Ipswich 2-2 Derby: Agonising last-gasp penalty denies superb Rams win

To call Jack Clarke’s penalty late would be an understatement. 90+16’ was the time that the words of one of Ipswich’s favourite sons, Ed Sheeran, felt appropriate for many of the travelling Rams: ‘Way To Break My Heart.’

There were signs aplenty that John Eustace’s squad is coming together at the end of a difficult opening month. Not least debuts for Wednesday’s arrivals, midfielder Lewis Travis and Scotland International right back Max Johnston, plus first starts for Bobby Clark and Rhian Brewster too.

Indeed, for the opening 25 minutes, Derby matched their hosts. If anything, they had the better of the chances.

Frantic pinball was the theme of the early stages, and even a set piece couldn’t stop it: from Rhian Brewster’s low free kick, the ball used Ipswich’s wall like a bumper and bounced out for a throw.

As things began slowly to settle, The Tractor Boys made a foray forward, but Craig Forsyth would head Kasey McAteer’s cross safely back to Jacob Widell Zetterström. Poor final balls were the story of the opening half hour for the hosts’.

Carlton Morris went close in the 18^th minute. Johnston’s corner was headed away, but rerouted via Clark and Brewster, before the number nine’s curling effort deflected wide.

When Jacob Greaves headed just wide from Ipswich’s first corner, it should have been a warning shot for Derby. But instead, it simply proved that The Rams’ vulnerability. Ashley Young’s next corner was another front post in-swinger, which Zetterström came to punch, and missed, allowing Greaves to head into an almost-empty net from a couple of yards out.

Now Kieran McKenna’s side had the wind in their sails and penned The Rams back deep inside their own half and were playing with creative freedom. Young had a go from range, Jaden Philogene fired narrowly wide, and Dara O’Shea headed off the post from Leif Davis’ corner.

Half-time could not come quickly enough for Derby.

But the break brought a reset, and a change in fortunes. With a ball over the top, Clark found Brewster, who drove forward in the inside left and looked to lob Alex Palmer, only to be thwarted by the hand of the sliding Davis.

So up would step Morris, who calmly slotted the ball into the bottom-left corner, for his fourth goal in as many games.  Five minutes into the second half, it was game on.

George Hirst probably should have had a penalty five minutes later, the striker booked for simulation in the box, despite some contact from Matt Clarke. A lucky escape?

When Morris pressed O’Shea into poorly controlling the ball with his chest, Brewster pounced. The number 10 rode challenges from two defenders as he glided leftward from 30 yards out in the inside right, to shoot back across goal from ten yards out, finding the bottom-right corner.

An impressive run and finish to open his account in black and white left The Rams with just over 20 minutes to hold on for a statement win.

Or so they thought.

Derby would in fact have to battle on for the remaining 20 minutes plus what Eustace called “a world record amount of time ever added to any game” (16 minutes). They limited the hosts to hopeful shots from distance and set pieces from which Zetterström was required. But for all of their defending, one moment saw then concede at the death.

Substitute David Ozoh lunged in on Jack Taylor, conceding a penalty which Jack Clarke converted.

It would end in a draw, that felt like a defeat.

Analysis: Debuts among many positives

That Derby have come away from Portman Road disappointed with a draw tells you just how good their performance was. There were only ten minutes towards the end of the first half where it really felt as though they were outplayed.

While The Rams’ in-possession numbers do not make for great reading, they did not go to Suffolk expecting to dominate the ball. Regardless they executed some really intelligent patterns of play with Bobby Clark and Rhian Brewster technically excellent again. I wrote on Tuesday night about how much Brewster stood to benefit from playing with Carlton Morris, and it showed.

The physicality, hold-up play and high pressing of Carlton Morris compliments Brewster perfectly, allowing him space in front of the centre backs to run into from the pockets he likes to occupy. His goal was an example of this, though deeper than most others you could point to. While Brewster seems to drift between being an attacking midfielder and Morris’ strike partner, Clark is very much the former but again showed some real quality on the ball with his range of passing.

It's four in four for Morris, who benefitted from not just the duo directly behind him, but Max Johnston’s arrival too. It did feel a little like when you rush to the door for a parcel, only to see the ‘Sorry we missed you!’ card come through the letterbox – well marked, Morris was inches away from connecting with Johnston’s crosses on multiple occasions. But hopefully the deliveries will be rescheduled for a fortnight’s time at The Hawthorns.

Though it didn’t quite happen, the quality of Johnston’s crossing was clear to see, and as he and Derby’s frontmen build an understanding on the pitch, could be quite a weapon. Positive too was the way the Scot slotted perfectly into that wing back role, natural in the high and wide areas Eustace wants him to occupy.

Lewis Travis’ Derby bow showed exactly why he has been signed too. The midfielder offered real leadership and organisation in the middle of the park and was a combative presence alongside Ebou Adams. The pairing of the midfield destroyers was well suited to a game in which possession was scarce, but they will need to adapt if they are to work together in games where The Rams are on the front foot.

There may still be incomings, and there must be outgoings before 19:00 on Monday, but this is starting to look like Eustace’s team. Defensive work is needed, particularly when it comes to set pieces – Greaves should not have been allowed another free header - but the international break should allow for that. Likewise, the building of further fitness, a lack of which forced late changes that disrupted the back line as they looked to hold on.

Due to their own circumstances, and tough opponents, The Rams have come through a difficult month. They end August with a couple of points on the board, and the feeling is that it should be more. But once the fog of disappointment over how they let two points slip lifts, this should be seen as a good launchpad towards better times on the horizon.

Ipswich (4-2-3-1): Palmer (GK); Young, Greaves, O'Shea (C), Davis (Azón 86’); Matusiwa, Cajuste (Taylor 79’); McAteer (Clarke 69’), Chaplin (Szmodics 69’), Philogene; Hirst (Akpom 69’).

Unused substitutes: Walton (GK); Kipré, Furlong, Johnson.

Derby (3-4-2-1): Zetterström (GK); Sanderson, Clarke, Forsyth; Johnston (Nyambe 90+5’), Adams (C), Travis (Ozoh 80’), Elder (Batth 90+5’); Brewster (Jackson 80’), Clark (Weimann 90+1’); Morris.

Unused Substitutes: Vickers; Thompson, Ward; Salvesen.