Ipswich Town fought back to claim a 1-1 Premier League draw with Nottingham Forest at Portman Road on Friday night. Julio Enciso's first-half equaliser earned a point after Neco Williams had given the visitors an early lead.
The result leaves Gary O'Neil's side 10th in the table with nine points from their opening seven matches, a record of three wins and four losses. They are now 12 points behind leaders Manchester City but have shown resilience in recent weeks, following a win over Fulham with this hard-fought draw. The team has scored 11 goals this season but conceded 15, giving them a goal difference of negative four.
Forest started brightly and took the lead in the 13th minute. Daniel Muñoz delivered a cross from the right and Neco Williams arrived to finish from close range. Ipswich responded before the break. In the 41st minute, a defensive error from Nikola Milenkovic allowed Julio Enciso to pounce and slot home the leveller.
Defensive resilience
Ipswich had to withstand significant pressure, with Forest creating numerous chances. Leif Davis was heroic at the back, clearing the ball off his own goal line on two separate occasions. Goalkeeper Christian Walton also made several important saves to keep the scores level.
The game was not without controversy. In the second half, referee Thomas Bramall was advised by the video assistant referee to review a tackle by Forest's Issa Diop on James McAtee. After checking the pitchside monitor, Bramall showed Diop a yellow card, a decision that frustrated the visiting bench.
Forest manager Oliver Glasner will rue his team's wastefulness in front of goal. His side registered 17 shots but only managed to convert one, with forwards Liam Delap and Callum Hudson-Odoi missing good opportunities. They have now won just once in their last eight league outings.
For Ipswich, the point continues a mixed run of form that reads one win, one draw and three losses in their last five games. This recent sequence includes a 3-2 defeat to Manchester City on Saturday 17 October and a 2-1 victory over Fulham on Saturday 10 October. Their next challenge is a trip to face Hull City, who sit one place above them in ninth, on Saturday 31 October. Morgan Gibbs-White made a welcome return from injury for Forest, while Ipswich will look to build on this result as they prepare for a busy period.
The original report is at Sky Sports Football
