LIAM DELAP scored a brilliant brace as Ipswich came from behind to earn a 2-2 draw against Aston Villa.
The former Manchester City striker, 21, fired the newly-promoted side ahead at Portman Road after just eight minutes.
Morgan Rogers levelled for the visitors after a quarter of an hour, playing a one-two with Ollie Watkins inside the area before he lashed a smart finish into the bottom corner.
And Unai Emery’s side completed the turnaround 13 minutes before half-time when an unmarked Watkins headed Villa in front.
Ipswich pressed for an equaliser after the break and got their reward in the 72nd minutes in superb fashion as Delap breezed past Diego Carlos with two delightful step overs and rifled into the far corner.
The result sees Kieran McKenna’s men climb out of the relegation zone and up to 15th, while Villa miss out on moving level on points with table-toppers Liverpool as they remain fifth.
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Ipswich took the lead when Villa failed to clear the ball and Jack Clarke cut the ball back for Delap, whose first-time shot slipped through goalkeeper Emi Martinez’s glove even though he had the near post covered.
But Villa responded seven minutes later when Jacob Greaves gave the ball away in a poor clearance, with Rogers picking it up in the box and playing a one-two with Watkins before firing home the equaliser.
Portman Road was quickly silenced soon after when Leon Bailey whipped in a cross that took out both Ipswich centre backs and Watkins made it 2-1 with a header for his fourth goal of the season.
Ipswich had two glorious opportunities to level but Martinez came to Villa’s rescue when he palmed away a rocket of a shot from Kalvin Phillips before sticking a leg out to deny Delap when he was clean through on goal.
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The second half was not as chaotic as the first as the two teams played with more composure.
Ipswich equalised on a counter-attack after 72 minutes, however, when Delap beat the offside trap and got the better of defender Diego Carlos with a sublime shimmy before beating Martinez.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
