Ipswich drew their fourth Premier League game in a row after coming from behind to rescue a valuable point in a dramatic 2-2 draw with Aston Villa.
The visitors, who had the chance to rise to second in the Premier League with a win, were pegged back early on when Liam Delap swept home Jack Clarke’s low cross, beating Emi Martinez at his near post.
Villa’s bounce back was impressive, though. Some messy defending gifted Morgan Rogers the chance to equalise, and he did so with aplomb, netting his first of the season after Jacob Greaves’ hopeless clearance.
Ollie Watkins completed the turnaround – the league’s most effective forward behind Erling Haaland and Mohamed Salah during Unai Emery’s time in charge – as he peeled off Axel Tuanzebe and Dara O’Shea to meet Leon Bailey’s cross and plant a header beyond Arijanet Muric.
But there was a sting in the tail, with more than just a hint of bad luck. Sam Morsy, already on a booking, launched into a tackle on Jaden Philogene in the middle of the park and appeared to go over the top of the ball. Referee Stuart Attwell had a long think, before awarding a free-kick with no further punishment.
“Morsy was really lucky. It was definitely a second yellow,” said Sky Sports’ Jamie Redknapp. Two minutes later, Ipswich were level.
Substitute Jack Taylor fed Omari Hutchinson after a Villa move broke down and he found Delap, who charged at Martinez, gave the goalkeeper the eyes, and buryed a low strike in the far corner.
The sublime breakaway effort was almost repeated with nine minutes left when Clarke carried the ball and played through Burns, but Pau Torres made a goal-saving block.