AFC Bournemouth missed the opportunity to climb to second place in the Professional Development League after going down 4-2 against Ipswich Town on Tuesday.
The Cherries were trailing 2-0 at the break to Leon Ayinde’s first-half double before netting twice in the space of five second-half minutes to restore parity at Portman Road.
A superb free-kick routine ended with Ipswich defender Dan O’Connor scoring an own goal before Balraj Landa’s stunning 25-yard strike made it 2-2.
Despite having chances to win it, Alan Connell’s team were undone by Tommy Taylor’s fortuitous goal after 72 minutes before Jacob Mazionis completed the scoring in added time.
Ayinde drew first blood with an assured finish from six yards after Edwin Agbaje’s deflected cross had fallen invitingly for him at the far post in the seventh minute.
As the Cherries looked for an immediate response, Charlie Osborne and Balraj Landa combined to fashion an opening for Finn Tonks who could not keep his effort on target.
Matty Roberts and Tommy Taylor linked up to work the ball to Ayinde, the winger poking wide of the upright with the goal gaping in the 15th minute.
Ipswich appealed in vain for a penalty after Ayinde had gone to ground under a Tonks challenge before Dom Sadi’s effort in the 22nd minute was ruled out for offside.
Callan McKenna came to the Cherries’ rescue when he spread himself and pulled off a superb save to prevent Taylor from doubling the hosts’ lead midway through the first half.
Roberts lifted a presentable opportunity over the crossbar before the same player headed a centre from Osman Foyo over the top.
Although the Cherries enjoyed long spells of possession, Ipswich doubled their lead following a swift counter-attack in the 34th minute.
Ayinde, released by Steven Turner’s pass from deep, hared down the left flank before cutting into the 18-yard box and rifling an unstoppable shot into the back of the net.
Ipswich goalkeeper Charlie Binns smothered Sadi’s low drive before another fine save from McKenna foiled Ayinde following a quick break by the hosts on the stroke of half-time.
McKenna pulled off a top-drawer save to keep out Taylor’s header early in the second half, the teenager clawing it away after the striker had met Ayinde’s hanging cross.
The Cherries halved the deficit following a well-worked free-kick routine in the 59th minute with Ipswich defender O’Connor having the final touch.
It came about after Sadi clipped the ball to Lewis Brown who lifted it first time over the hosts defence and into the path of Landa, his fierce cross striking O’Connor and crossing the line.
McKenna grabbed a speculative effort from Matt Ward before the Cherries drew level through Landa in the 64th minute.
He seized on the loose ball and finished emphatically from 25 yards, his right-foot strike arrowing into the bottom corner and past the despairing dive of Binns.
Ipswich regained the lead in the 72nd minute, Taylor credited with the final touch after Brown’s attempt at an heroic goal line clearance hit the striker and rolled into the net.
Landa fired wide after being picked out by Sadi before Binns raced off his line to block a close-range shot from Cherries substitute Ash Clarke.
Brown was forced to clear Harry Barbrook’s inswinging corner before Landa’s low drive was blocked by Town defender O’Connor late on.
Mazionis completed the scoring when he headed home a free-kick from Roberts in added time with McKenna making another fine save to prevent Jesse Nwabueze netting with the last kick of the game.
Ipswich Town: Binns, Agbaje (Lavin, h/t), Barbrook, Mazionis, O’Connor, Turner, Ward (Nwabueze, 76), Foyo, Taylor, Roberts, Ayinde. Unused subs: Cullum, Okunowo, Uzor-Greey.
Booked: Ayinde.
AFC Bournemouth: McKenna, Tonks, Osborne, Brown, Kinsey, Harris, Williams, Sadi, Tydeman (Johnson, 73), Landa, Gregory (Clarke, h/t). Unused subs: Allan (g/k), Holman, Eagle.
Booked: Tonks.
Referee: Matthew Norton.
Pictures courtesy of Jacob Henderson.
