Match ends, Ipswich Town 1, Birmingham City 1.
IpswichIpswich Town1BirminghamBirmingham City1
Ipswich Town fought back to earn a draw with Birmingham City, thanks to a controversial Brett Pitman penalty.
David Cotterill fired the visitors ahead after a slip by Christophe Berra.
But Pitman levelled from the spot after referee Keith Stroud ruled Jonathan Spector had fouled Ainsley Maitland-Niles as he slid in to block a cross.
Maitland-Niles and Luke Chambers both sliced good chances wide for Ipswich, while substitute Daryl Murphy steered a free header off target.
But the big talking point of the game was Ipswich's spot-kick, which came 10 minutes after Cotterill had fired Birmingham in front from 15 yards, Andrew Shinnie having capitalised on Berra's slip to play him in.
| How BBC pundits saw the penalty |
|---|
| "It was a superb run by Ainsley Maitland-Niles and as he's gone to cross the ball the Birmingham defender has slid in and gone to block the ball. That is not a penalty." Ex-Ipswich defender Mick Mills on BBC Suffolk |
| "I can't understand the referee's decision, it seems really harsh and I have no idea what the penalty was given for, either a foul or a handball. Blues have been hard done by there." Ex-Birmingham midfielder Darren Carter on BBC WM 95.6 |
Maitland-Niles showed great pace to get to the byline but his cross took a deflection off Spector and dribbled into the arms of keeper Tomasz Kuszczak.
However, as Spector slid in, his follow-through saw him collide with Maitland-Niles and referee Stroud chose to point to the spot.
Ipswich, who would have gone second if they had won, had the better of the second-half chances but could not find a way through.
Freddie Sears saw a shot cleared off the line by Stephen Gleeson, before Chambers side-footed wide from a corner.
Maitland-Niles also sliced wide from substitute David McGoldrick's knockdown, while another substitute Murphy planted a free header off target.
Birmingham, who climbed to sixth with their point, almost snatched all three points at the end when Gleeson curled wide from the edge of the box following Cotterill's short free-kick.
Ipswich boss Mick McCarthy:
"I did think it was a strange decision when I first saw it, but looking at it after the game I think the referee has got it right.
"Harsh as it may seem to them (Birmingham), it was the momentum that caused the foul. If it had been outside the box or on the half-way line, the foul would have been given. It shouldn't be any different in the area."
Birmingham boss Gary Rowett told BBC WM 95.6:
"I'm disappointed because I think everyone I've spoken to says there was no way it was a penalty. At the end of the day the referee's got to give his decision, but he's 60 yards away, his assistant is 20 yards away, nobody appeals and yet he gives it.
"To lose a goal lead in that manner made the game incredibly hard but we stuck at it and we really defended well in the second half under a lot of pressure.
"I think that's probably as big a result for us as any this season because of the manner of the place, the journey and Tuesday night's game [against Nottingham Forest]."
Line-ups
Ipswich
Formation 4-4-2
- 1Gerken
- 4Chambers
- 5Smith
- 6BerraBooked at 85mins
- 3Knudsen
- 39ToureSubstituted forMcGoldrickat 71'minutes
- 8Skuse
- 22DouglasBooked at 59mins
- 7Maitland-NilesSubstituted forFraserat 80'minutes
- 11PitmanSubstituted forMurphyat 66'minutes
- 20Sears
Substitutes
- 2Parr
- 9Murphy
- 10McGoldrick
- 14Fraser
- 16Coke
- 21Malarczyk
- 33Bialkowski
Birmingham
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 29Kuszczak
- 2EardleySubstituted forCaddisat 45+3'minutes
- 28Morrison
- 23Spector
- 3GroundsBooked at 57mins
- 6Kieftenbeld
- 8Gleeson
- 11CotterillBooked at 10mins
- 22ShinnieSubstituted forMaghomaat 73'minutes
- 7GraySubstituted forRobinsonat 85'minutes
- 9Donaldson
Substitutes
- 1Legzdins
- 4Robinson
- 19Maghoma
- 20Toral
- 26Davis
- 31Caddis
- 44Brock-Madsen
- Referee:
- Keith Stroud
- Attendance:
- 18,973
Match Stats
Home TeamIpswichAway TeamBirmingham
- Possession
- Home53%
- Away47%
- Shots
- Home18
- Away14
- Shots on Target
- Home4
- Away4
- Corners
- Home7
- Away1
- Fouls
- Home12
- Away10
Live Text
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Full Time
Second Half ends, Ipswich Town 1, Birmingham City 1.
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Attempt blocked. Jacques Maghoma (Birmingham City) right footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked.
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Offside, Ipswich Town. Freddie Sears tries a through ball, but Daryl Murphy is caught offside.
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Attempt saved. Ryan Fraser (Ipswich Town) left footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Daryl Murphy.
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Foul by David McGoldrick (Ipswich Town).
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Maikel Kieftenbeld (Birmingham City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Corner, Ipswich Town. Conceded by Stephen Gleeson.
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Attempt blocked. Cole Skuse (Ipswich Town) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by David McGoldrick.
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Attempt missed. David McGoldrick (Ipswich Town) right footed shot from the right side of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Daryl Murphy with a headed pass.
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Foul by Daryl Murphy (Ipswich Town).
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Paul Robinson (Birmingham City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Attempt missed. Stephen Gleeson (Birmingham City) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by David Cotterill following a set piece situation.
Booking
Christophe Berra (Ipswich Town) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
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Foul by Christophe Berra (Ipswich Town).
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Clayton Donaldson (Birmingham City) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Substitution
Substitution, Birmingham City. Paul Robinson replaces Demarai Gray.
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Foul by Jonathan Douglas (Ipswich Town).
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Demarai Gray (Birmingham City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Attempt blocked. Freddie Sears (Ipswich Town) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by David McGoldrick.
