-goal advantage, John-Jules coming very close within a minute. Davis crossed from the left and the England U21 international headed down but at Wollacott’s feet with the keeper not knowing too much about it. Either side of the Charlton number one and it would have been a goal.

Jackson well shot over on 65 with Town quickly regaining control, then four minutes later Burns also hit an effort which was high and wide.

Town made a triple change in the 71st minute, Chaplin, Jackson and John-Jules making way for Marcus Harness, Edwards and Ladapo.

Five minutes later, the Addicks equalised. After Harness had lost possession midway inside the Town half, Aneke brought the ball into the area from the left and hit a shot which Walton stopped but couldn’t hold onto and Morgan following up found the net from close range. The Town keeper evidently felt he should have done better.

Burns was booked in the 83rd minute for pulling back Sessegnon with the Blues looking somewhat disjointed with the home side buoyed by their fans, who had started to make themselves heard since the second goal.

On 83, the Blues had a brilliant chance to win it. Davis’s shot from the left fell to Edwards unmarked in the area but somehow the winger scuffed well wide.

Town looked to have thrown away their chance of a seventh win on the road this season but a minute into six minutes of injury time, sub Ladapo grabbed Town’s third.

The striker received the ball from Morsy 25 yards out with his back to goal, turned and and a low shot which fizzed across the turf and beat Wollacott to his right and nestled in the corner of the net, sending the fans behind the goal wild.

Three minutes later, it was 4-2. Morsy received a pass from Ball and struck a low shot which flew past Woollacott to his left.

Town looked home and hosed but in the sixth minute of injury time Charlton pulled a goal back. A free-kick from the right was squared from the far post by Blackett-Taylor and Thomas tapped in.

Keogh replaced Burns as the Blues sought to see out the final moments but nine minutes into added-on time the Addicks scored again.

A deep Morgan cross from the left found Dobson at the far post from where he looped a header over Walton and into the net to level to the delight and amazement of the home fans.

Town looked for a fifth in the remaining seconds but the referee’s whistle confirmed a 4-4 draw - the same as the U21s at QPR yesterday - from a game which the Blues twice had won.

The Blues were almost made to pay for giving away poor goals at Port Vale having been two goals in front on Tuesday but rescued the win and the same appeared to have happened when Ladapo and Morsy made it 4-2.

But Town were guilty of gifting Charlton goals to allow two points - and top spot in the table with Plymouth in action on Monday - which they'd all but won twice slip through their fingers.

The Blues now nine days on the training field before their FA Cup tie at Bracknell Town a week on Monday.

Charlton: Wollacott, Clare, Thomas, O’Connell (Lavelle 43), Sessegnon, Egbo (Morgan 14), Dobson, Fraser, Kirk (Blackett-Taylor 62), Rak-Sakyi, Stockley (c) (Aneke 62). Unused: MacGillivray, McGrandles, Payne.

Town: Walton, Donacien, Woolfenden, Edmundson, Burns (Keogh 90), Ball, Morsy (c), Davis, Jackson (Edwards 71), Chaplin (Harness 71), John-Jules (Ladapo 71). Unused: Hladky, Vincent-Young, Humphreys. Referee: Josh Smith (Bedfordshire). Att: 16,625 (Town: 3,139).

Photo: Matchday Images

philpott2 added 19:06 - Oct 29 Damn!!! I rest my case....professional footballers, 3 centre-halves around the 6 yard box.....yet we still can't get a head to the ball (or Walton a glove to it). Just seen what was effectively 3 similar goals concedes. Same old same old, been like it for years. So frustrated, again!
3

steve_holmes27 added 19:29 - Oct 29 Two mid table teams to play and two average performances. Lucky on Tuesday and our luck ran out today. Not good enough. KMcK has to sort this out or we'll soon slide down the table. KMcK still has no interest in giving our youngsters a proper go despite Humphreys showing him they are more than able with a stunning strike on Tuesday and a performance his fellow professionals thought was worthy of been carried on their shoulders afterwards! Comical that he didn't get any sort of game today.

