Watford frustrate Ipswich with 0-0 draw as the Tractor Boys fail to regain top spot in the Championship

Watford frustrated Ipswich Town’s bid to climb back to top spot in the Championship following a 0-0 draw at Portman Road.

The Tractor Boys moved back to second spot on the same amount of points as leaders Leicester City who have a better goal difference but who lost last night 1-0 at Millwall, and a point ahead of Leeds, who also drew 0-0 at home to Sunderland yesterday.

Ipswich failed to take their chances in a dominant first half with Nathan Broadhead striking the base of the post and Keiffer Moore’s bullet header being clawed away by Watford’s Austrian international goalkeeper Daniel Bachmann.

But the Hornets could have taken all three points in the dying minutes when Edo Kayembe spotted Ipswich goalkeeper Vaclav Hladky off his line. His shot was acrobatically turned away for a corner by the Town’s shot stopper.

The game was only 20 seconds old when Ipswich made an early statement of intent. Kayden Jackson was put through on goal from a slick Nathan Broadhead pass but his shot was blocked. 

At the other end Yaser Asprilla spotted  Hladky off his line and tried his luck from just inside the home side’s half but he fired well past the post.

Another attack by Ipswich involving Jackson, Harry Clarke and Welsh international Moore resulted in a shot at goal by Broadhead which was safely gathered by Watford’s shot stopper.

Hutchinson was laid prone on the floor after he appeared to have been elbowed in the chest by Wesley Hoedt off the ball on the half way line.

And midway through the first period Moore’s first time effort went just wide following a thrusting run and cross down the right by Jackson.

Town were pressing for the opening goal and had the greater possession and threat going forward but Watford were also posing questions for the Ipswich defence with their Georgian international Giorgi Chakvetadze prominent in making darting forward attacks.

With 10 minutes left in the half Broadhead was found just on the edge the penalty area but once again his shot was straight at Watford’s goalkeeper.

And a minute later Ipswich came close to opening their account.

It was Broadhead again with a shot from just outside the penalty area which trickled past Bachmann and struck the post with the Hornets’ defence clearing the ball.

Town were really growing into the game and a sensational pass from Hutchinson played in Jackson down the right. His cross into the box found midfielder Jack Taylor but his shot deflected off Broadhead and Ipswich failed to capitalise as the ball rolled away.

Morsy charged forward and took aim from outside the box. His shot dipped through a crowd of players before Bachmann collected it.

The Watford goalkeeper was in the thick of the action again as he clawed away a bullet header from Moore following a perfectly weighted cross from Clarke.

But for all the Ipswich domination the half ended all square.

The pattern of the game shifted in the opening stages of the second period with Watford enjoying far more time on the ball and finding a little bit more space in the final third while Town were playing on the counter attack.

Broadhead tried to chip Bachmann from out on the left hand side of the visitor’s half close to the penalty area but the Watford goalkeeper safely gathered the ball from just below the bar.

Watford’s first meaningful attempt at goal came just before the hour mark when Asprilla took aim with a curling effort from just outside the 18-yard area which cannoned off the chest of Hladky. It was cleared to safety by the Ipswich defence just before Vakoun Bayo was able to reach the rebound.

Ipswich manager Kieran McKenna made three changes in the 62nd minute in an effort to put the Town ahead bringing on Conor Chaplin, Jeremy Sarmiento and Massimo Lungo for Broadhead, Jackson and Taylor.

And eight minutes later Ali Al-Hamadi replaced Moore while Ismael Kone came on for Watford in place of Chakvetadze.

There was more action on the sideline as Luke Woolfenden replaced George Edmundson with 12 minutes remaining.

Town were now pressing hard for that vital opening goal and had Watford on the back foot.

There was a scamble in the visitor’s penalty area following a free kick 25 yards out from Morsy while Nigerian international Emmanuel Dennis came on to replace Bayo in the 85th minute.

As time began to run out Al-Hamadi latched onto a ball and fired a deflected shot inside the box but it bobbled wide for a corner.

But Watford almost snatched victory in added time when a long range shot by Kayembe was turned away for a corner by Hladky.