Match ends, Ipswich Town 1, Sheffield United 1.
IpswichIpswich Town1Sheff UtdSheffield United1
Billy Sharp's header for promotion-chasing Sheffield United denied the Championship's bottom side Ipswich Town a much-needed victory at Portman Road.
Ellis Harrison put Town ahead when he capped a breakaway with a stunning strike into the top corner for his first league goal of the season.
But Sharp improved a run of just one goal in seven games with a richly-deserved equaliser soon after the break, heading in Oliver Norwood's cross from close range for his 12th of the campaign.
United threatened to take all three points, but John Egan headed wide from John Fleck's corner late on, and Ipswich held out for a valuable point.
A narrow win over Wigan last time out gave Town their first home win of the season, and United arrived with a woeful record at Portman Road of just one victory in their previous 20 visits.
The Blades were also hoping to improve their recent form, having won just three of their previous 10 league matches since a run of four straight wins had sent them top in early October.
They were well on top for much of the game, as they looked to feed leading scorer Sharp, but Town had their moments from set-pieces, with Luke Chambers denied by the offside flag after heading in John Nolan's corner.
Harrison's superb strike came firmly against the run of play, after Sharp forced a good early save from goalkeeper Dean Gerken, and saw another effort ruled out for offside.
But his equaliser gave Chris Wilder's side the perfect start to the second half, and they piled on the pressure, only for the hosts to almost grab a dramatic win when Freddie Sears' close-range strike was deflected wide.
United remain in the play-off spots, but drop a place to sixth, while Ipswich stay bottom, four points adrift of safety.
Ipswich manager Paul Lambert:
"They (Sheffield United) are as good a team I've seen so far in the short time that I have been here.
"We are a really young side with so much inexperience. I'm delighted with their application and the enthusiasm.
"It was a huge point for us. If you look at our team: Andre Dozzell, Jack Lankester, Flynn Downes, Trevoh Chalobah, 18 to 19-year-olds. I'd love to know if there's another team in the division with that amount of players at that age.
"The midfield is so inexperienced it's not true. Dozzell shows great desire. Chalobah is going to be an exceptional player. We are getting there slowly but surely."
Sheffield United boss Chris Wilder:
"I thought we dominated the game from start to finish. We had a dodgy five, six minutes after they scored but apart from that I thought that we were pretty much in control really.
"Thankfully Billy (Sharp) was on the end of a great ball to get us back in the game at one all.
"He keeps going. He gets into those areas where he can score. It was a great goal and a great cross.
"It's a right tough league and now is the challenge to stay up there."
Line-ups
Ipswich
Formation 4-1-4-1
- 1Gerken
- 12SpenceBooked at 90mins
- 4Chambers
- 5Pennington
- 3Knudsen
- 6ChalobahBooked at 40mins
- 7Edwards
- 11Nolan
- 23DozzellSubstituted forWardat 69'minutes
- 20Sears
- 10HarrisonSubstituted forRobertsat 78'minutes
Substitutes
- 9Jackson
- 18Ward
- 19Roberts
- 22Nsiala
- 30Kenlock
- 33Bialkowski
- 36Lankester
Sheff Utd
Formation 3-4-1-2
- 1Henderson
- 6BashamBooked at 70mins
- 12Egan
- 5O'Connell
- 2Baldock
- 16NorwoodBooked at 84mins
- 4Fleck
- 3Stevens
- 21Duffy
- 10Sharp
- 17McGoldrickSubstituted forClarkeat 69'minutes
Substitutes
- 9Clarke
- 15Coutts
- 19Stearman
- 22Johnson
- 25Moore
- 28Cranie
- 39Washington
- Referee:
- Andy Woolmer
- Attendance:
- 17,942
Match Stats
Home TeamIpswichAway TeamSheff Utd
- Possession
- Home38%
- Away62%
- Shots
- Home7
- Away16
- Shots on Target
- Home3
- Away3
- Corners
- Home6
- Away5
- Fouls
- Home16
- Away11
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Ipswich Town 1, Sheffield United 1.
Post update
Attempt missed. John Egan (Sheffield United) left footed shot from outside the box is too high. Assisted by Chris Basham following a set piece situation.
Booking
Jordan Spence (Ipswich Town) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Post update
Billy Sharp (Sheffield United) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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Foul by Jordan Spence (Ipswich Town).
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Mark Duffy (Sheffield United) wins a free kick on the left wing.
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Foul by Gwion Edwards (Ipswich Town).
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Offside, Sheffield United. Dean Henderson tries a through ball, but Leon Clarke is caught offside.
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John Egan (Sheffield United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by Jordan Roberts (Ipswich Town).
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Foul by George Baldock (Sheffield United).
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Jordan Roberts (Ipswich Town) wins a free kick on the left wing.
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Billy Sharp (Sheffield United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Gwion Edwards (Ipswich Town).
Booking
Oliver Norwood (Sheffield United) is shown the yellow card.
Post update
Foul by Oliver Norwood (Sheffield United).
Post update
Trevoh Chalobah (Ipswich Town) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Post update
Attempt saved. Freddie Sears (Ipswich Town) right footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Jonas Knudsen.
Post update
Corner, Ipswich Town. Conceded by Enda Stevens.