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Ipswich1968 added 19:33 - Oct 29 We shouldn't forget that McKenna is also learning as this is his first job as number 1 - he has and will make mistakes - in subs and rotation - in particular but I'm sure he has the pedigree to be top class. We are all in this together so let's be grateful we are still top two - and Burgess and Camara will make a real difference .
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MickMillsTash added 19:34 - Oct 29 It was better than last year. 2 weeks off to work on defending crosses 2nd in the league Disappointed but still optimistic
4

Texastom added 19:42 - Oct 29 Very very naive. Back to basics with this lot. Defence shocking. This is League One! Doesn't matter how skilful your players are, teams go route one. Learn to defend route one! Hard physical work, be strong mentally. Unless we change are attitude, teams will work us out and results will dip. Not looking forward to Bracknell Town who will realish playing a soft underbelly team.

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Lower_North added 19:53 - Oct 29 Not good enough mate No way can you be 4-2 up after 95 minutes and lose ..
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Lower_North added 19:56 - Oct 29 Draw sorry, feels like a kick in the slats all the same
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RobsonWark added 20:16 - Oct 29 Having watched the short 1 minute and 4 second clip on Sky Sports website of the injury time goals it is clear that Dom Ball is totally not up to being an Ipswich Town Player. He is a lazy ball watcher just like the Chambers was. I can only comment on Charlton's 3rd and 4th goals because Sky Sports website are not showing the first 90 minutes of the game. Ball let his player get away from him for Charlton's 3rd goal and he was not interested in trying to close Charlton's players down for their 4th goal. Ball was to blame for Port Vale's 2 goals...he wouldn't jump to head the ball away for both of their goals, It was like he had lead boots on or was scared to head the ball. If you do not want to head the ball get out of football Dom Ball!!

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Steve_ITFC_Sweden added 20:21 - Oct 29 Can't add much to what has already been said. Agree with most of it. Hopefully, we will at least LEARN from this. We are not that good that our fine footballing principles will always see us through. Good football is great to watch when it works, as is does for much of the time, but sometimes, like today, we need to do the dirty stuff as well (by which I don't mean fouling, but generally getting stuck in with a "no pasarán" attitude). Thought Charlton's constant falling over at the slightest touch was pretty pathetic, by the way. I don't fancy the playoffs, but if it is to be, I hope we get Charlton in the final and blow them away.

3

Pilgrimblue added 20:40 - Oct 29 KMcK needs to do a Ferguson and show the team that they've let the fans down big time. As for Ball, what's the point in him being a defensive midfielder if he cant defend! Our current two CB aren't good enough for L1, alright going forward etc but not up to it when against taller attack., maybe time for Keogh/Burgess.
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RobsonWark added 20:44 - Oct 29 It's obvious that joyousblue doesn't care if we win or not as long as his favourites are in the starting 11.
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blueboy1981 added 21:00 - Oct 29 Promotion ?? - I'll say it yet again - Much to do … !!! At this moment the Mental Attitude and Concentration to see games out, just is not there, to even succeed in any possible Play Off scenario ! The way we are Defending we are ruining a Goalkeeper who has done wonders for us thus far this Season - who would relish that in front of them that can't, or won't, even Head a Ball ? Scathing maybe - but Truthful …. !!!

3

gosblue added 21:04 - Oct 29 What's the point of bringing on fresh legs if we can't even press on the edge of our own box. Not a single attempt to stop a cross coming in. The number of times we lost possession around 40 yards from our goal is a major concern. People we have come to rely on let themselves today. Morsey, Ball. Harness, JJ, Davies JD all lost the ball in those areas l. But I think it all started and finished with Walton. He wasn't at his usual best. He is a premier league keeper but looked Sunday league at times. Teams have sussed us out and are even matching us for fitness. Maybe try something different. Maybe 4-4-2 with Burns and Edwards in front of Donacien and Davies.

