Cambridge United give a good account of themselves to claim a point from Sky Bet League One clash with Ipswich Town

After last weekend’s solid display at Lincoln City, Cambridge United showed further signs that they are up for the fight to stay in Sky Bet League One with this afternoon’s 1-1 draw at home against promotion-chasing Ipswich Town.

The United game-plan worked to perfection during the first half. For 20 minutes they allowed the visitors to have the lion’s share of the possession, yet they remained organised and disciplined throughout and it meant that goalkeeper Dimitar Mitov was largely untroubled between the posts.

And then, having done an impressive job at keeping Ipswich at arm’s length, United broke the deadlock with 24 minutes on the clock.

Captain Paul Digby shifted the ball on for Harvey Knibbs, who was recalled to the starting line-up by boss Mark Bonner in place of Ben Worman. Having turned midway inside the Ipswich half, Knibbs drove forward with purpose into the space he was afforded and with the visiting defence backing off he unleashed a 25-yard effort that dipped into the bottom left-hand corner of Christian Walton’s net. It was the attacker’s first goal since the 3-2 win at Wycombe Wanderers in late October, a run that spanned 14 games.

It was a moment that appeared to light a fire under United as they started to get on the front foot and ask questions of an Ipswich rearguard that had been comfortable up until that point.

That pressure told in the 32nd minute when the away side’s George Edmundson was completely wrong-footed by some neat footwork by Conor McGrandles inside the box, with the U’s midfielder subsequently being tripped up. The ball broke for Knibbs and he fired home, but his celebrations were cut short due to referee Sam Barrott having already pointed to the spot. Up stepped Joe Ironside, but Walton guessed correctly and turned the number nine’s effort around the left upright.

Two minutes later Sam Smith was calmness personified when he used the outside of his left boot to get the better of Walton, but the goal was correctly ruled out for offside.

At the other end of the pitch United continued to be resolute, getting back into shape quickly and not giving Ipswich’s array of attacking talent the time to create anything significant.

It was a disappointed-looking Ipswich side that trudged off the pitch at half-time and their manager Kieran McKenna duly responded by making a trio of changes to personnel at the break and a shift to three at the back, matching up systems with United.

The second half started in a similar fashion to the first with Ipswich controlling proceedings, yet six minutes in a long ball forward from United wing-back Brophy had Richard Keogh back pedalling and the lively Smith nipped in to go through one-on-one with Walton, but his final touch was too heavy and the goalkeeper was able to make the save.

It proved to be a crucial intervention from Walton because in the 54th minute his side snapped the hosts’ resistance. Kyle Edwards – one of McKenna’s half-time introductions – got beyond Liam Bennett down the left and his drilled cross picked out Freddie Ladapo, who expertly opened up his body to provide an angle for him to guide the ball beyond Mitov and inside the far post.

Buoyed by their equaliser, Ipswich continued to exert pressure but now they were also carrying a genuine goal threat. In the 59th minute Conor Chaplin’s free kick from out on the right forced Mitov into action and then the playmaker was inches away from turning in Ladapo’s flick on at the back post.

There was more work for Mitov in the 74th minute when George Hirst’s scuffed effort bobbled kindly into the path of an onrushing Nathan Broadhead, but the recent arrival from Everton was thwarted as he went to pull the trigger by a brave piece of goalkeeping from the Bulgarian in United’s goal.

Attacks from the home side were becoming a rare occurrence, but they did prise open the Ipswich rearguard when Michael Morrison was found in plenty of space on the right hand side of the box. His low cross caused uncertainty between Walton and his defenders, but no United player had gambled and the opportunity went begging.

It became much more of an even affair during the final 10 minutes and stoppage time with United looking just as eager to turn one point into three as Ipswich. On one particular occasion the ever-willing Liam Bennett made up plenty of ground down the right and drilled in a cross that just evaded substitute Shilow Tracey.

Proceedings ended with Ipswich forcing a corner and then hoisting a long throw into the United box, but the home side saw it out to record a result that moved them up a place to 22nd, two points from safety ahead of next Saturday’s trip to Barnsley.

Cambridge United: Mitov, Morrison, Jones (Williams 69’), R Bennett, L Bennett, Brophy, Digby, McGrandles, Knibbs, Smith, Ironside (Tracey 80’)

Ipswich Town: Walton, Davis (Edwards 46’), Edmundson, Keogh, Clarke (Donacien 46’), Morsy, Evans (Harness 46’), Burns, Chaplin (Hirst 72’), Broadhead (Humphreys 80’), Ladapo

Referee: Sam Barrott

Attendance: 7,154 (1,485 away fans)