Despite Dexter Blackstock's marvellous individual performance, capped by two contrasting goals, it was still not enough to enable Derby County manager Phil Brown to enjoy a rare taste of Championship success at Pride Park. A sequence of just one victory in 13 games is starting to become a concern.

Brown was eight minutes away from easing the frustrations at the club, before Matt Richards' wonderful low shot garnered a deserved point for Joe Royle's side. Earlier, Blackstock and Marcus Tudgay had traded goals with Jim Magilton and Richard Naylor.

Five months ago, both of these sides had aspirations of Premiership football but suffered deflation at the hands of the Championship play-offs. Recreating that optimism has proved difficult for Royle and Brown during this campaign.

Not unexpectedly, Royle has been unable to compensate for the sale of Darren Bent to Charlton, while Brown has employed no fewer than 30 players in the opening three months, including eight loan signings, in a concerted attempt to discover a winning habit.

His latest acquisition, Emerson Thome, the Brazilian defender, borrowed from Wigan, was unable to provide the protection required for 42-year-old goalkeeper Kevin Poole as Ipswich were rewarded for their more enterprising start with a goal after 10 minutes.

Brown will have been perturbed by the facile way Naylor, once a striker and now operating as a central defender, was allowed to provide the glancing touch with his head to Jim Magilton's precise and pacy free-kick. The goal was the perfect way for Naylor to mark signing a new three-year contract yesterday.

Magilton's set-piece artistry was a joy to behold, culminating in his wonderful curling effort which defeated Poole three minutes before half-time, but in between Derby demonstrated plenty of resilience of their own and a free-kick exponent, in Inigo Idiakez, to rival Magilton.

It was the Spaniard's delivery which enabled Blackstock to level the scores, forcing home Thome's downward header from close range for his second goal in as many games since arriving on loan from Southampton.

Tudgay added a second in almost as many minutes, heading in Morten Bisgaard's cross, to celebrate his first start for over six weeks.

Several Premiership managers have expressed their surprise at Derby being able to lure Blackstock on loan for a month. Eyebrows will have been raised among Southampton supporters at his inability to find a regular starting role at St Mary's. He appears to have a clinical eye for goal, judging by the way he dispatched Bisgaard's cross to regain Derby's lead 13 minutes after the interval.

However, he was denied victory when, eight minutes from time, substitute Darren Currie's cross was not intercepted and Richards produced a low shot to beat Poole and keep the clouds of despair hanging over Derby.

Ian Edwards (Daily Telegraph)