Boro recovered from a shocking start going behind in under a minute to get a fighting draw. The new players made an immediate impact and there was a real feeling from the travelling fans that this is something to build on in the days and weeks ahead.

There were lots of changes as Celtic took on Sunderland at Portman Road. No, sorry, that was an Ipswich pub joke but the element of truth about it is that there were numerous changes for both sides and an awful lot involved the respective manager’s former clubs.

Mind you Boro were short of both Scott McDonald and Barry Robson. The latter obviously suspended and the former not yet recovered from his recent hernia operation. Why did no one think to mention that before? Actually I’m just as culpable I had read about it last week but didn’t think it through.

Anyway, that left Boro to start with two big men Lee Miller and Chris Killen up front but with the most makeshift of midfield’s behind them. There was no Julio Arca, presumably injured, instead it was Hoyte and O’Neil in the centre and Flood and Andrew Taylor on the flanks. Not surprisingly Hoyte was not a success in the centre and Taylor bound to be rusty after so long out.

McManus came in for his first start at centre back and looked an instant hit alongside Wheater, they make for a very string pairing. Grounds moved over to left back and Naughton started at right back. A weird formation but obviously one much influenced by the limited number of players available.

It was Roy Keane’s new boys that took first blood. Within seconds of kick off we were robbed on the left, Healy skipped down the flank and launched a centre that caught us cold as Darly Murphy beat Wheater and Coyne to score.

This was just the thing to get a big 21 000+ home crowd stoked up and Ipswich now put us on the back foot as they looked for a second and probably killer goal. Danny-Danny Coyne made a couple of good saves and the new look backline closed ranks to snuff out Ipswich.

We started to enjoy more possession but rarely did anything with it. Willo Flood was everywhere as always and he created a bit of panic for the home side when he whipped in a dangerous cross. New boy Miller put himself about but it was Chris Killen whose spectacular overhead kick might have been the talking point. But it didn’t trouble the Ipswich keeper unduly.

Second half and Strachan re-organised. Hoyte moved to the right flank and Flood inside. Suddenly we had a potent attacking threat of Naughton and Hoyte speeding down the right, great potential there. Taylor put over an excellent centre from the left but was replaced soon after by the more direct Franks. Now we could get behind Ipswich down both wings.

The equaliser was from O’Neil corner smacked home by a David Wheater header. Wheats attacked the ball like former Boro and Ipswich favourite Tony Mowbray, a great moment. Could Boro steal all the points?

Suddenly Ipswich was reeling under Boro’s raids down both wings. A wonderful move saw the ball switched inside from Franks and be fed off for Hoyte speeding in but he failed to bury his shot. Miller went close with a header and later Killen tried to hook the ball home as the ball ricocheted around the Ipswich box.

Gradually Ipswich weathered the storm and hit back themselves giving us a few shaky moments but McManus and the other defenders stood strong in front of Danny Coyne.

I suppose in the end a draw was fair enough really and a good comeback from getting caught out so early on. The team did show a lot of character and Miller, McManus and Naughton settled in very well and all enjoyed solid debuts. It seems a strange thing to say but I think we probably can draw more optimism from this draw than from the crushing victory in our last away game at Donny. We are looking like a team again and with the odd loan signing in midfield and eventually the appearance of goal scorer Scott McDonald we could start to put a few points together. Hopefully six of them this week.

Ipswich Town 1-1 Middlesbrough

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