Ipswich were able to protect their unbeaten home league run stretching back to last March, after the Hampshire official turned down frantic 83rd-minute penalty appeals from the visitors.

A dull second half almost produced a late decider, as Ipswich keeper Neil Alexander dropped a cross from Liam Lawrence and burly sub Jon Parkin was bundled over as he closed in for the kill.

And Pulis was furious that Stroud did not see the offence. "Their keeper missed the ball completely and took Parkin's legs as he was going to lift the ball over him," said the Stoke boss.

"I have seen it again. I saw him take his legs. What is disappointing is that the referee could not have been in a better position, it's embarrassing."

But later, Alexander hit back denying that he had fouled Parkin.

"I never touched him," he said. "I parried the ball, he fell over on me and I have got the stud marks on my head to prove it."

A late goal for either side would have been a travesty after they both showed the determination that should earn Championship play-off places in May.

Ipswich started in stunning fashion and deserved to be ahead after 19 minutes through Danny Haynes.

He accepted a pass from Alan Lee and skipped over a challenge from Carl Dickinson before shooting across Steve Simonsen.

But Stoke did not go into yesterday's game in fourth place in Championship without good reason.

They refused to buckle after that early setback and equalised just after the half-hour with a slick goal of their own, set up by a surging run into the Ipswich area from Danny Pugh.

At first, Pugh's pass to Ricardo Fuller looked misjudged as the Jamaican international was facing away from goal.

But with a keen striker's instinct he turned sharply and unleashed a shot across the face of Alexander for his 12th goal of the season.

Both scorers might have struck again in a second half when chances at both ends were scarce.

Haynes saw a fierce, dipping 25-yard effort tipped over by Simonsen, while Fuller failed to get past Alexander when clean through on goal.

But while Pulis was unhappy over the penalty incident, Jim Magilton was delighted with the point that protected Ipswich's excellent unbeaten home run in the League.

He said: "For the first 20 minutes, we were excellent, but physically Stoke are a very tough side, which is why they are so high in the League. You've got to give them credit where credit is due."

Graham Otway (Sunday Mirror)