Ipswich Town 2-2 Norwich City: Wes Burns earns point for Tractor Boys in first East Anglian derby since 2019

Report and free match highlights from the Sky Bet Championship match between Ipswich Town and Norwich City at Portman Road on Saturday; Wes Burns' second goal in four games earns a point for Town in the East Anglian derby

Saturday 16 December 2023 17:15, UK

Ipswich were denied the chance to replace Leicester at the top of the Sky Bet Championship after they were held to a 2-2 draw by Norwich at Portman Road.

Having spurned two earlier chances to give Town the lead, Nathan Broadhead rifled home from a George Hirst header to give the hosts the lead in the first East Anglian derby since February 2019.

The lead was short-lived, as a determined Jon Rowe volleyed in from close range five minutes before the break and, inside three minutes of the restart, the England U21 international struck a low shot through a crowd, which took a deflection on its way past Vaclav Hladky into the back of the net.

Wes Burns came up trumps on the hour, though, as he found the bottom corner with his second goal in four games, which earned a point for Ipswich, who move level on points with leaders Leicester. Norwich stay 10th.

Long-awaited derby day lives up to expectations

Ipswich dominated the first half and should have been ahead by at least three goals.

Broadhead spurned the chance to put the home side ahead in the 20th minute when he danced round a couple of tackles to leave him one on one with Angus Gunn in the Norwich goal, before he put his shot narrowly wide of the left-hand post.

The Wales international was in the thick of the action moments later when he picked up a cross from Burns but fired the ball just the wrong side of the same post.

Town then spurned their third good opportunity to take the lead when Rowe's loose touch was pounced on by Broadhead. He worked the ball inside to George Hirst who slipped it on to Burns, but he smashed his shot over the bar.

Broadhead made up for his earlier missed chances in the 34th minute when he found the target following Town's first corner.

The ball was cleared from the Norwich six-yard area but, after Massimo Luongo headed it back into the danger area, Hirst flicked it on and Broadhead rammed the ball home.

Norwich struck back with their first shot on target through Rowe six minutes later.

His attempted scissor kick was initially blocked by Luke Woolfenden but it landed back at the City man's feet and he managed to find the net much to the joy of the travelling 2,004 Norwich fans among the 29,611 inside the stadium.

The visitors then took the lead through the same scorer four minutes after the break.

A throw in from Marcelino Nunez found Ashley Barnes, whose header landed at the feet of Rowe who drilled his shot through a crowded six-yard area and straight under Vaclav Hladky.

Town equalised through Burns on the hour-mark.

Broadhead and Connor Chaplin were involved in the move and the ball was moved on to Burns whose shot from the edge of the penalty area went through the legs of Norwich defender Sam McCallum and into the net.

Broadhead bent a low shot towards the far corner which Gunn pushed away and substitute Omari Hutchinson ran out of room to push the rebound home as the two teams battled for a winner in the closing minutes.

The managers

Ipswich's Kieran McKenna:

"It was a great occasion in terms of the build up and the supporters did the club proud in terms of the atmosphere they created.

"I thought it was a really good performance and we were the better team by a considerable margin, created lots and lots of chances, give away very few chances and there was lots of things that we can build on from the performance.

"Of course the frustration is conceding two goals from hopeful balls that ricochet around in our box, but beyond that there's so many positives that we can take from the performance.

"Of course, only a point and we would have loved to have given the supporters the victory, but I think the team can certainly take a lot from that game.

"We have been so clinical at home and I think that's a 3-0 performance in the first half if I'm honest and we go in at 1-1.

"The goals we gave away were disappointing, it's two moments of concentration in our penalty box and a little bit of fortune in both which can happen."

Norwich's David Wagner:

"It was exciting and more or less what you expect, what you like to have… a lot of battles, a lot of energy.

"The lead changes during the game as well and I'm absolutely delighted about the shift my players put on the pitch, great togetherness, great working attitude, super fighting spirit and this the reason why it's a deserved point for me.

"Obviously if you can't win it you make sure you can't lose it and this is what the players have done. We take this point.

"You have seen why Ipswich is so good at home and so good in the season in general. This was their first draw, every other game they have won and this makes it a good result for us.

"It was deserved because of the fighting spirit and of the effort which they players bought the pitch and they always believed going and fighting and close the yards in between the lines.

"Technically it was a very, very good game, they are a good side. We take the draw and this is why it was a deserved point for me."