Ipswich 2-2 Bristol City: Ryan Fraser salvages late point for Tractor Boys

Ryan Fraser rescued a point for below-par Ipswich as Bristol City had to be content with a 2-2 draw at Portman Road.

A poor game ignited into life within a minute of the second half getting under way thanks to Luke Chambers' header for the home side.

But the Robins grabbed two goals in three minutes - through Luke Freeman and Jonathan Kodjia - but they were denied only their second win of the season by Fraser's late show.

City should have taken the lead after just four minutes and would have done had it not been for a fantastic reflex save from Dean Gerken.

Derrick Williams played the ball into Aaron Wilbraham, whose neat flick released strike partner Kodija but his powerful drive was brilliantly pushed away by Gerken.

The lively Kodija flashed a shot wide of the near post soon after while Ipswich's best chance of a below-par first half came in the 29th minute when City centre-back Aden Flint was fortunate not to score an own goal, after getting on the end of Fraser's corner but having his blushes spared by the diving Frank Fielding.

Daryl Murphy was just unable to provide the finishing touch to a surging run by Fraser before last season's top scorer almost claimed his first of the campaign, but his shot was deflected just wide by the sliding Nathan Baker in injury time.

Ipswich took the lead just 45 seconds after the restart when left-back Jonas Knudsen's deep cross was powerfully met by fellow full-back Chambers, who headed past Fielding with Flint unable to clear off the line.

It was almost two when Murphy turned and fired a shot just wide from 20 yards.

But within 60 seconds, City were level when Freeman's shot seemed to lack pace but a deflection off the heel of Tommy Smith wrong-footed Gerken.

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And the travelling Robins were in dreamland when they went 2-1 up in the 56th minute.

Wilbraham played the ball inside for Kodjia to race past Christophe Berra and fire the ball high into the net.

Ipswich looked to hit back and Freddie Sears fired a volley just over after a Knudsen long throw was only half cleared.

The diminutive Fraser almost scored a rare header after meeting Ainsley Maitland-Niles' cross but Fielding clutched the ball on his line before the keeper had to be even more alert to claw a deflected Luke Ayling header over the bar.

With just three minutes left, Fraser grabbed an unlikely equaliser after a patient build-up involving Jonathan Douglas, Brett Pitman and Sears, whose driven low cross was turned home by the winger.

And Ipswich almost won it deep in injury time but Pitman headed a McGoldrick cross just wide.

Ipswich manager Mick McCarthy:

 "They started well and we needed a fantastic save from Dean Gerken to keep us in it. But I changed our shape and I thought we were the better team in the first half. We start brilliantly in the second half but then the deflection was a real kick in the 'ging-gangs'. It was a big slice of luck though we should have done better to stop the shot."

Bristol City manager Steve Cotterill:

"I think we should have won the game so I am a little disappointed to be honest. If you had said to me we would come to Ipswich and get a point, I would have taken that. But once we went 2-1 up, we stopped playing and stopped passing the ball."