Ipswich Town 2-2 West Brom: Terry Hunt's views on the Blues

First and foremost, it was a cracking game. Well, the second half was, to be more accurate. Ipswich were in command throughout the second 45 minutes and the action built to a thrilling crescendo which could so easily have seen us grab an extraordinary victory.

We really are getting value for money at Portman Road these days. Win, lose or draw, virtually every game is hugely entertaining. We’ve seen 60 goals in 15 home games, for goodness sake!

What a welcome contrast to all those deadly dull, colourless matches some of us suffered under Mick McCarthy.

Secondly, we yet again showed our fighting spirit and determination to battle back - yet again - after going behind twice. Omari Hutchinson’s sharp finish was the bare minimum we deserved after a storming second half.

Terry says Nathan Broadhead has looked much improved recently (Image: PA Images)
Hutchinson certainly made a big difference when he came on. Lots of Town fans are calling for him to start games but, for whatever reason, up to now he just hasn’t been as effective when he’s been in from the start.

The performances of our two new strikers was another positive. Kieffer Moore’s powerful physical presence offers a potent alternative to the intricate attacking football which has served us so well this season.

I think we just need to learn how to use him most effectively. We certainly don’t want to constantly lump the ball up to him in the air. But that option can be used when needed.

Our other new striker, Ali Al-Hamadi, looks like a really exciting prospect. Admittedly, he’s only had a couple of cameos so far, but I really like what I’ve seen. The West Brom keeper made a stunning save to deny him a fairy-tale winner.

Finally, I was pleased to see a much improved performance from Nathan Broadhead, and a smartly taken goal to set us on our way in the opening seconds of the second half.

Ali Al-Hamadi has impressed in his two cameo appearances (Image: Steve Waller)
Broadhead is a key player for us, and he’s looked distinctly below par recently, maybe because of the absence of the injured George Hirst. He’s been much better in the last couple of games. Thanks to the arrival of Kieffer Moore, perhaps?

Sadly, there were also a few negatives from the West Brom game. Frustratingly, they are the same shortcomings which have been costing us in recent weeks.

Yet again, we made a really sluggish start, and could have been two down in the first few minutes. We just looked way off the pace and the visitors were dominating every aspect of the play.

Why does it keep happening? Kieran McKenna says the players talked about the issue, but that discussion doesn’t seem to have made a jot of difference. Yet again, we had to haul our way back into the game, for the umpteenth time.

We also conceded two poor goals, another recurring theme. Luke Woolfenden allowed himself to be brushed aside far too easily for the first goal. He should have been much, much stronger.

Luke Woolfenden had to be stronger for West Brom's first goal (Image: Steve Waller)
Then, during a second half we totally dominated, we managed to gift West Brom another goal. George Edmundson played a very unwise hospital pass to Marcus Harness. Yes, Harness should have done better, but he had only been on the pitch for a matter of seconds, and hadn’t actually touched the ball!

The fact is, we concede too many goals. We’ve shipped 40 in 30 league games. It’s far too many. I know our recent opponents have scored with every shot on target, but the longer-term stats don’t lie.

Can we get back into the top two against the relentless winning machines which are Leeds and Southampton? Yes, it’s possible, but we need to make the most of the upcoming run of games against opponents from the bottom half of the table. We also need Leeds and Southampton to falter.

Kieffer Moore has added a new dimension to Town's attack (Image: Steve Waller)
I hope there are no Town fans who are counting their chickens when it comes to games against the likes of Millwall and Rotherham. They will scrap, fight and - if they go ahead - employ the dark arts of time wasting and disrupting the flow of the game. They might not be classics...

More than anything, we must start winning again. How about straightforward performances in which start well, go ahead, and keep clean sheets? That would do nicely.