MAGIC MANN
Hornets keeper Dan stars as Tractor Boys blow chance to go top
BY
0 Watford 0
DANIEL BACHMANN denied Ipswich a top-spot return as the Championship promotion race slowed to a snail’s pace.
Saturday’s Old Farm derby loss at Norwich had ruined the weekend for the Portman Road faithful.
But Town hopes were pumped back up again on Tuesday when leaders Leicester lost and Leeds drew.
The door was wide open for Kieran Mckenna’s side to leap-frog both rivals – but Watford keeper Bachmann refused to be beaten.
The Austria shot-stopper pulled off a string of saves, with a point only good enough for Town to squeeze above Leeds into second. Yaser Asprilla sent an audacious 40-yarder over Town keeper Vaclav Hladky as Watford threatened a shock early lead.
But that dropped over the bar – and it was the Tractor Boys who went close next.
A slick passing move set up Nathan Broadhead on the edge of the box for a low drive that Bachmann moved smartly to stop.
Kieffer Moore was next to go close, with the on-loan Bournemouth striker firing wide at the near post from Kayden Jackson’s delivery.
Broadhead saw another attempt saved by Bachmann – but his next effort beat the Austrian only to bounce back off a post.
Ipswich were on top and the chances kept coming, with skipper Sam Morsy forcing Bachmann into another stop from range.
And the Hornets skipper excelled with the best save of the night to deny Moore just before the break.
This time it was Harry Clarke who delivered from the right flank to find the big man’s head – but Bachmann reacted superbly to palm it away. And the Hornets keeper was soon back in action after the break, back-pedalling to stop Broadhead’s cross dropping under the bar.
Asprilla burst back into the game again at the other end and Hladky had to scramble to bat away his swerving long-ranger.
It was no surprise that Mckenna sent on three substitutes just after the hour mark, with Massimo Luongo, Conor Chaplin and Jeremy Sarmiento all deployed.
Hornets defender Ryan Porteous was booked for stopping Omari Hutchinson bursting clear down the right as time ticked away for Town.
Mckenna sent Ali Al-hamadi on to add fresh firepower, but it was Hladky who had to make a last-gasp save to preserve a point as Edo Kayembe tried his luck from 35 yards.