Town still waiting for their first Premier League victory following 2-2 draw with Aston Villa

Ipswich Town are still waiting for their first Premier League win of the season after a thrilling 2-2 draw with Aston Villa at Portman Road.

A brace from Liam Delap, including a wonderful solo effort, along with a series of saves from Argentinian international Emiliano Martinez failed to produce that elusive and much needed victory.

Delap opened the scoring in the eighth minute when he steered the ball past Martinez at the near post but a mistake in defence by Jacob Greaves led to Morgan Rogers equalising seven minutes later.

England international Ollie Watkins then gave the visitors the lead before Delap’s wonder goal in the 72nd minute.

Villa dominated the opening few minutes with much of the play in the Ipswich half and a shot from Youri Tielemans flew over the bar from 25 yards out.

But Town opened the scoring. Sam Morsy’s crisp shot from outside the box hit the heels of Omari Hutchinson. Villa failed to clear their lines and Jack Clarke, starting his first game for the Town, managed to cut the ball back for Delap to hit the ball first time past Martinez.

Villa hit back within seven minutes. In an attempt to clear the ball from the Town’s penalty area Greaves hit it straight at Rogers who exchanged passes with Watkins and reversed a shot into the bottom left corner of the Ipswich goal.

At the other end a free kick from Morsy found Town full back Axel Tuanzebe who headed just over the bar and a cross from Leif Davis fell to Jack Clarke whose header was just off target.

After pressing the Town defence Villa took the lead through Watkins in the 32nd minute.

Leon Bailey delivered a teasing cross to Watkins who got between Town defenders Dara O’Shea and Axel Tuanzebe to cooly head past Arijanet Muric.

A free kick from Davis was headed clear from the Villa defenders but the ball fell to Phillips whose half volley was acrobatically turned round the post by Martinez. And the visitor’s shot stopper was called into action moments later.

Davis produced an outstanding defence splitting pass and Jack Clarke let the ball run with Delap having just Martinez to beat but the Argentinian goalkeeper spread himself and made a brilliant stop with his outstretched leg.

Just before the half time break referee Stuart Attwell brandished his first yellow card of the game to Morsy following his foul on Rogers. And shortly after the start of the second period he booked Villa’s Lucas Digne.

Town were beginning to gain greater possession and there were a serious of fouls which included another yellow card for Ipswich defender Tuanzebe who ran across the heels of Tielemans.

Villa were the first to make changes when Jhon Duran and Jaden Philogene, came on for Leon Bailey and goalscorer Rogers.

Ipswich followed suit moments later bringing on Wes Burns and Jack Taylor for Phillips and Chiedozie Ogbene.

Town’s persistence to gain an equaliser paid off in the 72nd minute through man of the match Delap to send the majority of the 29,943 crowd into ecstasy.

Hutchinson slipped the ball into the path of the centre forward who charged up the left. He deceived Diego Carlos with a slick stopover in the box and cooly finished beyond Martinez.

A quick break out of defence by Ipswich almost led to a third goal for the Town.

Clarke fed the ball into the path of Burns down the right but his shot was blocked behind by the lunging Pau Torres.

Taylor then clicked the heels of Duran on the edge of the penalty area but from the resultant free kick substitute Emiliano Buendia who was bought on along with Ross Barkley and Ian Maatsen for Digne, Tielemans and Watkins, skied the ball over the bar.

Muric was called into action in the 89th minute when he parried away a shot from Barkley and Town made their final substitutions bringing on George Hirst, Massimo Luongo and Sammie Szmodics, for Morsy, Delap and Clarke.

Two successive corners for Ipswich failed to produce the winning goal in added on time and the game ended all square.