Both sides came into this Championship fixture on the back of draws against out-of-form sides. Kieran McKenna’s Ipswich Town came from 2-0 down to get a point from Birmingham City, while Matty Taylor’s Rotherham United played out a 1-1 draw against fellow strugglers QPR.
ROT: Johansson; Lembikisa, Ayala, Odoffin, Bramall; Tiehi, Rathbone, Cafu; Clucas, Onyedinma, Nombe
IPS: Hladky; Clarke, Tuanzebe, Burgess, Davis; Jackson, Morsy; Luongo, Harness, Chaplin; Hirst
A chilly evening in South Yorkshire began with both sides settling into the game and trying to catch each other out early on.
The first chance of the game arrived inside four minutes, and it was a chance that Rotherham took in some style. Fred Onyedinma was released down the right hand side and his burst of pace past Leif Davis saw him find Sam Nombe in the Ipswich box. The forward then latched onto the ball and steered it home for his first goal in 21 games.
It almost got even better for the Millers as Christ Tiehi collected the ball just outside of the Ipswich box and unleashed a ferocious effort towards the top corner, but the shot had a tad too much power on it and the ball flew just over the bar instead.
Only 15 minutes after Nombe’s opener, Ipswich Town showed exactly why they were second in the Championship, as they grabbed their equaliser. A free kick taken by Leif Davis was cut back towards Sam Morsy, whose first-time finish evaded the hands of Viktor Johansson and nestled into the top corner – a move straight from the training ground that paid off well for the Tractor Boys.
Following the equaliser, Ipswich began to see the ball more and had the lion’s share of possession. However, they failed to threaten the home side, with the only notable half-chance being Harrison Clarke’s headed effort from a corner, which drifted well wide of the near post.
Rotherham could have retaken the lead just before half-time, only for Sam Nombe’s wayward effort to float over the bar.
The second half started as the first half did, with both sides just settling back into the game and attempting to catch each other off guard. Ipswich may have felt hard done by as Kayden Jackson was fouled and the referee failed to give the spot kick, but the decision by Graham Scott stood as the Ipswich midfielder got up shortly after.
Ipswich left-back Leif Davis had an opportunity of his own to get on the scoresheet, but his shot was overhit and thus flew over the bar. Conor Chaplin was usually a prominent attacking force for the Tractor Boys, but his effort just a few moments after Davis’ shot was fired straight into the crowd – summing up the forward’s night off.
At the other end, substitute Jordan Hugill missed a glorious chance to put Rotherham back in front, but his header whistled just past the far post.
Conor Chaplin almost put Ipswich in front just moments later, but his effort couldn’t find the back of the net, in what was now becoming an intriguing end-to-end period in the game.
With just three minutes to go, Ipswich Town looked to have won the game, as they got the goal that their second-half performance had warranted. Harrison Clarke’s original ball into the box was cleared, but only as far as Leif Davis, whose burst of pace down the left saw him find substitute Jack Taylor, whose close-range finish ricocheted in off Rotherham goalkeeper Viktor Johansson.
Embed from Getty ImagesIt looked to be the goal that saw Ipswich heading back south with all three points until a remarkable twist in the 91st minute. Rotherham substitute Georgie Kelly saw his shot blocked by the Tractor Boys defence, but it was only cleared as far as Christ Tiehi, who took aim from outside the box and arrowed a brilliant shot into the top corner to rescue a point that Matty Taylor’s side had more than warranted for their defensive efforts.
Both sides are next in action on Saturday, with Rotherham United travelling to Valerian Ismael’s Watford and Ipswich Town heading back to Portman Road to host Swansea City – both 3pm kick-offs.
