Jack Clarke’s 106th-minute penalty claimed a point for the Blues as they drew 2-2 at home to Derby County. Jacob Greaves’s first goal at Portman Road put Town ahead on 33 with the Blues very much on top before the break. But a Carlton Morris penalty five minutes after the restart changed the game and, after Town were denied a blatant spot-kick of their own when George Hirst was fouled, the Rams went ahead through Rhian Brewster on 70, before sub Clarke netted Town’s penalty, awarded for a foul on Jack Taylor, deep in injury time.

Town made four changes from the team which was beaten 1-0 at Preston North End a week ago with Jens Cajuste, Kasey McAteer, Ashley Young and Conor Chaplin all coming into the side.

Cajuste, making his second full debut for the club, replaced Jack Taylor in the centre of midfield with the Ireland international on the bench.

Young was given his first league start for the club at right-back with Ben Johnson among the subs.

McAteer made his full debut on the right of the forwards with Clarke dropping to the bench, alongside Sammie Szmodics with Chaplin, making 150th appearance for Town under Kieran McKenna, replacing him as the number 10.

New signings Ivan Azon and Darnell Furlong were both named among the substitutes, but there was no place for either Chieo Ogbene or Luke Woolfenden.

For Derby, former Blues loanee Lewis Travis was handed his debut following his move from Blackburn, while ex-Town central defender Matt Clarke and one-time loanee Callum Elder were also in the starting line-up. Kayden Jackson was on the bench.

Two minutes into the game, referee Leigh Doughty angered the Town team and fans when he gave a free-kick against Greaves just outside the area to the right. The centre-half had challenged Bobby Clark and sent the ball into the on-loan Liverpool man’s face and away, the officials somehow deciding a foul had been committed.

Fortunately, Brewster smashed his free-kick into the Town wall and no damage was done.

On 11, Hirst played in McAteer on the right, the former Leicester man cutting back inside before sending over a cross which a defender diverted back to keeper Jacob Zetterstrom.

As the game reached the quarter-hour mark, good work from Cajuste played in Jaden Philogene on the left but the former England U21 international’s cross was too long.

Two minutes later at the other end, the Blues failed to clear following a corner and eventually the ball fell to Morris on the left of the box, but the former Luton man’s shot flew well wide having clipped off a Town player on its way,

The Blues were controlling the game, while still looking less than their coherent best at times, and in the 20th minute, Chaplin got away on the right and crossed deep, the ball falling for Leif Davis, who shot into the ground through to Zetterstrom.

A minute later, Cajuste, dictating everything from the centre of midfield, tried a one-two with his former Reims teammate Matusiwa but a defender’s toe got in the way of the Sweden international’s return ball to the Dutchman.

The game went through a scruffy spell with free-kicks and a clash between Clark and Matusiwa at a Town throw which led to an angry exchange between Young and Travis.

In the 28th minute, a well-worked Blues move saw Matusiwa find Davis out on the left and the full-back’s cross was diverted out for a corner from which Greaves rose highest but nodded over.

Three minutes later, Town played it out from the back quickly, keeper Alex Palmer moving it forward to Cajuste, who skipped past Travis and found Philogene, who in turn fed Davis breaking outside him. The ex-Leeds man’s ball found Chaplin, but the forward scuffed to Zetterstrom.

On 33, with the Blues looking increasingly dangerous, Philogene cut back from a similar area to Chaplin but this time the former Portsmouth attacker’s effort was diverted wide by Rams skipper Ebou Adams.

And from the corner, Town took the lead. Young whipped the ball in from the left, Zetterstrom completely missed it and Greaves stooped to nod in his first goal of the season and first at Portman Road ahead of the hesitant Craig Forsyth.

In the 35th minute, Elder was booked for his reaction to referee Leigh Doughty giving a free-kick against him.

Travis shot wide for the visitors then Young smashed a superb strike just past Zetterstrom’s right post off Forsyth.

Following the corner, Chaplin looped a deep ball to the far post and the Derby keeper dropped the ball under pressure from McAteer. Referee Doughty awarded a very harsh free-kick against the Irish international and then booked him for his protests.

