Southampton 1-1 Ipswich Town: Stuart Watson's verdict

Sam Morsy celebrates  (Image: Ross Halls)

IT'S HAPPENED AGAIN

Once again, Ipswich scored deep into stoppage-time against Southampton.

Jeremy Sarmiento's iconic 97th minute goal secured a win that proved vital in securing Championship promotion back on Easter Monday. Only time will tell how important Sam Morsy's 95th strike at St Mary's will turn out to be in the quest to stay in the Premier League.

It's another box ticked for the Blues as they feel their way into the top-flight. A first goal (at Man City), a first point (against Fulham), a first clean sheet and away point (at Brighton) and now a first comeback point.

Town claimed 32 points from losing positions last season (W8 D8) and scored 31 goals from the 75th minute onwards. It's great to see the running towards adversity spirit remains amongst a new-look group.

How fitting it was that skipper Sam Morsy produced the magic moment in front of a packed away end. He epitomises the Blues' never-say-die spirit.

Kieran McKenna watches on (Image: PA Images)  THREE UNBEATEN  

They may all be draws, but Ipswich are unbeaten in three Premier League games now. That's some achievement so early into a first campaign at this level in 22 years.

For context, Sheffield United didn't manage that for the whole of last season. It took Luton until January to do so and Burnley until March.

Nottingham Forest, Fulham, Crystal Palace and Manchester United all had just one 3+ game undefeated streak in 2023/24.

Town may not be the winning machine they were on the way to back-to-back promotions, but they're not rolling over and having their bellies tickled either.

A solid foundation to build on is hopefully being laid.

Southampton take the lead early on (Image: PA Images) FAIR RESULT

In truth, it didn't feel like the equaliser was coming as the game entered the latter stages. 

Take nothing away from Morsy's goal, because it was a cool first touch and well-struck shot under pressure, but a sizeable deflection did help it find the top corner.

Southampton will feel hard done by but, Kieran McKenna's right to say his team deserved a share of the spoils.

The Blues were the better side for the first 25 minutes. The opener had come against the run of play.

Yes, the Saints came close to scoring again - Cameron Archer struck the post in the first half and saw a close-range effort kept out by Aro Muric in the second. But Ipswich had their chances too - Aaron Ramsdale produced a flying one-handed stop to deny Omari Hutchinson just before the break and showed fine reflexes to tip George Hirst's header over just before the equaliser.

The stats show that while the Saints edged possession (54%), Ipswich had more shots (13-11), shots on target (6-3) and corners (10-2).

Wes Burns gets felled (Image: PA Images) ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT

There are undoubtedly things to improve on.

Town were on top for a decent spell in the first half, but weren't able to turn territory and a string of corners into clear cut chances.

In the second half, there were too many incidences of cheap fouls and sloppy passing. Better sides would probably have punished that.

McKenna knows all that though. He knows this team is a work in progress.

"We had some big, big moments - and we've had it in every game - where it doesn't end up a chance or a shot," said the Blues boss.

"I think we're really, really close. Even the Brighton game last week, we didn't have many chances but there were probably six or seven moments where if the though ball is released a split second earlier, one touch fewer is taken, we have a little bit more angle and we've got a one-v-one or two-v-two against the keeper.

"It's harder to create chances at this level, but I don't think we're too far way."

Jens Cajuste made his first league start (Image: Ross Halls) PERSPECTIVE TIME 

This was a team without its most experienced top-flight player in Kalvin Phillips. Napoli loanee Jens Cajuste did okay (he's got a long throw in his locker, by the way) and will be better for the minutes, but Town missed their most experienced Premier League player in the middle of the park. Thankfully, the Man City loanee's thigh injury is only a minor one.

Liam Delap, for the first time this season, was kept really quiet. The Saints doubled up on him in a physical manner. Hutchinson, meanwhile, was a mixture of magic moments and loose passes.

Those two are, remember, just 21 and 20 respectively and playing at this level, properly, for the first time. 

Asked about Hutchinson's development, McKenna said: "I think there's still more to come. 

"There's a lot of, maybe responsibility is the wrong word, but he and Liam are two very young players to be a number nine and a number 10 for a Premier League club.

"Neither of them were perfect today, they are not going to be, but they're two players with great attributes and they're trying to grow into leading a team at this level."

The same is true for Southampton, to be fair, who had Archer (22), Mateus Fernandes (20) and the impressive Tyler Dibling (18) in their attack.

Both newly-promoted clubs are still waiting for their first league win of the season. Ipswich will be feeling much happier about this draw though.