Football: Ipswich preserve record

Middlesbrough. . .2

Ipswich Town . . .2

IPSWICH'S auspicious start to the Premier League lives on but only just. With seconds of a thrilling game remaining Bernie Slaven, who had otherwise had a fine game, agonisingly lofted a last-minute penalty high, wide, and not very handsome.

So Ipswich's unbeaten run now stretches to six games and in truth the draw was a fair result. For while no one could question the Boro's battling second-half performance, Ipswich, who played a cool cultured game under pressure, were always worth a point.

Lennie Lawrence refused to criticise Slaven's miss, but insisted that in future games he will nominate the penalty taker rather than leave it for the players to decide. 'What cheesed me off was seeing Gary Parkinson run 30 yards, someone else getting involved and the next minute Bernie taking the kick. The build up was absolute nonsense. We could have won it at the end, but I am satisfied with the point.'

The visitors had gone ahead in the 26th minute when John Wark stole in to ram home his second goal in three days from Neil Thompson's corner.

But the Boro responded vigorously and were level nine minutes after the break, Alan Kernagan applying the finishing touch to Jimmy Phillips' free kick.

Ayresome joy was shortlived however. Goalkeeper Ian Ironside left the field injured and the first touch for his substitute, Brian Horne, was to pick the ball out of the net after Paul Goddard had restored Ipswich's lead with an accurate angled shot on the hour.

In an exhilarating climax, Middlesbrough strove even harder. 'I was proud of the way we kept going,' Lawrence said. With eight minutes remaining, Wright crossed into the middle where Paul Wilkinson, cleverly turned his marker Linighan and equalised from eight yards. Then came that penalty.'

Middlesbrough: Ironside (Horne, 54); Parkinson, Phillips, Kernaghan, Whyte, Peake, Slaven, Falconer, Wilkinson, Wright, Mustoe. Substitutes not used: Gittens, Kavanagh.

Ipswich Town: Forrest; Whelan, Thompson, Stockwell, Wark, Linighan, Williams, Goddard, Johnson, Dozzell, Youds. Substitutes not used: Pennyfather, Milton, Baker (gk).

Referee: R Nixon (West Kirkby, Wirral).

(Photograph omitted)