In his attempt to prise Ipswich off the foot of the Championship table, Keane has admitted appealing to divine inspiration, and in a scruffy affair on the Devon coast, his prayers were finally answered in the form of a slice of outrageous good fortune. While not exactly a stairway to heaven, Jon Steads second-half equaliser has probably prevented a far worse plague from visiting Keanes house.

Ipswich have now gone winless for 14 games, the only team in England yet to record a victory. The fans and the players are still behind Keane. More importantly, so are the board, who rallied to the Irishmans defence this week. But once a slide has been identified, discontent can foment exponentially. At what point does a drama become a crisis? Keane is about to find out.

If the Irishman felt like a man reprieved, though, he was not showing it. Castigating his strikers for not putting away their chances, he admitted he was embroiled in a fight for survival. Were in the bottom three and weve got a battle ahead, he said. But were creating chances, we just have to learn to grind out results.

In fairness, Ipswich were good value for their point. As has happened so often this season, though, they were pummelled by a soft goal. Rory Fallons hopeful pull-back found Carl Fletcher, who shot low and left-footed from 20 yards. It was a nothing goal, but one that meant everything.

Plymouth, with former Portman Road cherub Paul Mariner as their new head coach, were making the telling passes and the surging runs, Ipswich looking short on ideas. And yet. Out of nowhere, Gary Sawyer left a routine back pass unacceptably short and Stead gleefully dribbled the ball around Romain Larrieu to equalise. Mysterious ways indeed.

Second from bottom and carrying his own almighty burden, Plymouth manager Paul Sturrock was vexed further by the late dismissal of Darcy Blake for a feisty lunge on Jon Walters. I thought it was very soft, he said. Were considering an appeal.

Jonathan Liew (Telegraph.co.uk)