1

Bomber added 21:05 - Oct 29 Am I disappointed yes but we are not going to win every game, this will be a bit of a reality check that KMcK will work on. This time last year we would have lost both Tues & today's games 3-2 so we have made progress. We also still have the transfer window to shore things up.
2

Wooly74 added 21:05 - Oct 29 Martin587 what do you call these muppets then other than muppets, they surely aren't real fans to be berating a team that is second in the league and only losing twice now is what 16 or so games 🤦‍♂️ No, let's blow a gasket at one result and then bring up the other freak result against Lincoln, I'm sure half these posters don't even go to games and if they do they are part of the returning happy clapping brigade who suddenly returns because we are near the top. Having had a season ticket and continued to have it through the most dire period of our history over the last five years and still turned out week in and week out I'm entitled to my opinion. Muppets the lot of them and if that's their opinions after today go elsewhere and put a Man City or Liverpool shirt on and disappear back away from the club that they clearly walked away from during the dire seasons

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Gforce added 21:05 - Oct 29 Bring back Baggott,he certainly couldn't do any worse.
1

blueboy1981 added 21:09 - Oct 29 Sorry, but conceding Two Goals and Two (what could prove) Precious Points in the dying moments, as we did - would not be acceptable tomorrow morning for even, and most, Local Sunday League Teams. Brings it into perspective !!
2

blueboy1981 added 21:14 - Oct 29 Wooly74 - you're obviously entrenched in, acceptable, and accustomed to failure. Not all of us are, and never will be.
0

warktheline added 21:21 - Oct 29 I can't believe what I'm reading on this site! So many on here ‘sat on their hands' year after year, making one lame excuse after another defending that parasite Evans, and his continued failures owning the club and hapless managerial appointments mixed in with injury prone, deadbeat , freewheeling , journeymen ‘professional players'!….but at every opportunity make scathing remarks and judgement upon our current manager and players as soon as they don't deliver 3 points!….take a good look at yourselves , because right now you don't deserve our current dynamic owners and manager, and those lads, that will DELIVER PROMOTION to us supporters! ….look at the BIG PICTURE not one ‘odd and crazy 90 minutes'!….Absolutely disgusting remarks and continued knee jerk reactions by some, whom it would appear would like this set up to fail! Shame on you!

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Wooly74 added 21:27 - Oct 29 Entrenched in failure 🤦‍♂️ No surrounded by morons who don't know the game or truly support the club more like. You lot are embarrassing, Christ knows what you will say when we go through a bad patch this season 🤦‍♂️
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Wooly74 added 21:29 - Oct 29 Walktheline can't agree more, common sense in a pile of pointless and unhelpful remarks. Thank you for confirming that we have some sensible and true fans
3

Wooly74 added 21:32 - Oct 29 Oh and blueboy1981, you know nothing about how successful or otherwise my life has been, but trust me it's any but your wide of the mark assumption 🤦‍♂️
2

chepstowblue added 21:33 - Oct 29 I've no issue with the ref playing on for 10mins. 6mins went up originally and 3 goals were scored in that time before the equaliser. The time wasting by us after the third and fourth goals is the obvious reason why the time was added. We shot ourselves in the foot. The ref will always get the flak. The real criticism needs to be aimed at the players.
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blueboy1981 added 21:54 - Oct 29 warktheline - Can you ever go a week without mentioning Evans ? - for someone who seemed to hate him, you seem obsessed !!
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martin587 added 21:56 - Oct 29 Wooly 74. I've been supporting Ipswich for 61 years and a season ticket holder for 55 years and followed town away for almost every game so I think I'm justified in the comments I make and I don't need praise for my support.It's when you call posters muppets that's unjustified.We as true town supporters can air our views as long as they are fair and without abuse or disrespect to the club or any member of the team.Don't forget we all want the best for our club.Best remember that when you make unjustified remarks.

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