In the 40th minute, Cajuste, looking a level above everyone else on the pitch, outrageously flicked the ball behind him to Chaplin, who moved it on to Philogene, the ball taking a deflection and forcing the ex-Aston Villa winger wide, and he shot into the side-netting.

As the half moved into injury time, Hirst seized on some loose Derby passing and played in McAteer on the right, Clarke blocking his low cross, with his hand, according to the Town winger, but not the referee.

From Davis’s corner, O’Shea headed against the far post with Greaves just unable to get onto the rebound.

That was the last action of a half the Blues had, after some battling early exchanges, controlled throughout.

Cajuste’s addition to the midfield had given Town greater cohesion in midfield with the on-loan Napoli man easily slipping back into the team alongside his teammate from Ligue 1 Matusiwa.

Chances had started to come more frequently just before the goal and the Blues had further opportunities after that, while Derby’s main threat had come from corners and free-kicks but with Town having been able to negate the danger.

The Blues began the second half on the front foot but two minutes after the restart Derby were awarded a penalty.

Brewster was allowed to get away behind the Town backline and took it to the left before hitting a shot. Davis dived in to block and the ball struck his right arm. After consulting with his assistant, referee Doughty pointed to the spot.

Morris took the kick and hit it to Palmer’s right with the keeper going the other way. The Town players protested that the Morris had hit the ball against his standing foot as he took it but neither referee Doughty showed any interest. The goal extended Town’s run of games without a clean sheet to a new record of 23.

In the 54th minute, the Blues were denied a penalty of their own, one which looked as stonewall as they come.

Matusiwa played in Hirst on the left of the box and Clarke tripped the Scotland international as he went past him. Inexplicably, Doughty gave a free-kick against Hirst and booked the Town striker.

A minute later, Derby captain Adams joined him in the book for a late challenge on Matusiwa with play already having been stopped for an early foul.


From the free-kick, Town should have restored their lead. The ball was played to Philogene, who clipped towards the far post where it was nodded back to Hirst who should have scored but headed straight at Zetterstrom.

Just before the hour, Morris crossed from the right, the ball reaching Brewster, whose shot was blocked by O’Shea, the two subsequently colliding as the Town captain sought to complete the clearance.

Former Blues loanee Travis was very fortunate not to be shown a red card on his Town debut after stamping on Cajuste, the Sweden international having been tripped by Clark. Referee Doughty, who was in danger of losing control of the game, showed only a yellow card despite the protests of the Town players.

On 68, the Blues swapped Hirst, McAteer and Chaplin for Chuba Akpom, Clarke and Szmodics, Philogene moving to the right.

And two minutes later, the visitors took the lead. O’Shea mis-controlled a long clearance from Zetterstrom and Brewster again broke away towards the area and shot low past Palmer to the keeper’s left, to give the Rams a lead which had looked wholly unlikely at the break.

As the game moved towards the final quarter of an hour, the Town players and fans remonstrated angrily with referee Doughty once again as Forsyth took to the turf for very lengthy treatment despite little appearing wrong with him, not the first Rams player to have taken similar action in the second half.

Once play restarted, Derby’s Clark was yellow-carded for a foul on Town’s Clarke on halfway.

Cajuste, who had been quiet after the break, was swapped for Taylor in the 79th minute with the Blues having failed to show the same fluency as in the first half since the Derby equaliser.

The Rams made a double change in the 81st minute, Travis, who was booed by his old supporters as he left the field for the challenge on Cajuste, and Brewster making way for David Ozoh and Jackson, who was warmly applauded onto the field by his former fans.

The Blues continued to huff and puff, Dion Sanderson picking up an 85th-minute yellow card for stopping Town from taking a free-kick.

A minute later, after a Matusiwa shot from a Davis cross had scuffed wide, Azon was handed his Blues debut, taking over from the left-back as Town threw everything into attack.

Clark shot wide for the Rams following a free-kick in the 88th minute, before Akpom brought the ball in from the right and hit a 25-yards strike only just over for the Blues, their closest effort of the second half.

In the final scheduled minute, Clarke cut in from the left but shot well wide. Derby switched Clark for Andreas Weimann.

