Debutant sub Kenwyne Jones headed an 82nd minute equaliser as Town and Bournemouth drew 1-1 in an exciting top of the table encounter at Portman Road, Freddie Sears having put the Blues in front in the sixth minute.

Mick McCarthy, whose side had dropped to eighth following the day’s earlier games, made three changes to the team which won at Watford a fortnight ago with Zeki Fryers making his debut at left-back for the suspended Tyrone Mings, while Teddy Bishop, back after a shin injury, came into the middle of midfield for Kevin Bru, who missed out with a calf problem.

Sears started up front alongside 23-goal Championship top scorer Daryl Murphy with David McGoldrick and Jonny Williams, who received a warm ovation as he walked to the dugout, both on the bench. Luke Varney began on the right of a four-man midfield.

For Bournemouth, top scorer Callum Wilson started up front despite manager Eddie Howe having said he expected him to miss the Easter matches.

The visitors carved out the game’s first chance in the fourth minute, Simon Francis laying the ball back to Matt Ritchie, who whipped over a cross which Ryan Fraser headed wide having got ahead of Blues skipper Luke Chambers.

A minute later, Town went in front via their first opportunity of the game. Cole Skuse’s cross from the left found Daryl Murphy at the back of the box. The Irishman was given time and space to play a pass across the area to Sears, who slammed home from six yards with Steve Cook playing him onside. It was the ex-Colchester man’s fifth goal for the Blues and his 19th this season.

The Cherries immediately looked to hit back, Ritchie finding Andrew Surman, who sent a ball across the Blues’ six-yard box from the right.

Moments later, Brett Pitman just failed to reach a cross from the left, the loose ball eventually falling for one-time Town trialist Harry Arter, who blazed over.

The visitors had been on top since the Blues’ goal but on 12 Varney fed Fryers in space on the edge of the box, however, the debutant left-back shot well over.

At the other end, Christophe Berra blocked from Wilson, then, as what had been a pulsating first quarter of an hour came to an end, Francis just got in ahead of Varney after the on-loan Blackburn man had been threaded in by Sears. Referee Robert Madley awarded a goalkick, however.

The Cherries continued to look threatening every time they went forward but with Town so far preventing them from creating any big chances. On 25 Chambers was booked for a late tackle on Ryan Fraser.

There was a scare for the Blues on 31 when Bishop stabbed the ball away from a Bournemouth player into the path of Pitman, but the striker turned his shot straight at Bartosz Bialkowski from the edge of the box.

The Town keeper was forced into his first serious save of the game six minutes later. Ritchie fed Fraser in space to his left and the Scot hit a shot which Bialkowski did well to push past his left post.

Arter was booked for a cynical foul on Tabb as Town broke before Bialkowski again saved from Fraser. The winger whipped over a cross which swerved towards goal and the Pole did superbly to tip the ball over at his far post as it appeared to be dipping under the bar.

Moments later, Chambers and Berra reacted angrily to Wilson rather obviously diving between them inside the area. The Cherries striker then shoved the Town captain and was spoken to along with his skipper Tommy Elphick but referee Madley kept his cards in his pocket.

Varney felt the Blues ought to have been awarded a penalty in the 42nd minute when his cross struck Elphick’s arm. Referee Madley awarded a corner from which the visitors broke after Fryers had slipped, the on-loan Crystal Palace man perhaps fortunate to avoid a booking for fouling Ritchie.

Bialkowski was in action again two minutes later, the Polish keeper punching away Ritchie’s well-struck 25-yard shot. The loose ball fell to Fraser on the edge of the box but his shot screwed well wide.

The Cherries kept up the pressure in the closing stages, Chambers blocking a shot from Francis on the left of the area, the full-back having got away from Jay Tabb. Soon after, referee Madley brought an riveting half to an end.

Having taken their early chance the Blues had largely been on the back foot with Bournemouth passing the ball around slickly and looking dangerous whenever they went forward.

However, for the most part Town had been able to limit the Cherries’ significant opportunities, while Bialkowski made a number of important and impressive saves towards the end of the half.

