Leif Davis hailed Ipswich Town’s resilience after they recovered from 2-0 down to draw with promotion rivals Sheffield Wednesday.

A pulsating game at Portman Road saw Conor Chaplin miss a penalty before the visitors took control with quick goals from Michael Smith and George Byers.

Ipswich needed a spark before the break and it duly arrived when Nathan Broadhead curled in a delightful free-kick before Davis equalised six minutes after the restart from his own set piece, albeit via a deflection from Byers.

With neither side able to find a precious winner, Davis reflected on a true game of two halves.

He said: “The first half we weren’t bang at it like we were in the second half. I thought we were a bit slow on the ball in the first half, we weren’t switched on like with their quick free-kick and the goal.

“We said in training they might try it as they got a goal from it last week. We knew we weren’t right bang at it.

“But after that, we had a chat. I told Samy [Morsy] that we have got to get going and then their second goal we went in.

“Then Broady scored and that got the momentum going. It was a bit too close to half-time as we were bang at it and I think if half-time wasn’t there, I think we could have got another goal.

“But the goal before half-time got the crowd going again — and got us going again. When that went in, we felt we were bang back in the game now. Then we just went from there.

“Coming out the second half, I thought we did really well and came out full guns. Sheffield Wednesday are a great team, but they didn’t really have any chances in the second half. We had a lot of chances, created a lot of things, played them in their half for the full 45.

“We pressed like we did against Burnley the other night when the lads played brilliantly. We were full at it and we had to take the energy from that game into this game, and I don’t think we did that at the start.”

It took Ipswich, and Davis, just six minutes of the second half to restore parity when the former Leeds man's free-kick shot deflected off Byers and flew past keeper Cameron Dawson.

Davis said: “I’ll take it, it went down as mine. It was a bit of a lucky free-kick. I was thinking whether I should cross it but it was too close. I just wanted to try and drill one and it got a lucky deflection.

“We hadn’t had that luck, while other teams have had that luck against us like the Fleetwood goal which took a big deflection and the one against Plymouth.

“I’m happy to get a goal and take it to 2-2. It felt good, but I just wanted to get back into position and go again to try and get the win. That’s why I didn’t really celebrate. I was just getting back into my position as quickly as I could and get the lads going again to try and push for that third goal.

“The gaffer said to us yesterday to everyone that we have to leave everything out there. Even when subs come on, do your thing and then tag your teammate in so they can go out and do the same thing.

“I felt I didn’t stop running today and try and do everything for the team to try and get the three points.”

While not expanding on what was said at half-time to bring about such a dramatic improvement, Davis revealed: “It wasn’t just the manager, it came from the skipper Morsy as well and everyone. We talked about what we needed to do and it worked.

“I thought we did really well in the second half, we kept the ball and weren’t slow on the ball, doing passes which we didn’t really need to do like we did in the first half when they were getting intercepted.

“We played to our game plan and I think it worked. They couldn’t get out their half and they had to lump it long and it was coming back at them.”

It was a tale of two free-kicks yesterday with Broadhurst scoring his first Town goal — following in the footsteps of fellow new signing George Hirst getting off the mark in midweek.

Davis said: “George’s was a good goal and Broady’s was an unbelievable free-kick. I’ve never seen him take a free kick in training and then he said he was going to take it.

“I thought Chappers was going to take it as he is unbelievable on free kicks as well. But we let Broady have it and then he did that so he will be claiming them from that side from now. Hopefully he does that every week.”

Davis also had words of encouragement for Chaplin after his penalty was saved by the legs of Dawson — while also questioning why there wasn’t more punishment for Owls wing-back Marvin Johnson for elbowing Wes Burns.

The left-back said: “I didn’t see anything with the penalty, the lino on the other side saw it. I was just trying to keep the spot clean and help him because the keeper was trying to push us out the way and I know what he was trying to do.

“But I spoke to the ref at half-time and asked why hasn’t he been carded if it was an elbow. The ref said he didn’t see who it was as he ran off. He gave the pen so I don’t know how he hasn’t seen who done it.

“Chappers misses the pen but he has just got to keep his head up. Every day in training, after training, he is taking pens. He is doing really well, he creates a lot for the team and he’s a big part of the team.

“Even if he misses a pen, he still does all he can to help the team. I just told him to keep his head up.”

Davis called on his teammates to learn lessons from yesterday’s game, which was played out on front of 29,072.

He said: “We have to start every game like we started the second half. I thought we played very well and suffocated a really good team.

“We created some good chances but we’ve got to take those chances. We can’t have all the possession in the world and draw games. You don’t win games by possession, you have to put them to bed.

“I think we need to start putting a few more chances away, like the one with Freddie [Ladapo]’s although he had just come on. He makes a great impact, but those type of things other teams will put to bed against us.

“Bristol Rovers [on Tuesday night] is a massive game, we need to go there with the same energy we showed in the second half. If we do that. We should win the game.

