Football: Dozzell to the rescue

Ipswich Town. . . . .2

Crystal Palace. . . .2

THE goalkeepers kept this match alive yesterday, a penalty save each keeping the scores level and Ipswich just hanging on to their unbeaten home record. Twice Crystal Palace had gone ahead, leaving the home side to play catch-up, a part of the game show in which they appeared to have all the answers.

The real winner on the day, though, was the raincloud that parked itself over Portman Road. It played an active role for only 45 minutes, but left behind a slippery pitch that made a nonsense of the attempts at close control necessary to Ipswich's delicate game.

It was not long before Palace's less cultured approach looked more promising and Ipswich's fifth-minute penalty a match-loser. Nigel Martyn's dive to stop Steve Whitton's spot kick had the away fans acclaiming 'England's No 1'.

Martyn, indeed, had a superb game, as did the opposition keeper Clive Baker, whose sharpness belied his 33 years in keeping out a close-range shot from Eddie McGoldrick two minutes into the second half. Baker, however, was powerless to keep out Chris Armstrong's header 13 minutes later after McGoldrick had robbed Neil Thompson on the right and crossed to his unmarked striker.

This goal started the old see-saw swaying, Ipswich surging back into enemy territory and equalising through a Jason Dozzell header. Four minutes later Palace were ahead again when the unmarked Chris Coleman was allowed an easy nod-in from a corner. Seven minutes from time, Dozzell levelled again with a close-range tap-in.

But the hurly-burly was not over. A frantic finish saw Chris Kiwomya head inches high and in the closing seconds, Baker saved a penalty from Gareth Southgate.

Ipswich Town: C Baker; G Johnson, N Thompson, M Stockwell, J Wark, D Linighan, G Williams, P Goddard (D Gregory, 80 min), S Whitton, J Dozzell, C Kiwomya. Subs not used: P Whelan, J Winters (gk). Team manager: M McGiven.

Crystal Palace: N Martyn; R Shaw, L Sinnott, G Southgate, E Young, S Osborn, C Coleman, P Williams, C Armstrong, J Salako, E McGoldrick. Subs not used: G Thomas, A Thorn, P Heald (gk). Manager: S Coppell.

Referee: G Ashby (Worcester).

Goals: Armstrong (0-1, 60 min); Dozzell (1-1, 72 min); Coleman (1-2, 76 min); Dozzell (2-2, 83 min).