Furlong dodges red card

IPSWICH manager Joe Royle accepted a point after a late equaliser from rookie Danny Haynes, but was livid that Paul Furlong had not been dismissed before scoring Rangers’ second, which threatened to give them victory. Furlong appeared to have stamped on sprawling Ipswich keeper Lewis Price’s head and was lucky not to have been sent off for the third time this season.

The striker later claimed he had accidentally caught Price, who needed three stitches, but Royle was not convinced.

“If we had lost that game I would have been devastated,” said Royle. “Their first goal was scored by a fella that should not have been on the pitch. When you stamp on someone’s head, you have to go.” But Rangers manager Ian Holloway countered: “Joe is wrong. Paul was jumping over the keeper and caught him accidentally. I agree that Ipswich deserved a draw.”

A combination of young and old salvaged the point for Ipswich as 17-year-old substitute Haynes got on the end of a sweet delivery from the veteran Jim Magilton to head home a last-gasp leveller.

Furlong may have one of the worst disciplinary records in the Championship, but the 38-year-old had put Rangers back in front when he bundled in a Gareth Ainsworth cross. Ainsworth also provided the ball for striker Stefan Moore to head in the opener after 26 minutes.

Ipswich’s best hopes of a goal were from Darren Currie’s set-pieces, captain Jason de Vos eventually meeting a corner at the near post in the 34th minute to make it 1-1.

George Davis (Sunday Times)