Almost immediately, the fourth official’s board announced 13 additional minutes, largely for time-wasting by the visitors.

The lengthy additional time boosted home fans’ hopes of a comeback with the volume briefly raised. Within seconds Elder took to the floor to bring the game to a halt once again.

Derby replaced Max Johnston and Elder with Ryan Nyambe and Danny Batth in the sixth minute of time added on, referee Doughty allowing the Rams an age to make the changes.

In the 100th minute, Philogene took down a Greaves cross from the left, cut inside but shot high and wide.

Two minutes later, Clarke crossed from the left, Greaves flicked it on and Azon, who appeared to be relishing the physical battle, was unable to get anything on the ball under pressure.

On 103, Young looped in a free-kick from the left, Azon headed it up in the air towards goal but Clarke’s shot was blocked.

A minute later, Town were awarded the penalty they should have been given earlier in the half.

Young sent in a left-footed cross from the right, Sanderson headed it back across his box under pressure from Azon to Taylor, who was upended by sub Ozoh. Referee Doughty pointed straight to the spot and booked Ozoh with Morris subsequently joining him during lengthy Derby protests.

Clarke took the kick and beat Zetterstrom to the keeper’s left to send Portman Road into ecstasy.

The home crowd sensed a late, late victory of they type they became used to in the Championship two seasons ago but as the Blues went looking for their third referee Doughty ended proceedings.

A draw was the least the Blues deserved over the afternoon having been very much on top in the first half.

The first Derby goal so soon after the break knocked them off their stride and they struggled to regain their first-half control with Cajuste, who had been excellent in the first period tiring.

Despite that, the Blues should have been awarded a penalty for the foul on Hirst, while the Scotland striker missed a golden chance to make it 2-1.

Referee Doughty had poor game from start - the early foul given against Greaves - to virtually finish, allowing Derby to break up the flow of the second half with regular lengthy stoppages and failing to send off Travis for the stamp on Cajuste.

Town will be disappointed to have conceded the second goal and looked to have little conviction in the latter stages, struggling to find a way through a massed defence as they did at Preston, but kept plugging away and, as at Birmingham in the opening match, got their reward via the penalty, Clarke tucking his first of the season away confidently.

Still no win for the Blues going into the international break, but a first-half display which was a step up from previous displays and a late point from what ultimately was a tough second half.

Town: Palmer, Young, O’Shea (c), Greaves, Davis (Azon 86), Cajuste (Taylor 78), Matusiwa, McAteer (J Clarke 68), Chaplin (Szmodics 68), Philogene, Hirst (Akpom 68). Unused: Walton, Kipre, Johnson, Furlong.

Derby: Zetterstrom, Sanderson, Clarke, Forsyth, Johnston (Nyambe 96), Travis (Ozoh 71), Adams (c), Elder (Batth 96), Clark (Weimann 91), Brewster (Jackson 81), Morris. Unused: Vickers, Salvesen, Thompson, Ward. Referee: Leigh Doughty (Blackpool). Att: 29,155.

Photo: Matchday Images

londontractorboy57 added 20:15 - Aug 30 Bluebore as predictable as ever
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bluesince76 added 20:20 - Aug 30 We simply don't move the ball forward quick enough teams have time to organise and we rarely shoot from distance to much sideways and backwards passes,hirst better coming on as sub don't think he will be starting,new signings will make us stronger but drawing games won't get us promoted so how long does mc kenna get to turn it around?
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Bromley_Blue added 20:29 - Aug 30 We look strong in lots of areas and we seem to limit opposition attacks. I need to watch the game back to work out how Brewster got into so much space before the apparent Leif penalty. I was too far away to see if it was or wasn’t. I really worry though about the speed of the build up and the lack of running in behind. All of our attacks seem to end up on a wing after a significant amount of ponderous passing. I also cannot work out out of possession are we pressing or not it does seem a bit half hearted staring with Hurst who I think was lucky to keep his place after Preston and today offered very little and struggles now to even hold the ball up often losing it with a heavy touch. Everything needs to get up to speed quickly you cannot afford to take too many fixtures to get the game plan working. I thought Azon looks like he could be a real handful and some of Cajustes play was excellent and I love Matusiwas desire. I think the Greeves / O Shea pairing is a good one. I liked what I saw of Kipre at Bromley and I like Wolfenden I just think he is even slower in his build up and he doesn’t need to be as he has a great passing range. I hope McKenna quickens things up we have signed a load of excellent wide players take the brake off and let them loose. I still think this team Is capable of great football but feeling thoroughly disappointed with today on the back of a long journey last week.