Sears scraped the first opportunity of the second period wide three minutes after the restart when playing the ball to Murphy to his left might have been a better option. Soon after, Bishop scuffed a shot through to Cherries’ keeper Artur Boruc.

There was a mix-up between the on-loan Southampton keeper and Cook soon after, the defender laying the ball back to him when he wasn’t expecting it and the Pole was forced to clear ahead of Sears.

But soon the pattern of much of the first half was restored with the Cherries looking for the goal which would get the back on terms.

On 51 Bialkowski was off his line quickly to paw the ball out of play after Charlie Daniels had escaped down the left. From the resultant throw, the keeper comfortably stopped Surman’s low 25-yard effort.

The chances began to come thick and fast for the visitors. Fraser crashed a shot into Chambers’s face from the edge of the area, then Berra blocked from Ritchie and Wilson shot into the side-netting from a tight angle on the left. Three minutes before the hour mark, Richard Chaplow replaced Bishop.

Town began to look more dangerous, but Varney’s 63rd minute effort from distance flew well over. Two minutes later, Yann Kermorgant replaced Pitman for the Cherries.

Fraser broke away down the Bournemouth left in the 69th minute and crossed to Wilson, who was unable to find himself space to shoot under pressure from Berra. Eventually, he stabbed the ball back to Ritchie, whose shot was blocked before Berra cleared the danger.

Despite that opportunity, the Blues were presenting more of a threat going forward than they had in the first half. Murphy failed to make the most of a break on 69, then four minutes later the Irishman won a freekick on the left, which was headed over ahead of Berra, who committed a foul, according to referee Madley.

Chris Wood replaced goalscorer Sears with 11 minutes from time, while Bournemouth brought on Kenwyne Jones and Adam Smith for Cook and Fraser.

Moments later, Varney went close to increasing Town’s lead, the 32-year-old tenaciously battling for the ball and breaking into the area before finding his path blocked by Boruc.

The Cherries finally broke through the Blues’ backline with eight minutes of scheduled time remaining. Ritchie whipped over a corner from the left and Jones got ahead of Smith to head home a debut goal with what must have been his first touch of the ball.

In the final minute Matt Clarke replaced Varney, who had suffered what appeared to be an ankle knock in his earlier collision with Boruc.

As the game moved into four minutes of injury time Arter scraped a shot wide, then moments before the whistle Berra conceded a needless corner from which the Cherries almost won it.

Ritchie sent over a ball to the far post which Kermorgant nodded back towards goal and Bialkowski reacted superbly to claw it away from goal. Adam Smith’s rebound was blocked by Skuse and moments later referee Madley sounded the final whistle.

While Town fans will be disappointed to have conceded from a set piece so close to the end, a draw - the fourth in a row between the two sides - was a fair result on the overall balance of the game.

Bournemouth again impressed with their trademark passing and movement, but the Blues showed their battling qualities to stay in front having come under a great deal of pressure having taken their early chance.

Man of the match Bialkowski made a number of vital saves, not least in the final moments from Kermorgant.

The result moves Town back to sixth but with fourth-placed Watford and Derby in eighth in action later this evening.

Town: Bialkowski, Chambers, Smith, Berra, Fryers, Skuse, Tabb, Bishop (Chaplow 57), Varney (Clarke 90), Murphy, Sears (Wood 79). Unused: Gerken, Anderson, Williams, McGoldrick.

AFC Bournemouth: Boruc, Francis, Cook (Jones 79), Elphick, Daniels, Ritchie, Surman, Arter, Fraser (Smith 79), Pitman (Kermorgant 65), Wilson. Unused: Camp, Ward, Gosling, MacDonald. Referee: Robert Madley (West Yorkshire). Attendance: 22,672 (Bournemouth: 963).

