Cobblers impress as they secure crucial point from goalless draw at Ipswich

A goalless draw at Portman Road would usually be viewed as a very good result, and indeed it was for Town here, but they will rue the fact they didn't come away with all three points such was the impressive nature of their performance.

A goal remained elusive in the opening 45 minutes for the away side but that in no way reflected their terrific, almost dominant first-half display.

Jack Sowerby, Sam Hoskins and Peter Kioso all went close as Cobblers mustered five shots in contrast to Ipswich's one, but the drought continued and half-time marked 500 minutes without a goal.

The second-half petered out as Ipswich dominated possession but created precious little before captain Flynn Downes picked up a very late red card.

The point is Town's first since Jon Brady took caretaker charge and he will feel the performance is something to build on going to MK Dons this weekend.

For only the second time this season Cian Bolger did not start a league game as Brady dropped his captained to the bench at Portman Road and started Fraser Horsfall instead.

Jack Sowerby replaced Ryan Watson in central midfield in the only other change from the weekend, and Town made a decent enough start with Sam Hoskins shooting straight at Tomas Holy in the opening moments.

Cobblers played some good stuff in a bright opening to the game and another half chance fell the way of Sowerby but again the angle narrowed and Holy was well-placed to make the save.

Ipswich very gradually got into their stride but a succession of corners and free-kicks came to nothing and the better opportunities continued to arrive at the other end.

The clearest of the lot came 10 minutes before half-time when Sowerby teed up Hoskins inside the penalty box but his effort was kept out by a superb defensive block.

Peter Kioso went closer still, forcing Holy to tip onto the post with a great strike from an unlikely angle, whilst Marshall then had a shot blocked.

Town's frustration continued early in the second-half for Town when Sowerby and Hoskins were denied at close quarters before Ipswich scrambled the ball away.

Ipswich made a triple substitution on the hour-mark and they improved fractionally, eventually having their first proper shots of the game when both Alan Judge's free-kick and his follow-up effort were blocked.

Ipswich saw more and more of the ball as Town's attacking threat dwindled, and Jonathan Mitchell was called upon for the first time with 12 minutes to go when blocking smartly from James Norwood.

But the game rather petered out with neither side able to create anything of note in the final third. The last act of note was a stoppage-time red for Downes.

Match facts

Ipswich: Holy, Matheson, Woolfenden, McGuinness, Kenlock, Dozzell (Norwood 71), Downes (c), Harrop (Bishop 59), Thomas (Lankester 57), Parrott, Sears (Judge 59)

Subs not used: Cornell, Ward, Chambers

Cobblers: Mitchell, Kioso, Horsfall, Jones, Mills (c), McWilliams, Sowerby (Edmondson 87), Morris, Hoskins, Marshall (Watson 70), Rose (Ashley-Seal 70)

Subs not used: Arnold, Harriman, Bolger, Chukwuemeka

Referee: Darren Drysdale