Christ Tiehi’s late equaliser gave struggling Rotherham a point against high-flying Ipswich, who missed the chance to cut Leicester’s lead at the top of the Championship to a single point.
Jack Taylor appeared to have given Kieran McKenna’s Ipswich side a late victory with a goal three minutes from time, but Tiehi’s shot from distance snatched a draw for the Millers in a frantic finish.
The visitors had come from behind to lead after Sam Morsy’s wonderful finish cancelled out Sam Nombe’s early opener.
The Tractor Boys stay second, three points behind leaders Leicester but eight clear of third-placed Leeds, while Rotherham remain in the bottom three after just one win in their past 10 matches.
The home side took a shock early lead in Tuesday’s game, which had to be rearranged after the River Don burst its banks three weeks ago in the wake of Storm Babet.
Fred Onyedinma’s driving run and cross set up Nombe, who finished smartly at the back post for his first goal for the club.
But Morsy picked his spot in the top corner with an inch-perfect shot, after a perfectly executed free-kick move, as Ipswich equalised in the 19th minute.
Town were the better team from that point on, although they failed to fashion many clear-cut chances in the second half, with Leif Davis and Conor Chaplin off target from outside the area, while Sean Morrison headed wide for Rotherham when he should have done better.
The visitors went in front when Davis’ 87th-minute ball into the box from the left was hacked away by defender Oli Rathbone but ricocheted off Jack Taylor, past keeper Viktor Johansson and over the line.
The goal looked like it would give McKenna’s side a fifth win in six Championship matches, but Tiehi’s side-footed finish from the edge of the area brought the hosts level.
Ipswich, who remain unbeaten on the road this season in the league, had the chance to move a point behind Leicester with victory, following the Foxes’ defeat to Leeds on Friday night.
But Rotherham defended resolutely, and held on for a well-earned point after a performance which belied their place in the relegation zone.
Rotherham manager Matt Taylor told BBC Radio Sheffield:
“We felt it was a deserved point, when they scored the second goal I felt a bit of heartbreak, especially because it as a ricochet.
“We always had a threat about us from an attacking point of view and the game was in the balance. We had to make the most of our opportunities from set pieces, and the goal came from a long throw in.
“Christ Tiehi is a classy player, we’re lucky it fell to him and he kept his composure, it was a great finish.
“We had to get pressure on the ball, get bodies forward, and the lads have saved themselves from a complete rollicking.”
Ipswich manager Kieran McKenna told BBC Radio Suffolk:
“I thought we did a lot of good things. To concede an away goal early makes it a very difficult challenge to get anything from the game.
“We got the goal back and took control of the game. Then the second half we really played our football and stuck to the game plan.
“The frustration is that we have conceded a goal from a long throw which means we didn’t get what I felt we deserved.
“We didn’t stick to our few of our principles, and we will reflect on what we did wrong tonight and learn from it to make sure we do better.”
Line-ups
Rotherham
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 1Johansson
- 2Lembikisa
- 4AyalaSubstituted forMorrisonat 58′minutes
- 22Odoffin
- 3Bramall
- 27Tiéhi
- 8ClucasSubstituted forRevanat 63′minutesBooked at 76mins
- 14OnyedinmaSubstituted forHugillat 63′minutes
- 18Rathbone
- 7Ribeiro Dias
- 29NombeSubstituted forKellyat 67′minutes
Substitutes
- 9Eaves
- 10Hugill
- 12Kelly
- 16Lindsay
- 23Morrison
- 26Phillips
- 28Revan
- 30Appiah
Ipswich
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 31Hladky
- 2Clarke
- 40Tuanzebe
- 15Burgess
- 3Davis
- 5MorsyBooked at 82mins
- 25LuongoSubstituted forTaylorat 69′minutes
- 19JacksonSubstituted forHutchinsonat 69′minutes
- 10ChaplinSubstituted forScarlettat 83′minutes
- 11HarnessSubstituted forBallat 90+1′minutes
- 27HirstSubstituted forLadapoat 69′minutes
Substitutes
- 1Walton
- 6Woolfenden
- 9Ladapo
- 12Ball
- 14Taylor
- 18Williams
- 20Hutchinson
- 24Scarlett
- 30Humphreys
- Referee:
- Graham Scott
- Attendance:
- 10,800
Live Text
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Match ends, Rotherham United 2, Ipswich Town 2.
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Second Half ends, Rotherham United 2, Ipswich Town 2.
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Attempt saved. Sam Morsy (Ipswich Town) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Dominic Ball.
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Goal! Rotherham United 2, Ipswich Town 2. Christ Tiéhi (Rotherham United) right footed shot from outside the box to the top right corner.
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Attempt blocked. Georgie Kelly (Rotherham United) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Oliver Rathbone with a headed pass.
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Substitution, Ipswich Town. Dominic Ball replaces Marcus Harness.
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Goal! Rotherham United 1, Ipswich Town 2. Jack Taylor (Ipswich Town) left footed shot from very close range to the centre of the goal.
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Attempt blocked. Omari Hutchinson (Ipswich Town) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Leif Davis with a cross.
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Foul by Jack Taylor (Ipswich Town).
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Jordan Hugill (Rotherham United) wins a free kick on the right wing.
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Corner, Ipswich Town. Conceded by Christ Tiéhi.
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Corner, Rotherham United. Conceded by Cameron Burgess.
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Attempt saved. Georgie Kelly (Rotherham United) right footed shot from the right side of the six yard box is saved in the centre of the goal.
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Substitution, Ipswich Town. Dane Scarlett replaces Conor Chaplin.
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Sam Morsy (Ipswich Town) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
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Foul by Sam Morsy (Ipswich Town).
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Oliver Rathbone (Rotherham United) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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Attempt missed. Dexter Lembikisa (Rotherham United) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the right. Assisted by Christ Tiéhi.
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Attempt missed. Conor Chaplin (Ipswich Town) right footed shot from the centre of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Omari Hutchinson with a cross.
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Offside, Ipswich Town. Conor Chaplin tries a through ball, but Leif Davis is caught offside.