“I definitely think we can make the top two. There is plenty of time, plenty of games, we just have to win games.

“We can’t afford to draw or lose games from now on. If we go on a good streak now, we’ve got a really good chance.”

Photo: TWTD

SouperJim added 09:56 - Feb 12 Two things are killing us at the minute, experience and physicality. We're a young team and we simply don't have enough leaders out there, combined with being a bit lightweight in some areas we struggle to compete when other teams are more physically powerful than us and manage the game better. No better example of that then Wednesday's spell where they scored twice and could have had a third. I think it'll come in time, but whether that's soon enough to get up this season looks questionable unfortunately. I do think we need more presence upfront though, I appreciate what the likes of Chaplin and Harness bring to the team but against big powerful sides sometimes you have to compete on their terms to bash the door down. I'd like to see Hirst and Ladapo play together, even in front 3, no reason not to try it and we've had success down the years with big attackers like Scowcroft, Lee and Walters coming in from a wider position.

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Carberry added 11:10 - Feb 12 Leif, Sheff Wed are not a great team, they are a good League 1 team with some talented, big lads. You might play against some greatness one day but not while we languish in division 3. Ask Mick Mills, Terry Butcher and John Wark what great teams look like.
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Suffolkboy added 11:58 - Feb 12 S W very much looked the part ,and seemed always up for the energetic demands ,whist we, especially in the first half , managed to appear not only off the pace ,but almost numbed mentally by what was happening around us ! L D is quite correct in his observations and it's good to know he is urging the Skipper to motivate ; there's talent there a plenty, but the confidence of expression hasn't materialised yet ,and we all need to shape up and man up from the first whistle ! It will be interesting to see what happens about the offending SW player ,especially with video evidence available . Lots yet to hope for, lots to play for , opportunity aplenty to show that confidence and flair ; go for it Town ! COYB

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SpiritOfJohn added 12:39 - Feb 12 It's easy for us to sit here and say man up, when our team are being clobbered by opponents who seemed more interested in playing the man rather than the ball. I felt Burns in particular was targeted by Wednesday in the first half with players repeatedly jumping into him, before he got elbowed. That doesn't excuse the poor defending for the second goal, but at least we rallied yesterday and got back into the game instead of capitulating.

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Wickets added 13:12 - Feb 12 I agree but not all do , more guts and determination I said last week but not many seemed to agree !
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warfarinman69 added 20:15 - Feb 12 I don't think problem is lack of guts, but some good points on here about the physical stature of some of the players. Morsey uses his body really well, but few others, including Ladapo do. Woollies is a hood player but too easy to bully, as is Burns. If we don't go up this year hopefully McKenna will add some "muscle"
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warfarinman69 added 20:16 - Feb 12 Woolfie is a good player! I hate this auto correct!
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ArnieM added 07:19 - Feb 13 Not for the first time this season, Town freeze on the big occasion. The first half we handed it to SWFC on a plate as they simply wanted it more. They bullied us all over the park , outmuscled in every position except Morseys. Yet again powder puff defending from powder puff so called defenders cost us soft goals. Does this team REALLY need a pep talk at half time ( ticket up star more like!) or gif the opposition to score a goal to “ get us going”. Give me bloody strength!!!

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ArnieM added 07:21 - Feb 13 My auto correct had gone bananas too it seems “ ticket up star “ = rocket up arse …
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Linkboy13 added 10:45 - Feb 13 The need for a dominant centre back with leadership qualities was even more evident on Saturday especially with the first goal. Playing Chaplin and Humphreys in the same team made us look very lightweight against a big physical Wednesday team, seems to be a Ipswich tradition to field lightweight teams the number of games in the last few years when ive heard we've been out muscled. Don't know why we signed Luongo where was he Saturday another one of our injury prone signings.

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PortmanTerrorist added 10:45 - Feb 13 Wow the reaction on here. There is a reason why players play in League 1, it is simply they are not complete players in one way or another, whether that be consistency, switching off, physicality, or plain ability.....if they had everything we could not afford them nor would they come here ! We have a good League 1 squad now, which we could not say 2 years ago. However, building a team takes time and whilst McKenna has given us hope we can fast-track, let's just keep remembering that we are no a progressive Club with a Team that will get stringer with every window, will improve the players we have, and who will get promoted up the Leagues; sometimes it does not come when you want (see 1998 and 1999) but maybe when it does come you are better prepared for the challenges in the league above (see 2000). Stick with the team, the manager and the Club and we will be fine. COYB PS for 'Broady' read 'Minty' surely (KOA!)

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ArnieM added 10:55 - Feb 13 We're trying to play our way out of league one like we're Barcelona: hardly compatible football really is it !
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Steve_ITFC_Sweden added 12:21 - Feb 13 I think ArnieM has a point. You need a bit of brute muscle in this division. When we are on song, we're a match for anyone in L1, but this doesn't happen consistently enough. The playoffs will be an interesting test of whether we can get over the line when it really matters.
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