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Linkboy13 added 20:37 - Aug 30 Very disappointed not to beat a mediocre Derby side who ran the game thanks to a very poor Referee and i rarely criticise Referees. The team is still looking disjointed with the arrival of new players and others getting match fit one of those being Cajuste who had a good first half . Every club has their idiotic fans fortunately we have less than most but today when we were awarded our penalty a moron near me started shouting abuse not effing Jack Clarke so when he slotted away the perfect penalty he didn't even cheer and looked dissapointed saying we don't effing deserve it. I doubt he's ever been inside a school class room.

6

Bromley_Blue added 20:52 - Aug 30 Just one more thing in true Columbo style there is such little movement in the box we often get plenty of people up there but frequently we have four or five players pretty much motionless. It really annoys me and shows how slow our build up is.
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Dave2 added 21:26 - Aug 30 Jaden, hang your head in shame. £20m to play like a lower league trialist. He should donate last weeks pay to charity for that performance, Hirst and the Ref should also do the same.
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itfc2024 added 21:29 - Aug 30 Dave2 lower league players play alot better than philogene he's not good enough why we paid 20 million for a over rated player is beyond me
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TownSupporter added 21:42 - Aug 30 Bromley_Blue that was a good read on the whole, but O’Shea and Greaves are not a good centre back pairing. They are at fault for at least 3 goals that I can count already. Greaves - x2 (the penalty at Preston and lost the ball on a run at the half way line against Southampton and left us short at the back) O’Shea - just head the ball man. Tried to control it and it went wrong. O’Shea and Greaves are not good enough to mess around with the ball. Keep them staying back and short simple passes. Don’t forget that Greaves couldn’t get back in the team when fit again because Burgess was playing so well last season.

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bluesince76 added 21:47 - Aug 30 Agree philogene looks like a complete waste of money looks very lightweight hope he can prove me wrong,.
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55015Deltic added 22:05 - Aug 30 Chaplin starting was great he worked out to take it wide and makes the team tick. No idea why he came off. Drop Hirst now and start the game with our strong new signings. We are too predictable though and too slow going forward. Nothing wrong with changing to long ball over the top or just doing things differently but we don’t change.
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shakytown added 23:07 - Aug 30 for the first time ever i agree with the budgie. Cant blame the ref forever pi55 poor tactically and kmac just cannot change thing up it seems. We have by far the best players but seem slow and weak and most of this is due to tactics of keep ball and a slow crawl up the pitch which is ok but you have to mix it up with fast attacks as well or it's easy to defend.
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shakytown added 23:13 - Aug 30 Philoh=gene is just not suited to this slow build up and crawl up the pitch. he's built like a greyhound and in a steeplechase.
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austractor added 01:13 - Aug 31 International break perfectly timed to get some proper time into the new players, it takes time and helps. The idiotic comments complaining about certain players or more ludicrously McKenna dont help, remember where we were just 3 seasons ago. Up the blues
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Minneapolis_ITFC added 02:22 - Aug 31 Can't condone any opposition time wasting but took a moment to view it from their perspective. They haven't won no game like us, they got a winning position with time running out so they're going to do what is necessary to interrupt play or keep a lead. The referee saved our ass not for the first time this season but 18 minutes allowed, whether you're Town or Ram fans, that's kind of bizarre. Good to see Akpom and Azon feature, we're in the process of building a team again that can challenge and while others such as Egile (Norway kid) and Nunez have yet to take part they should be an integral part in what I believe should be a strong second half to end of season. I wish McKenna would play two or three in direct attack rather than just Hirst alone. Would it really hurt to try Akpom or Azon alongside him or Szmodics for that matter when he returns from injury. We got all this attacking potential but feel it's just not being utilized correctly.