Photo: Action Images

MrDiddle added 21:58 - Apr 3 I thought it was quite a tense game. Could see the Bournemouth players starting to get frustrated just before Jones came on, good subtitute! I thought Murphy had an off day, Sears was quality We needed at the very least a draw, and we got it. Wasn't a pretty game but i'd take it with a nice win on Tuesday. Up the town!!
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blueherts added 22:09 - Apr 3 We have players to come back - Mings , Parr and Bru Williams and Dids are like new signings really ? Got to say Varney has impressed as has Chaplow - Wood , still yet to see it - disappointing as I expected most from him out of all of them - just shows !! If you look at the run in of Derby , Brentford and Wolves they all play teams in the relegation battle Wigan and Millwall - who will be scrapping Plus Brentford play Derby Wolves is a HUGE GAME

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thebeat added 22:13 - Apr 3 Not read any other comments and not going to. All im gona say is i thought the lads were outstanding today. They never stopped running, chased lost causes and played their hearts out. Im damn proud of my team today. Shame about the knobhead jobsworth stewards in the Bobby Robson lower who threw 2 lads out for sitting in the wrong seats. Not an offence that deserves ejection u over officious dicks.

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PJH added 22:18 - Apr 3 A good point and the performance that demonstrated everything that is good about THIS ITFC squad. Skuse again excellent as he has been almost every game over last six or seven weeks. Bart had in my opinion his best game for us. Varney very impressive and Berra immense. Tabb also very good. After Derby v Watford rersuilt it looks like four teams fighting for top two places and four more fighting for remaining two playoff places. We need a win at Huddersfield. COYB

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mrmorisato added 22:38 - Apr 3 Town probably had their best 45 minutes in the first period, I counted 7 clear goal scoring opportunities for the visitors before half time alone which was testament to our rear-guards performance. Berra was again our stand out stalwart with a good aerial display, our link up play was much better than it has been in some home performances this campaign with Varney and Sears our likely source of goals. I was annoyed by the repeated and failed attempts by the cherries to win a spot kick, the ref stood firm on his decision making even though he appeared to be biast against the blues (Bournemouth have converted 14 penalties already this season). On the downside I can't help but feel that some of players do not possess enough technical skill with the ball to counter that of the amount of possession Bournemouth enjoyed (60%) which made us look very 2nd best :( but we did very well not to conceded more than the one set piece late on, you would be hard pressed to deny the visitors a point from the contest. I'm satisfied with the result even if it did feel like 2 points dropped in the end, I'm still not a fan of the way Mick likes to defend a score of 1-0 rather than to kill opponents off. I won't be too disappointed if we miss out on the top six because I don't believe are ready for top flight football just yet as I'm sure town will win more points in the forthcoming campaign, my season ticket already renewed for what I hope will be a promotion winning 2015/16 year. A nice easy 3 points against the sea-siders on Bank holiday monday :)

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BlueMachines added 22:39 - Apr 3 Wow. I've only just come in and looked at the forum. I was honestly expecting to read comments on a great performance by Town and everyone getting behind us for the games ahead. I know they had a lot of the ball and looked more dangerous than we did by some way. But after the last 2 games there is no doubt in my mind we can make the play offs. I'd have taken 4 points in the last 2 games every day of the week. I thought we were spot on tactically today and it could've easily been another Watford result. I'd also like to apologise to Luke Varney. I though you were utter dog muck before but today for the first 70 minutes you were immense. Well done. Everyone played well today against a team of whinging blatant cheats. Today I was very very proud to be a Blue.

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oldegold added 22:56 - Apr 3 Thought we were thoroughly outplayed by a better team who really bossed the game and showed what can be achieved with fluent attacking football. I thought we were dreadful and played like a team that knows that its opponents are better. There was not one pass that was played with a cultured style but just pure hoofiing up.and the difference in class was so evident. Admittedly we did work hard but were lucky to get a point really.

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pablo123 added 23:10 - Apr 3 Bournemouth are a cracking team , imagine watching proper football like that every week !!!! We got battered today , so i guess a good point , but its not enough its play offs at best now !!! Chambers was awful AGAIN today IMO , we need a re- think on him
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ozzie added 23:26 - Apr 3 10 more points will see us in the playoffs and I will take that.
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Matt_Hind added 00:06 - Apr 4 Everyone saying we need a midfielder. I agree.. Anyone know anything on jack collison? He looked good but has never played....
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wayway added 01:13 - Apr 4 I went to the game today with someone making their first visit to P R. I have to say I was embarrassed at the way the team played although I did warn him he would have a crick in his neck by half time. Can anyone explain to me why the ball is humped aimlessly in the air all the time. What do they do on the training ground all week. It was just an big hoof up field all game with no one holding the ball in midfield. Still, it wil keep most fans happy but Bobby Robson must be turning in his grave

