Ipswich Town 1-1 Preston North End: Jack Clarke's controversial late penalty earns a point for Tractor Boys

Jack Clarke converted a stoppage-time penalty to rescue a point for Ipswich against Preston in a 1-1 draw at Portman Road.

The visitors had taken the lead through Lewis Gibson's scrambled effort but Town's leading scorer calmly fired past North End goalkeeper David Cornell to prevent his side from falling to their second home loss of the season.

There was still time for penalty appeals for fouls and handballs in the Preston box but referee John Busby turned them away as Preston ended their three-match losing run.

Preston looked dangerous with their limited counter attacks, with the speed of left-back Thierry Small causing Town concern.

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Clarke then found himself in a good position just inside the penalty area but he spurned a half chance by firing over the bar.

Small soon sent a dangerous cross into the penalty area and Daniel Jebbison's side-footed effort was blocked by Ipswich skipper Dara O'Shea six yards out.

Clarke was sent free on goal with a superb pass from debutant midfielder Anis Mehmeti, who was signed from Bristol City, but was dispossessed by the back-tracking Odel Offiah.

Preston had a wonderful chance to take the lead in the 28th minute when Jebbison was set free towards the Ipswich goal but the striker dinked his shot over the on-rushing Christian Walton and wide of the post.

After the break, Jebbison had space down the right and his cross picked out Alfie Devine, who cut back inside before sending a low shot wide, and Walton had to go full stretch to palm away a shot by Ben Whiteman as Preston started to show more attacking ambition.

At the other end, George Hirst had the best chance of the game when Mehmeti burst down the right and produced a sweeping forward pass ahead of the Town striker but he mis-hit his shot wide.

Preston stunned the Town faithful in the 72nd minute when Gibson forced the ball home from a corner following a scramble in the six-yard area.

There was then an almighty melee in the Preston box following an Ipswich corner as O'Shea headed towards the goal.

Jebbison cleared the ball off the line as the Town players appealed for handball and Cornell dropped the ball under pressure while Jebbison threw himself in the way of Hirst's close-range shot.

But, in the second minute of added time, Clarke was tripped in the penalty area by Pol Valentin and stepped up to convert before the referee turned down three further home penalty appeals.

The managers

Ipswich's Kieran McKenna:

"I think we should have had another two (penalties).

"I think the second one, the shove on Jack Clarke as he comes in the box and someone comes in and crashes into him from behind, is a clear pen.

"For me the one that comes back to Jack Clarke, he tries to pop it round the corner for Chuba (Akpom) in the box, a midfielder is there with his arm out and moves his arm towards the ball and knocks it away from Chuba and the referee is 10 yards away and staring straight at it.

"I take big, big, big positives in our reaction to going one-nil down and the way we pushed for the equaliser, for me what the players showed out there, what the crowd showed when they stuck together in that adversity.

"I thought the reaction was outstanding."

Preston's Paul Heckingbottom:

"The result's a shame but the performance is good, strong. I felt for the majority of the game we were comfortable regardless of the players they've got, how well coached they are.

"I felt we controlled where they had the ball and felt that after the first five minutes we carried our threat and that threat grew in the game.

"It's frustrating, a shame, but I don't think anyone could begrudge us if we'd have got the three points, they would have said really well done, a big performance, but we didn't manage to do it.

"I enjoyed watching us today, you're never 100 per cent pleased but I was really pleased with how we performed, how we went about it.

"I expect us to go out and win and it's a big ask in some games especially when you come away to a club like Ipswich, where they are and what they do.

"But I emphasise the point again that we can and we should expect, I know that we are not going to win every game, to put in performances that gives us the best chance."

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