Will Keane salvages late point for struggling Ipswich

Posted Sunday, February 17, 2019 by PA

Ipswich remain nine points from safety at the bottom of the Championship despite Will Keane’s goal in added time securing a 1-1 draw with Stoke at Portman Road.

A dreadful mix-up in the Town six-yard box between centre-back Jonas Knudsen and goalkeeper Bartosz Bialkowski led to James McClean putting the Potters ahead in the 42nd minute.

But Keane struck at the death to leave Stoke winless on the road since October last year.

The visitors forced two corners on the trot in the opening four minutes of the match.

The first came after Bialkowski, captaining the side for the second time in as many games, pushed a cross from Tom Ince onto the crossbar.

In the 15th minute a darting run down the left by Republic of Ireland international McClean resulted in him crossing for Joe Allen to lay the ball off for Ince whose left-footed shot went over the top.

Five minutes later good build-up play between Alan Judge and James Bree led to a shot at goal by Trevoh Chalobah from outside the penalty area which was safely gathered by Jack Butland.

A great through ball from Ince just caught former Burnley striker Sam Vokes offside.

And five minutes later the two again combined for the best chance of the first half when Ince’s cross found Vokes unmarked in the six-yard box but the Welshman’s diving header went just over the bar.

But with half-time approaching, shocking miscommunication between Knudsen and Bialkowski led to McClean seizing on an easy opportunity to smash the ball into the unguarded goal.

Ipswich midfielder Teddy Bishop was upended just outside the Stoke penalty area by Ryan Woods following a dazzling run in the 51st minute and from the resultant free-kick, Judge hit the bar.

Then Tom Edwards’ run from deep in his own half resulted in him laying the ball off to Vokes who shot over the bar.

But with time running out Hull loanee Keane headed home a corner from Judge to secure a point for Town boss Paul Lambert against his former employers.