Portman Road
Derby County drew 2-2 at Ipswich Town after a late penalty for the hosts denied them a victory at Portman Road on Saturday afternoon.
The match was competitive from the very start with Derby threatening on multiple occasions in the first half hour but Ipswich had the lead via Jacob Greaves, who headed in a corner ball in the 33rd minute.
Carlton Morris’ penalty drew the game level five minutes after the half-time break, after work from Rhian Brewster and Bobby Clark won the spot kick. The goal was Morris’ fourth in as many games for the club in the league this season.
The Rams’ pressure continued and Brewster opened his goalscoring account with a well-taken goal in the 70th minute to put Derby in front for the first time and on course for their first league success of the campaign.
A late for penalty for Ipswich deep into added time was scored by Jack
Clarke saw the Sky Bet Championship points shared at Portman Road.
Head Coach John Eustace handed debuts to his two most recent recruits, with wing-back Max Johnston and midfielder Lewis Travis starting against the Tractor Boys.
Derby began quickly at Portman Road, with Clark earning a free-kick on the edge of the penalty area after an extended bout of possession in the third minute - but Brewster’s effort could only strike the defensive wall.
The home side's first attack to threaten the Rams came in the 12th minute, as Kasey McAteer was played into space down the wing. He swung a cross into the penalty area at hip-height, but a diving header from defender Craig Forsyth cushioned the ball into the grasp of goalkeeper Jacob Widell Zetterström.
Morris looked to lift a curling shot into the top corner in the 18th minute after combination play between Clark and Ebou Adams found the striker on the edge of the box. His effort was deflected wide, though, with the Rams looking liveliest in the contest.
Leif Davis had the first shot on target of the game when Ipswich’s quick counter-attack in the 20th minute saw a cross find him in space at the back post. The left-back’s half-volleyed effort bounced into the turf and was caught well by Zetterström.
The hosts took control for a period around the half-hour mark, with Jaden Philogene’s low cross allowing Conor Chaplin to go near with his effort blocked for a corner.
The resulting set-play saw Ipswich gain the advantage with Greves heading in the delivery at the back post.
Derby responded quickly and Travis had space to shoot in the 37th minute when Clark and Morris combined to lay the ball off to the midfielder, but his effort was scuffed wide of the mark from 25 yards.
Johnston’s cross nearly fell enticingly for Morris moments later as he delivered into the box from the right flank, but the striker’s head could only guide the ball on a looping path, with goalkeeper Alex Palmer able to make the save.
Up the other end, the experienced Ashley Young struck just wide when he flashed a low-driven shot across the face of goal in the 39th minute.
Ipswich's pressure to double their advantage continued as an incisive pass from Chaplin found Philogene, who spun and struck the side netting from a tight angle.
Vital defending from Matt Clarke in added time of the first half blocked McAteer's effort to see it out from a corner, which again the hosts came near with Dara O’Shea’s header hitting the frame of goal - the game entered half-time with Ipswich 1-0 up.
Derby’s first chance of the second half came just after the break when Clark played Brewster behind the defence with a fine through ball. The attacker’s attempted chip-shot was then handballed in the area by Davis, who denied the goalscoring opportunity and conceded a penalty. Morris stepped up to take the spot-kick and converted confidently with a stuttered run-up to send Palmer the wrong way for his fourth goal in as many matches.
Striker George Hirst thought he’d won a penalty up the other end of the field minutes later as the attacker went to ground with Clarke making a sliding challenge in the box, but Ipswich’s appeals were waved away.
Derby looked to strike again as Brewster had a stinging effort blocked in the 59th minute off the back of some tenacious work by Morris on the right wing that allowed him to cross into the box and find the forward on the edge of the penalty area.
Brewster gave Derby the lead in the 70th minute after he latched onto a loose ball in the Ipswich defence after a punt downfield, dribbled in behind the home defence and slotted home a cool finish for his first goal in Rams colours.
Derby’s first changes were made with nine minutes of regulation
time remaining as David Ozoh and former Ipswich man Kayden Jackson entered the
field, with Travis and goalscorer Brewster departing.
Clark continued to be a lively threat late into the game as he came near to increasing Derby’s advantage with a shot from the edge of the box that fizzed just wide of the mark in the 88th minute.
Chuba Akpom looked to level for the hosts moments later, but his left-footed curling effort evaded the frame of goal.
Andi Weimann entered play to replace Clark in the 90th minute after an impressive display from the attacker, and then Callum Elder and Johnston were replaced by Ryan Nyambe and Danny Batth in added time.
13 minutes of time were added onto the end of the match, with Derby steadfastly holding off the Tractor Boys’ advances until the final minute when the hosts won a penalty following a foul by Ozoh, which attacker Clarke scored to deny the Rams an impressive away day success.
Ipswich Town: Palmer (GK), Young, O’Shea (C), Greaves, Davis (Azon 86), Matusiwa, Cajuste (Taylor 78), McAteer (J Clarke 69), Chaplin (Szmodics 69), Philogene, Hirst (Akpom 69).
Unused Substitutes: Walton, Kire, Johnson, Furlong.
Derby County: Zetterström (GK), Forsyth, Clarke, Morris, Brewster (Jackson 81), Elder (Batth 90+6), Johnston (Nyambe 90+6), Travis (Ozoh 81), Sanderson, Adams (C), Clark (Weimann 90).
Unused Substitutes: Vickers (GK), Salvesen, L Thompson, Ward.
Referee: Leigh Doughty
Assistant Referees: Richard Woodward, Callum Gough
Fourth Official: David Rock
The Rams' next outing in Sky Bet Championship will see them head to the Hawthorns to face West Bromwich Albion on Saturday 13th September (3pm kick-off).
