Not for the first time this season Eddie Howe demonstrated a Midas touch in an increasingly frenetic promotion race. With 11 minutes remaining of a game that his Bournemouth team were dominating but losing he sent on the substitute Kenwyne Jones and with his first touch of the ball the recent loan signing from Cardiff City headed the equaliser that shattered Ipswich Town.
Jones has his critics who argue that he should have achieved much more in his career, possessed as he is with considerable physical attributes, but if his goal helps Bournemouth to one of the two automatic places he will have discovered a whole new fan club on the south coast.
It was not enough to wrestle back top spot but it continues Bournemouth’s impressive momentum and they have the handy advantage in their final six games of not having to face any of the top 10 sides.
Howe said: “It was an un-Bournemouth goal that we scored from but Kenwyne can give us that. He’s obviously a presence but he’s more than that. He’s got two good feet and he could be valuable for us. It doesn’t look like any team is going to forge ahead now. It’s all down to who can hold their nerve and deal with the pressure best.”
The Ipswich manager, Mick McCarthy, said: “I can’t say that 1-1 is not a fair result but of course to concede at that stage of the game is disappointing. And it’s doubly disappointing when you think what the win might have done for us.
“But if we get into the play-offs we might be looking back on this point and saying how vital it was for us.”
It was also an un-Bournemouth goal that saw the erstwhile leaders fall behind as early as the sixth minute. A defensive line that had served them so well this season switched off to grant Daryl Murphy the time and space to tame a high ball and then prod a deft pass into the heart of the area where Freddie Sears’ finish was straightforward.
The visitors’ response was positive with Matt Ritchie eager to get on the ball and Harry Arter quick to make supporting runs. The two combined after Charlie Daniels had fizzed the ball across but Arter could not keep his finish down.
As Bournemouth grew into the contest so the pressure on Ipswich began to tell. Brett Pitman could not take advantage after Teddy Bishop had inadvertently put the ball in his path and that was followed by two smart saves from Bartosz Bialkowski, firstly from Ryan Fraser and then swooping to his right to deny Ritchie’s 30-yarder.
Ipswich had to step up a gear if they were going to hang onto the three points and they made a better fist of shackling their opponents after the break. They were edging towards a vsignificant ictory that would have put them right back in the frame for a top-two finish when Jones rose highest to direct the ball skilfully in from Ritchie’s corner. Even then it took another fine Bartosz Bialkowski save from Yann Kermorgant to keep it at 1-1.
Ipswich (4-4-2): Bialkowski; Chambers, Smith, Berra, Fryers; Varney (Clarke 90), Bishop (Chaplow 57), Skuse, Tabb; Murphy, Sears (Wood 79).
Subs not used: Gerken, McGoldrick, Anderson, Williams
Bournemouth (4-2-3-1): Boruc, Francis, Elphick, Cook (A. Smith 79), Daniels; Arter, Surman; Ritchie, Pitman (Kermorgant 65), Fraser (Jones 79); Wilson
Subs not used: Camp, Gosling, Macdonald, Ward.
Referee: R Madley