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harvo added 01:45 - Apr 4 Does every team have fans that are completely irrational or is it just Ipswich? Fortunately, most people posting on here today are balanced and reasonable in their assessment. But there's always people who moan and seem to have a bewildering inability to put things into perspective and see things how they actually are. We have just played a team widely regarded as the best in the league — largely because they've got an investor who's willing to pump stupid amounts of money into the club. Bournemouth are an excellent Championship side as a result, full of competent footballers. Ipswich may not having the financial luxuries of Bournemouth, but the manager has assembled a strong squad; a mixture of skill and composure with a hard work ethic and battling qualities. Today, Bournemouth enjoyed a lot of possession and put Ipswich under pressure, but our defence held strong, thwarting Bournemouth repeatedly and our goalkeeper was fantastic. Ipswich attacked well at times, created some decent chances and were actually in the lead for 75 minutes of the game. In the end a 1-1 score was a great result. One of the things that absolutely infuriates me about a lot of football fans is that they decide they don't like a player and that's it — it doesn't matter what they do, they're sh*t. Jay Tabb is a classic example. I saw the game today and Jay Tabb had a really good game, he absolutely ran his ar*e off, battled, made crucial interceptions, passed intelligently. Yet STILL people will stick to their belief that he's ‘not good enough'. On that subject, I want to highlight how wrong football fans can be in their views: Damien Delaney. I didn't particularly think he was a bad player but a lot of Town fans couldn't stand him and were delighted to see the back of him when Paul Jewell ended his contract so he could join Crystal Palace. For the past two seasons he's been a permanent fixture in Palace's central defence as they've enjoyed success in the premier league. When people start to slag off Tommy Smith - a great young defender who has made a few mistakes - they should remember Delaney. Players can go through difficult patches but it doesn't meant they're suddenly sh*t!

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Steve_ITFC_Sweden added 03:27 - Apr 4 Proud of our performance. Every player gave 100% and you can't ask for more than that. When you end up feeling a bit disappointed you didn't beat the best team in the division, you must have done quite a lot of things right. Call it sour grapes, but I just don't like Bournemouth's approach. Serial cheating seems to actually be a tactic; all teams cheat in this way occasionally, but in B's case it looks as if it is something they work on on the training ground. I credit the ref with not falling for Wilson's ridiculous attempts to win a penalty, but the player should have been booked at least once if not twice. I would have liked to have seen Williams come on for the last 20 because I think we could even have sneaked it, but I admit it would have been a big risk to go for it at that point. We're still in with a chance, and while I don't actually think we'll win the play-offs even if we get there, we'll certainly give anyone a game in our present form. COYB!

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stevelincsexile added 07:05 - Apr 4 Having travelled 300 miles and spent my hard earned cash to watch the match I was pleased with a point but to be honest we were never at the races after we scored. We give 110% effort but we do not play football. The reason they had so much of the ball is because we kept giving it back to them with our hoofball game. Our midfield was rarely in the game because our back four all who appeared uncomfortable s with the ball just hit the ball aimlessly towards Murphy . I could count on one hand how many times we played the ball out of defence through our midfield. No wonder they do not score they never get the ball. Seems all lot of balls. Still it's a point and keeps us in the hunt but it could so easily have been a heavy defeat. COYB

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skinnyman27 added 08:50 - Apr 4 im a mick fan and never like to criticise the town, i know we got a point against a good team and am happy at that, but what a terrible performance, we can not string 2 passes together, its embarrising. my uncle is a norwich fan and he phoned me up mid game laughing at how pathetic we are, and i had to agree. we scored early by getting the ball wide and crossing but then after that all it was was a punt down the middle. i dont understand how you can practice everday and still the midfield can not play in triangles or show an ounce of composure on the ball, what the hell do they do in training every day, just stand there as the ball is hoofed up from the back. as i said i love mick and tc and they have done a great job ipswich, saved us from slipping down the leauges which i will be forever greatful but something has to change, i dont want another2 or 3 seasons playing like this, i know he hasnt had any money to spend but i dont think this is the real problem, we have some decent players and feel that mick has to be responsible for his style and tactics, anyway hopefully big win on monday and who knows we can still do it and even if we fail at least it has been a fun season, results wise, not performance up the town !!!

