We had too many players switched off

Royle though did speak later about the game and admitted to being disappointed that his side didn’t pick up all three points.

"In the end I was disappointed to come away with just a draw", said Royle. "A month or so I go I suppose we would have been more than pleased to get a point at Turf Moor, a place where Spurs, Wolves and Forest have all lost recently. But our standards now mean we have to be disappointed.

"I was pleased for Pablo Counago when he scored, in fact I was pleased for us because although we had passed the ball around well and had some good possession we really didn’t look as though we had a goal in us.

"It took an innovative corner that was worked between Darren Ambrose and Jim Magilton for Pablo to score but I did think we were very fortunate to go in at half time a goal up.

"We were much better in the second half though but then we missed too many chances. On another day Darren Bent might have had three with all the one-on-ones he had with the Burnley keeper.

"And as for Burnley’s penalty Andy Marshall has held his hands up and admitted it was an error of judgement so as far as I am concerned we will leave it at that."

Sam Ellis was in the box seat after the match just as he had been at Portman Road but this time it was because of Stan’s TV appearance and nothing to do with mouth ulcers.

Sam, like most of us enjoyed the game. "I thought it was a good game of football", said Ellis. "There were two good sides out there today and both of them were trying to win the game. We were really disappointed with the goal we conceded, we had too many players switched off, and had to be upset at being 1-0 down at half time. But we tried out best and had some chances and did well.

"We believe that Ipswich are one of the better sides in our division and we have now matched them twice and had two good games of football with them."

He then spoke about new signing Driss Diallo.

When both managers decline to attend the post-match press conference it suggests a match of such controversy that neither wish to past comment.

Nothing could have been further from the truth here. Except for the occasional over-zealous application of the laws by the officials, the major talking point was that despite the number of chances created there was no winning goal.

Afterwards Burnley's Stan Ternent had to catch a London-bound plane and his opposite number Joe Royle the team coach. Thus supporters were left in the dark as to the managers' thoughts on a result that did little to bolster either side's play-off hopes.

In his absence, Ternent sent along his assistant Sam Ellis, a courtesy not extended by Ipswich who, though unbeaten in the last seven league games, will feel the more frustrated at not translating their chances into a full quota of points.

For that they can blame some woeful finishing, particularly by the substitute Darren Bent and the defender Hermann Hreidarsson. Nik Michopoulos also gave an assured goalkeeping display, restored to the Burnley side after returning from a loan period.

Had Pablo Counago played for longer than 38 minutes things might have been different. The Spaniard gave Ipswich a first-half lead with his 14th goal of the season - and the first away from home - as the Burnley defence slumbered at a Darren Ambrose corner. However the 23-year-old had to be substituted shortly afterwards, suffering a nasty cut to the face in an accidental clash with Burnley's debutant defender Drissa Diallo, whose other notable contribution was a fine goal-line clearance from Bent.

Without Counago's constant threat in front of goal, Ipswich failed to find any finish to match some neat approach play.

Burnley hauled themselves level midway through the second-half with Robbie Blake's eighth goal of the season, calmly despatched from the penalty spot after goalkeeper Andy Marshall brought down Ian Moore.