Taylor Harwood-Bellis (left) and Jay Robinson (right) celebrate after scoring an equaliserGetty Images

Jay Robinson (right) scored his first senior goal

Dan George
BBC Sport England

Ipswich Town and Southampton played out an entertaining draw at Portman Road in the Championship.

The Tractor Boys took an early lead when some quality pressing resulted in George Hirst breaking into the box and forcing an own goal that flew into the net off Taylor Harwood-Bellis.

Just before the break, Saints youngster Jay Robinson scored a leveller when he headed a cross past keeper Alex Palmer for his first senior goal.

The second half was filled with chances for both sides, but the best goalscoring opportunity fell to Ipswich's Sammie Szmodics, who struck the inside of the post with a shot after running through.

Ipswich started well at a packed Portman Road and made Southampton pay for an early mistake.

The home side took the lead inside the opening few minutes and it all came from Ipswich's press, which forced an error out of the Saints defence.

Hirst nicked the ball off Joshua Quarshie and raced in behind, cutting the ball across the box where Jack Clarke was waiting.

The ball then flicked up before hitting Harwood-Bellis, who unintentionally pushed the ball into the back of the net off his chest, past the despairing watch of keeper Gavin Bazunu.

After a slightly nervy first 20 minutes, Southampton started to take some control, knocking the ball around confidently and getting forward through the likes of Mateus Fernandes and Robinson.

They got right back into the game just before the half-hour mark.

Ryan Fraser delivered an outswinging cross from the right which was met by the onrushing Robinson, and the 18-year-old academy graduate headed the ball downwards and into the net.

Saints nearly shot themselves in the foot again moments later, when Harwood-Bellis decided to drive forward with the ball but got caught in possession.

Hirst then drove forward, beating challenges from Jack Stephens and Quarshie before shooting and forcing a good save out of Bazunu.

Ipswich started the second half with a big opportunity to retake the lead when Hirst placed a ball through for Szmodics to run onto beyond the Southampton backline.

The forward was forced wider into the left hand-side of the box but sent a low effort towards the goal that hit the inside of the post and bounced back into the grateful arms of Bazunu.

The final 20 minutes brought plenty of end-to-end entertainment as both sides chased a late winner.

Ipswich nearly nicked one in added time when substitute Conor Chaplin headed over the bar from close range.

'We respect the point' - reaction

Ipswich boss Kieran McKenna told BBC Radio Suffolk:

"The performance was better and a step in the right direction from last week.

"We could have won the game and on the balance of play maybe deserved to win the game.

"As we we improve over the next few weeks, hopefully we will be able to get that winning goal that we couldn't get today.

"I don't think you can be happy with draws at this level but it isn't about points at this stage. Of course you have to pick them up, but we just have to keep going with the group and trying to improve.

"The core group and the mindset we have is good. The boys are really keen to have a good season."

McKenna: 'A step in the right direction'

Southampton boss Will Still told BBC Radio Solent:

"It was a great game - it had a Premier League sort of energy about it.

"If you can't win those types of games then you have to learn to not lose, which we did - but the goal we conceded is frustrating.

"We need to rub those mistakes in our game and be more clean and tidy about what we do. That being said, we should see how far we have come.

"It was important to get back into the game and show character to stay in it, which we did.

"It's tough to come to places like this, with Ipswich as good as they are here. We respect the point and move on.

"Jay (Robinson) is a good player. I'm not bothered how old he is or where he came from, because we want good players and he is a good player. He's done really well and is helping us a lot so far."

On the futures of Mateus Fernandes and Tyler Dibling:

"They are here, training well and are professional. Matty did well for the 60-odd minutes he played and Ty did the job we needed him to do when he came on.

"It can change from one day to the other, which isn't ideal, but that will happen and there will be interest in players like those."

Will Still: 'Last season we would have crumbled'

Player of the match

J. Robinson
7.39
23 S. Szmodics
6.13
10 C. Chaplin
6.11
12 J. Cajuste
6.00
21 C. Ogbene
5.85
9 G. Hirst
5.83
30 C. Humphreys
5.80
26 D. O'Shea
5.76
3 L. Davis
5.70
1 A. Palmer
5.64
24 J. Greaves
5.60
11 J. Philogene
5.53
18 B. Johnson
5.46
47 J. Clarke
5.33
15 A. Young
5.25
5 A. Matusiwa
5.20
14 J. Taylor
5.17
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