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dirtydingusmagee added 08:50 - Apr 4 oldegold,totally agree.We worked hard throughout,but Bournemouth played the better football.We have players up front who can [and do given the chance] take on defenders,and score goals,Sears ,Murphy, and Mc Goldrick when fit .But they need to have the ball played to them not just lofted up the field for them to have compete for in the air then try to control.Sears and Murphy given good service from midfield would give any team a hard time.

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Gazelle added 08:58 - Apr 4 People go on about Chambers but they need to understand that he was bought as a central defender and had some fine games there but unfortunately we've been short of a decent right back so we took the easy option of putting him there. We know it's not his best position and he's gone on record admitting he doesn't like playing there but he went there for the good of the team and because he's a good pro. This season we've acquired an international full back, Parr so it beats me as to why Chambers doesn't revert the position where he's best then we've got a right sided centre back who can kick with his right foot.

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JWM added 09:26 - Apr 4 Please can one of you so called football experts explain something to me. If as you say Bournemouth are light years ahead of us in terms of footballing ability, why is it then that they have not beaten us in FOUR attempts? A team put together on Millions against a team put together on 2 pints of lager and a packet of crisps! Surely they should be the ones who are feeling embarrassed at not beating poor little Ipswich!

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Dissboyitfc added 09:36 - Apr 4 Harvo great post, nearly agree with everything you say, i am not anti smith at all but i have a problem with square pegs round holes, we have a right footed centre half in chambers and we have genuine full backs in Hewitt and parr. We rely so much on defending, so i am at a loss to think why he sticks with that defensive line up. Chambers made the mistake which led to the corner for their equaliser. I didn't like carlos at right back, mick came in and changed that then he does the same.COYB

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StochesStotasBlewe added 09:38 - Apr 4 Harvo, good points regarding Delaney/Smith. Unfortunately, the former was played at left back on several occasions & was clearly uncomfortable there, Smith is being played on the wrong side of the central pairing so is uncomfortable there, Chambers is a central defender so is uncomfortable at right back, a theme reoccurring season after season, these players are not sh#t, just put in their correct positions to get the best out of them.

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wark_on_water added 10:34 - Apr 4 I think anybody, before the last three games, would have taken 7/9 points bearing in mind Watford and Bournemouth were two of the opponents. Regardless of how we played etc... you couldn't have asked for much more!
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ChestnutSe added 10:47 - Apr 4 Fantastic performance against one of the divisions top teams. Well done to the entire team and management. Nearly stole it but a draw was a good result for us.
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warktheline added 11:03 - Apr 4 Listen people we have plenty to be positive this morning, we've taken 7 points from 9, and unbeaten against B'mouth and Watford. We have excellent players returning to fold, Williams and McGoldrick. Varney continues to improve and impress with each game, Sears is a menace, and Murphy looks sharp. Berra has moved up another gear, top draw championship CB. That's not to mention Bishop, Parr and the impact Chaplow creates when used. I continue to have concerns with positional structure of back 4, but that said they've conceded 1 goal in 3 games, make what you want from that statistic! We've become hard to beat again, and that for me is paramount,if we are going to make top six. Really see no reason why we can't go to Huddersfield and take 3 POINTS !

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warktheline added 11:14 - Apr 4 .....IF we do win at Huddersfield, we will be well placed to take advantage of situation with two home games to follow. Brentford and Wolves have tricky fixtures over same period. Keep up the good work boys, it's much appreciated by many!
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peteswindon added 11:48 - Apr 4 Cant see why so many moaners. 1) We nearly pulled it off 2) We are back to being pretty solid at the back. 3) There where times when we got the ball down and played some good football (do wonder why we don't do it more often ) 4) Skuse played the ball forward so many more times today and looked quality. 5) Now MM has proved what he can do unlike some of our other managers i.e. PJ RK. Hopefully ME will look over the summer and realise now is the time to splash the cash again. I for one am looking forward to next season.

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