Portsmouth 1 Ipswich Town 1: IPSWICH Town earned a well deserved point at top-of-the-table Portsmouth, gaining a 1-1 draw at Fratton Park. After early Portsmouth pressure Ipswich fell behind with 18 minutes gone.

Portsmouth 1 Ipswich Town 1

IPSWICH Town earned a well deserved point at top-of-the-table Portsmouth, gaining a 1-1 draw at Fratton Park. After early Portsmouth pressure Ipswich fell behind with 18 minutes gone. A low cross into the box seemed to be causing no problems but Andy Marshall spilt the cross into the path of Svetoslav Todorov who tucked it home.

Ipswich forced their way back into the game hitting the woodwork twice after conceding the goal.

On 22 minutes Pablo Counago was on the end of a flowing Ipswich move but his effort hit the bar on its way over.

After 34 minutes it was Richard Naylor's turn to hit the bar when more good football left Naylor in space but his shot on the turn skimmed off the bar.

Town continued their good play in the second half and drew level just seven minutes after the restart. A Jim Magilton corner found the head of Thomas Gaardsoe and his downward header bounced into the net.

Both sides could have snatched all three points with Ipswich's best chance coming when Portsmouth failed to properly clear a corner and a deep cross found Hermann Hreidarsson at the far post but Shaka Hislop made a stunning save to keep the scores level.

But it was Town who were defending in the closing stages with Chris Makin sent off on 90 minutes after a late challenge on Mark Burchill.

Moments later Burchill forced Marshall to tip his six-yard header around the and from the resulting corner Fabian Wilnis was injured deflecting a header from Hayden Foxe over the bar with just seconds remaining.

This performance was a display of passion and quality that has been rarely seen from the Blues of late and every Ipswich fan will be hoping that their Christmas gift is that, at last, this is a real turning point for Town.