Delap double earns Ipswich entertaining Premier League draw with Aston Villa
Villa had not kept a clean sheet in their previous 10 league matches, and it took just eight minutes for that run to be extended as Ipswich found the breakthrough.
Liam Delap swept home Jack Clarke’s cross under Emiliano Martinez’s body, which was their very first attack.
However, the visitors struck back quickly after Morgan Rogers opened his account for the season, firing Ollie Watkins’ lay-off into the bottom corner after pouncing on a poor Jacob Greaves clearance.
Ipswich should have regained the lead when Clarke glanced his header over from a promising position, and the newly-promoted side would be punished again as Watkins got on the scoresheet for the fourth time in three league matches, heading home Leon Bailey’s cross from close range.
The hosts pushed for an equaliser before half-time as Martinez produced two brilliant saves, first palming away Kalvin Phillips’ fierce half-volley before sticking a leg out to deny Delap a brace.
The second half started quietly, as Sam Morsy tried his luck from distance just before the hour mark, but dragged his effort well wide. Leif Davis then fired into the side-netting, before Delap got the home crowd singing again.
The forward bamboozled his defender with a stepover before finding the bottom corner, netting a brace for the first time in his senior career.
Ipswich’s hard-fought point means that they are now unbeaten in four league matches, and lifts the Tractor Boys out of the relegation zone.
The Villans missed the chance to go second, but at least keep up their excellent H2H record of only losing once in the last 15 meetings.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Liam Delap (Ipswich Town)
