The Blues dominated the first half and found the opener through Jack Clarke just before the interval, but they were stunned by Josh Coburn’s equaliser, which left them hunting a second goal.
It never came, however, and they were fortunate that the Lions didn’t seal victory at the end of the game, keeping the top-two race wide open heading into Easter.
Ivan Azon returned to lead the line for Kieran McKenna’s side (Image: Ross Halls)
TEAM NEWS
Kieran McKenna made two changes to the team that beat Sheffield Wednesday 2-0 at Hillsborough.
Christian Walton started in goal, playing behind a back line of Darnell Furlong, Dara O’Shea, Jacob Greaves and Ben Johnson.
Azor Matusiwa continued in midfield alongside Dan Neil, with Kasey McAteer, Anis Mehmeti and Clarke lining up behind lone striker Ivan Azon.
Youngster Somto Boniface was names among the substitutes, replacing the injured Wes Burns on the bench.
Town XI: 4-2-3-1: Walton; Furlong, O’Shea, Greaves, Johnson; Matusiwa, Neil (Taylor 68′); McAteer (Philogene 68′), Mehmeti (Akpom 72′), Clarke (Walle Egeli 87′); Azon (Hirst 72′)
Millwall XI: 4-2-3-1: Patterson; Crama, Taylor, Cooper, Sturge; Mitchell (Mazou-Sacko 83′), Cundle (Bannan 68′); Azeez, Neghli (Watson 83′), Langstaff (Ivanovic 46′); Coburn
Town were on top throughout the first half (Image: Steve Waller)
EARLY DOMINANCE
Ipswich set the tempo from the off. Inside the opening three minutes of the game, Clarke found space to wriggle into, sending Johnson away down the left. Feeling awkward on his weaker foot, he was still able to cross over the face of goal, with nobody there to tap the ball in.
They kept the pressure on. Neil fired wide from the edge of the area after an extended spell of pressure, although they were given a warning of Millwall’s quality when Camiel Neghli won a corner off Walton in the sixth minute, which Town cleared.
Despite the Lions’ height, Ipswich looked comfortable from set pieces and dangerous on transitions when they carried the ball forward. Jake Cooper was forced to clear a low ball from Furlong off the line in the ninth minute.
The match became scrappier. Macauley Langstaff was left frustrated when he tripped over himself and fell onto the ball, with referee Michael Salisbury awarding a free-kick to the Blues for a hand ball instead of the foul off Matusiwa that the attacker wanted.
An off-ball tussle between O’Shea and Josh Coburn also caught the eye, with the Millwall striker subtly stamping on the ankle of the Town skipper. Coburn avoided a caution for that incident, but he did end up in the book when he caught Greaves with an elbow to the face in the 16th minute.
Clarke fired the Blues ahead from outside the box (Image: Steve Waller)
TOWN’S BREAKTHROUGH
The visitors sunk deeper and deeper, which frustrated Ipswich, who just lacked a killer touch to pierce through their back line. Johnson stung the palms of Anthony Patterson with a strike from range in the 18th minute, with the Lions’ goalkeeper needed for a bigger save two minutes later.
Furlong’s low cross from the right was cleared as far as Azon, who leapt up acrobatically to fire a powerful strike at goal. Somehow, Patterson got over to make a brilliant reflex save, keeping the scores level.
Ipswich maintained their front-footed approach with a series of corners ahead of the interval, many won by McAteer down the right. They threatened from them, but struggled to really work Patterson in a crowded penalty area.
But the breakthrough did come with 41 minutes on the clock, helped by Azon chasing down a long ball that seemed destined to bobble out for a goal kick, winning a throw-in for his side off Caleb Taylor.
From there, Clarke tried to play a one-two, but was dispossessed by Caleb Taylor, who surrendered the ball straight to Matusiwa. The Dutchman, in turn, played it forward to Clarke, who opened space for a low shot that blindsided Patterson, bobbling into the bottom corner to open the scoring.
The Lions equalised early in the second half (Image: Steve Waller)
OUT OF NOWHERE
Ipswich looked to start the second half like they did the first, but it was Millwall who struck back early.
Neghli battled Furlong and won, winning the ball down Ipswich’s right before delivering an inch-perfect cross. It bounced just ahead of Greaves, allowing Coburn to get in between Town’s centre-backs and fire past Walton to equalise in the 50th minute.
The Lions could have been ahead soon after as O’Shea let a ball roll out for a corner. Azeez’s delivery fizzed straight into the net, but the goal was disallowed for Coburn shoving Walton.
From then on, it was a story of more corners. Ipswich kept attacking from the left, mainly through Clarke and Mehmeti, but continued to run into Caleb Taylor, who blocked everything out for a corner.
Azon and Furlong both threatened, but fired wide. It prompted McKenna to change things up, introducing Jaden Philogene and Jack Taylor. George Hirst and Chuba Akpom followed soon after.
Mihailo Ivanovic hit the crossbar at the death (Image: PA)
A LATE SCARE
Nerves started to creep in. For all the hard work Ipswich had done in the game, breaking down Millwall’s back line for a second goal felt like a real challenge, and the Lions’ threat on the counter felt very real.
Substitutions killed the tempo for Ipswich. The slower pace of the game seemed to suit Millwall better, while Town clearly wanted a bit more blood and thunder. The late introduction of Sindre Walle Egeli hoped to achieve that.
But it was the Lions who should have sealed the points with 89 minutes on the clock. Barry Bannan saw a shot blocked, with Azeez firing the rebound at Walton before Mihailo Ivanovic somehow cracked the crossbar.
Desperation set in as four minutes of stoppage time was announced. Neither side could find a winner, however, with Middlesbrough’s stalemate at Blackburn Rovers leaving the race for second as you were at the start of the day.
Attendance: 29,129