Ipswich and Watford fought out a 1-1 draw at Portman Road with both goals coming in a five-minute spell in the first half.
The visitors’ leading scorer Imran Louza found the net after 16 minutes, with Jaden Philogene equalising for the home side.
Ipswich enjoyed the lion’s share of possession and shots but failed to find the crucial winner.
The result dropped both teams down the league, with Town down to 10th and Watford falling to 12th.
Ipswich exerted early pressure on the Watford goal.
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Watford weren’t ahead for too long, after Jaden Philogene scored with a lovely finish to pull Ipswich level.
They won a corner after just 12 seconds which was taken by Sindre Walle Egeli but safely plucked out of the air by Watford’s Norwegian international goalkeeper Egil Selvik.
They then won a free-kick 25 yards from goal when striker George Hirst was fouled but Philogene’s shot went high over the crossbar.
At the other end, a raid down the left by Watford’s Kwadwo Baah came to an end when he was stopped by the home defence to allow Christian Walton to gather the ball.
Town midfielders Azor Matusiwa and Jens Cajuste linked up in the ninth minute, with the latter’s 20-yard effort going just wide of a post.
Watford took the lead in the 16th minute through their leading scorer Louza following great link-up play between Baah and left-back Marc Bola, whose cross deflected off Ipswich skipper Dara O’Shea and into the path of the midfielder.
A cross from Darnell Furlong found Hirst but he headed just over as Ipswich went in search of an equaliser which came through Philogene’s sixth goal of the season.
He was picked just inside the penalty area by Cedric Kipre and strode forward to fire an unerring shot past Selvik.
The visitors won two consecutive corners, both taken by Moroccan international Louza, while at the other end Egeli and Furlong combined which resulted in a cross into the box that just failed to find Hirst.
Matusiwa was fouled by Jeremy Ngakia and Philogene’s free-kick found Kipre in Watford’s six-yard area but his header just grazed the outside of a post and he was adjudged offside as the half drew to a close.
Chuba Akpom’s goal-bound shot brought a smart save from Selvik and Mamadou Doumbia’s long-range left-footed effort went just over the Ipswich bar.
Substitute Ivan Azon had a wonderful opportunity for Ipswich when he was found unmarked from a pinpoint cross from Egeli but he headed wide and fellow substitute Jack Taylor fired over when well-placed.
Selvik made a superb save from Azon’s header following a cross from Jack Clarke and Marcelino Nunez put his head in his hands after skying a gilt-edged chance at the death.
The managers
Ipswich’s Kieran McKenna:
“I’m frustrated with the result and to just get a point in the game. There was some ups and downs but I thought there were more positives than negatives and certainly on chances created we’ve done more than enough to win the game.
“So we are frustrated to only come out of it with a point but we have to keep learning and improving, take lessons from it.
“We have conceded a poor goal, so we’re disappointed with that. The reaction to the goal was really good, that’s a big positive. We learnt from previous lessons and we got straight back into our football, kept cool heads and scored a really good goal.
“We got ourselves to half-time in a decent position and I think most of the second half we chased it well and we had a couple of great chances.”
Watford’s Javi Gracia:
“We tried to win but we know Ipswich are very strong here and are one of the teams like (league leaders) Coventry and playing away with the difficulties we have this season, but I’m happy with the attitude of my players and the spirit they showed and I think it’s something good for us to get this reward, to be well prepared for the next game.
“We have competed because the other team was really tough and we had to defend well to be more compact in the last part of the game, to defend in a low block and try to be consistent and we did it.
“Around 70 minutes there were two or three chances for each team to counter-attack and there were some chances to score…but they had more clear chances at the end.
“I’m happy with the performance and with the reward of the point.”