Battling Ipswich deny Villa chance to go top after thrilling Portman Road draw

Liam Delap struck a superb double as Ipswich Town secured a 2-2 draw that denied Aston Villa the chance to move level on points with leaders Liverpool.

The newly-promoted Tractor Boys got off to a flyer when Delap squeezed a low shot in at the near post after eight minutes.

Villa responded with Watkins teeing up Morgan Rogers to fire home the leveller seven minutes later, before the England striker nodded in his fourth goal in three games from Leon Bailey’s cross just past the half-hour.

Ipswich had several promising moments on the break but Jack Clarke and Delap both missed gilt-edged openings to move them level before the break.

However, the home side were not to be denied and an excellent solo run and finish from Delap 18 minutes from time earned them a share of the spoils.

The result means Villa stay in fifth, two points off top spot. Ipswich remain winless but with four points from six matches they move out of the drop zone and up to 15th place.

Next up, Ipswich continue their search for a first win since making a long-awaited Premier League return when they visit West Ham United on Saturday.

Villa have a huge week with two significant home games against Bayern Munich in the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday and then Manchester United on Sunday.

The August reversal at home to Arsenal had been the only blot on Villa’s copybook prior to this contest, but Ipswich exposed enough flaws in their armour to leave Villans with some unexpected concerns heading into a significant week for the club.

The showdown with Bayern Munich in Europe’s elite competition shows just how far Villa have come in recent years, with Unai Emery continuing to push them to greater heights.

Whether they have the squad to maintain a serious push at home and abroad remains to be seen and defensively they are suspect. Indeed, with better finishing Ipswich may well have been looking at a very different situation at full time.

The good news for Villa is that Watkins appears to be hitting form again, and Emery’s men have shown over the past year and a half that Villa Park can be a real fortress regardless of the calibre of opposition.

Liam Delap (Ipswich Town). The forward produced an exhilarating, high-octane performance, leading the line to great effect. He took his goals with real panache and was only denied a hat-trick by a stunning one-on-one save by Emiliano Martinez.

IPSWICH: Muric 7, Tuanzebe 8, O’Shea 7, Greaves 7, Davis 7, Morsy 7, Phillips 8, Ogbene 7, Hutchinson 8, Clarke 8, Delap 9. Subs: Taylor 6, Burns 6, Szmodics n/a, Hirst n/a, Luongo n/a.

ASTON VILLA: Martinez 8, Konsa 7, Carlos 6, Torres 7, Digne 7, Tielemans 7, Onana 7, Bailey 7, Ramsey 7, Rogers 8, Watkins 8. Subs: Duran 6, Philogene 6, Barkley n/a, Buendia n/a, Maatsen n/a.

08’ – GOAL! – Ipswich Town 1-0 Aston Villa (Delap). Villa make a meal of clearing their lines, allowing Phillips to find Clarke on the left. He cuts it back from the byline for Delap who squeezes a first-time shot beyond Martinez at his near post.

15’ – GOAL! – Ipswich Town 1-1 Aston Villa (Rogers). It’s all square as Rogers hammers Watkins’ pass into the back of the net after an awful clearance from Greaves provided the opening.

32’ – GOAL! – Ipswich Town 1-2 Aston Villa (Watkins). The striker drifts in-between two defenders to nod home Bailey’s superb right-wing cross.

38’ – IPSWICH CHANCE! Delap is played clear by Clarke but sees his low shot blocked to safety by Martinez’s boot.

72’ – GOAL! – Ipswich Town 2-2 Aston Villa (Delap). Delap is set free down the left on the break. He surges into the area, bamboozles Diego Carlos and fires a low shot into the corner.