Ipswich Town 1-1 Watford match report: Jaden Philogene and Imran Louza score sixth goals of the season in drawn Championship encounter at Portman Road
Jaden Philogene struck his sixth goal of the season but Ipswich Town were held to a 1-1 draw by Watford at Portman Road.
Both goals came in the first half, with Philogene latching onto Cédric Kipré’s through ball just five minutes after falling behind.
Kipré’s pass in behind Jeremy Ngakia was the source, with the Blues’ top scorer slotting into the bottom corner of Egil Selvik’s goal on the run.
Watford’s opener came after some lacklustre defending of Town’s own, when Marc Bola’s cross took a slightly unfortunate deflection from Dara O’Shea.
The Hornets’ in-form star Imran Louza was on hand to slot home his sixth of the season from midfield.
A point apiece leaves Watford winless away and the Blues 10th in the Championship table, with a two-point gap to the top six ahead of a long trip to Swansea City on Saturday.
Town will have been left wondering how they did not find all three points on a frustrating evening at Portman Road.
After Philogene’s latest home strike brought them back on level terms, they were always the more likely side to find a winner that ultimately never came.
Chuba Akpom was denied twice early in the second half, but it was the final 10 minutes where Watford’s goal could be considered under siege.
Iván Azón spurned a glorious headed chance wide from Sindre Walle Egeli’s cross, then fellow sub Jack Taylor blazed over the crossbar from close range.
Selvik stopped Azón’s next dangerous header from finding the net, but it was the final chance that left most of the stadium with their heads in their hands.
Marcelino Núñez, fresh from scoring his first two Town goals at the weekend, shanked a volley high and wide in a crowded penalty area when it appeared easier to score.
It ended up being one of those nights for the Blues.
As far as missed opportunities go, this one may rank towards the top of that opinionated chart.
Saturday’s convincing victory over Queens Park Rangers marked the first time the Blues had won on the road this season, and a home game against troubled travellers Watford will have been seen as a huge chance to follow that up.
Instead, Town were left frustrated in their quest to right the wrongs of the last time they had a midweek game on Suffolk soil a fortnight ago.
It feels like the Portman Road atmosphere could have done with a morale-boosting victory, that night against Charlton Athletic still appearing raw in the memory the last time the floodlights were on.
Two years ago, Kieran McKenna’s side were the masters of winning runs. Another chance to make it three on the spin for the first time this season was missed on a night where they were undoubtedly the favourites. Regardless, the last week has made the table look a lot healthier than it did even a month ago.
The top six, primary aim number one, is getting closer.
Ipswich Town (4-2-3-1): Walton; Johnson (Greaves 79), Kipré, O’Shea (c), Furlong; Cajuste (Taylor 64), Matusiwa; Philogene (J Clarke 64), Akpom (Núñez 79), Walle Egeli; Hirst (Azón 64). Subs: Button, Young, McAteer, Humphreys.
Booked: Hirst.
Watford (4-4-2): Selvik; Bola, Pollock, Abankwah, Ngakia; Baah (Kayembe 72), Kyprianou (Sissoko 89), Louza (c), Ince (Maamma 72); Semedo (Kjerrumgaard 72), Doumbia (Irankunda 82). Subs: Baxter, Alleyne, Morris, Petris.
Booked: Baah, Bola.
Referee: David Webb (Durham).
Attendance: 27,184
Suffolk News Man of the Match – Azor Matusiwa: Clearly the beating heart of Town’s midfield. Kept things ticking in midfield on an evening where the Blues were continuously frustrated in the forward line.