Southampton held to draw by Ipswich after late equaliser

Ipswich scored a last-minute equaliser to deny Southampton a hard-fought first win of the season after the home side held onto a lead for almost 90 minutes. 

The Saints took the lead within six minutes through Tyler Dibling and defended solidly throughout before conceding the sucker punch in stoppage time as Tractor Boys captain Sam Morsy struck home a deflected goal from distance.

Southampton headed into the match at St Mary’s stranded on zero points having lost their first four and with only Everton below them in the table.

Meanwhile Ipswich also remained without a win in their first season back in the top flight for more than two decades.

And it was a link-up of the generations that broke the deadlock just six minutes in as veteran Adam Lallana was gifted the ball by the away side before finding Tyler Dibling, half his age at 18, just outside the box.

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Tyler Dibling finished smartly, slotting the ball low into the corner to send the home fans, starved of goals so far this campaign, into raptures

The youngster finished smartly, slotting the ball low into the corner to send the home fans, starved of goals so far this campaign, into raptures.

Ipswich responded well to the early setback, knocking it around nicely and creating a few substantial chances but failing to make the breakthrough.

And just before the half-hour mark Southampton spurned an opportunity to double thier lead and leave the Tractor Boys in real trouble, with Cameron Archer slamming the post after beating two defenders and goalkeeper Arijanet Muric.

Kieran McKenna’s side then missed a golden chance on the stroke of half-time as Dara O’Shea disappointingly tapped it straight at Aaron Ramsdale after the former Arsenal goalkeeper had conceded a cheap corner.

The Saints knew something had to change if they were to protect their tenuous lead for another 45 minutes and Archer, in a move that echoed his first-half chance, ghosted past two Ipswich defenders before striking the ball into the keeper’s grateful arms.

Southampton then made a host of changes, including hooking Archer for Ben Brereton Diaz who held the unwanted record of going winless in his first 18 Premier League matches.

With both sides fighting furiously for the victory to kickstart their campaign, tempers overflowed with a melee causing Ipswich striker Liam Delap and Southampton captain Flynn Downes to enter the book. 

The away side were struggling to gain a foothold in the second period and the travelling suppoters could sense the game was getting away from their team.

At the other end, Brereton Diaz flashed a shot over the bar as the Saints looked to put the match out of reach.

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Cameron Archer ghosted past two Ipswich defenders before striking the ball into the keeper’s grateful arms

But, with an equaliser seemingly nowhere to be seen, captain Sam Morsy stepped up to stun the Saints with a thundering shot from 25 yards which was deflected off Joe Aribo and in.

Ipswich, sensing blood, even tried to push for a winner in the dying seconds but once the final whistle sounded, McKenna’s men could celebrate a draw which felt like a win.