Ipswich come from behind to take a point at home to Watford

Ipswich and Watford fought out a 1-1 draw at Portman Road with both goals coming in a five-minute spell in the first half.

The visitors’ leading scorer Imran Louza found the net after 16 minutes, with Jaden Philogene equalising for the home side.

Ipswich enjoyed the lion’s share of possession and shots but failed to find the crucial winner.

The result dropped both teams down the league, with Town down to 10th and Watford falling to 12th.

Ipswich exerted early pressure on the Watford goal.

They won a corner after just 12 seconds which was taken by Sindre Walle Egeli but safely plucked out of the air by Watford’s Norwegian international goalkeeper Egil Selvik.

They then won a free-kick 25 yards from goal when striker George Hirst was fouled but Philogene’s shot went high over the crossbar.

At the other end, a raid down the left by Watford’s Kwadwo Baah came to an end when he was stopped by the home defence to allow Christian Walton to gather the ball.

Town midfielders Azor Matusiwa and Jens Cajuste linked up in the ninth minute, with the latter’s 20-yard effort going just wide of a post.

Watford took the lead in the 16th minute through their leading scorer Louza following great link-up play between Baah and left-back Marc Bola, whose cross deflected off Ipswich skipper Dara O’Shea and into the path of the midfielder.

A cross from Darnell Furlong found Hirst but he headed just over as Ipswich went in search of an equaliser which came through Philogene’s sixth goal of the season.

He was picked just inside the penalty area by Cedric Kipre and strode forward to fire an unerring shot past Selvik.

The visitors won two consecutive corners, both taken by Moroccan international Louza, while at the other end Egeli and Furlong combined which resulted in a cross into the box that just failed to find Hirst.

Matusiwa was fouled by Jeremy Ngakia and Philogene’s free-kick found Kipre in Watford’s six-yard area but his header just grazed the outside of a post and he was adjudged offside as the half drew to a close.

Chuba Akpom’s goal-bound shot brought a smart save from Selvik and Mamadou Doumbia’s long-range left-footed effort went just over the Ipswich bar.

Substitute Ivan Azon had a wonderful opportunity for Ipswich when he was found unmarked from a pinpoint cross from Egeli but he headed wide and fellow substitute Jack Taylor fired over when well-placed.

Selvik made a superb save from Azon’s header following a cross from Jack Clarke and Marcelino Nunez put his head in his hands after skying a gilt-edged chance at the death.