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ipswichamerica added 03:15 - Aug 31 I was glad to see Jack Clarke score the pressure penalty, and record his first ever league goal for Ipswich Town. Hopefully he builds on this and ignites into form. The next match against a struggling Sheffield United looks like a must win.
4

Bluearmy_81 added 06:11 - Aug 31 Tny88, it’s a man game with strong emotions allowed. GavTWTD liked my comment so unlikely your hysterical nonsense will win. Maybe try the Opera? I’m not sure footy is for you
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Bluearmy_81 added 06:16 - Aug 31 Oh, and Tony I’m a total moron? We’ll this ‘moron’ started ‘Evans out of ITFC’ on Facebook. I was doing my bit to change the fortunes of my beloved Ipswich Town. I’m not saying I played a big part in getting him gone but Evans was aware of this protest group and wouldn’t have liked it, so maybe I played a small part towards us getting him out, us into the Premier League and no longer being a joke club mid table in 3rd tier. So bore off

1

johnwarksshorts added 07:56 - Aug 31 I think most of those Derby players had an "Equity" card the amount of play acting they doing, and getting away with by an inadequate referee. That said I'm concerned by our fragile defence. Couple of moments where we made it easy for Derby to score. On a positive note I do see signs of improvement, we just need that final pass, and not for moves to breakdown. Cajuste a joy to watch. Keep believing.

0

Carberry added 09:44 - Aug 31 Ashton and McKenna have literally bought some time with the new signings but things need to fall into place pretty quickly if we aren't looking like a 'play-off' team at best. It is very noticeable how the mood has changed on here, just 12 months ago it would have been a hanging offence to criticise or want the manager gone, now there are many who believe he's a tactical liability. And the bigger picture is that the pension fund want their money back, their experiment with English football has hit the buffers, that certainly doesn't help Ashton's spend, spend, spend philosophy. Who on earth sanctioned £20m for Philogene, oh and £3m in add-ons? Well we know who don't we.

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warktheline added 10:03 - Aug 31 Define a ‘one trick pony?’….a manager who turned around a free-falling prestige club steeped in history, achieved not one but two successive promotions? Yesterday was the turning point it’s an upward trajectory from here on in.
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bobble added 10:38 - Aug 31 Good idea to give confidence to clark by letting him take penalties, cant see us being relegated this year so thats good...
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Dwjs added 11:53 - Aug 31 Dreadful..although we should have had a penalty when Hirst was clipped. We don't move it quick enough for me and the route one goal for there second was awful defending...poor...
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PhuketPete added 13:00 - Aug 31 If we kept clean sheets we’d have 10 points and be 4th. As it is we haven’t kept a clean sheet for 23 games (a club record) so for all the moaning about our impotency up front, I’d say our bigger problem over the last 140 odd games has been defensive frailty. That didn’t matter during games in FL1 and Champs as we scored more than we conceded. But that situation changed a year ago. I wish the free scoring days would come back BUT we must address the defensive issues (and I’m not just fingering the back line).

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Linkboy13 added 13:33 - Aug 31 I don't like criticising players but Philogene reminds me of Michael Jackson in football boots.
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Lennie added 13:35 - Aug 31 Having slept on yesterday’s disappointment… we out played Derby (see match facts on BBC Sports website), we were subject to blatant use of dark arts by Derby and a referee who made to wrong march defining decisions (foul on Hirst and stamp on Cajust) which should have given us a penalty and them play with 10 men. To balance I’m not sure why David was not sent off for his handball … the game was as KMK says to disjointed to allow any flow. We had some promising performances from Matisuwa, Cajuste grew Ito game, McAteer will be valuable to us Young so professional and sound … we showed weakness on left … can’t see why David is now playing inside leaving wide to Philogene who sadly has lost confidence to take on his fullback …. However we need to turn possession and territorial advantage into clear chances and goals… our team will grow as they become familiar with each other and confident in each other … we will need to learn how to overcome the dark arts which now plague the championship as well as the premiership… the authorities need to address this or the game will suffer immeasurably.. top six still likely finish

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