Portsmouth 1(0) - 1(0) Ipswich Town 3:00pm 11th September 1999 Nationwide League Division One Petterson, Crowe (McLoughlin 62), Whitbread, Miglioranzi, Vlachos, Peron, Cundy, Thogersen, Whittingham (Igoe 66), Allen (Nightingale 24), Panopoulos Subs not used: Flahavan, Pamarot Goals: Whittingham 48 Booked: Cundy Sent Off:   R. Wright, Wilnis (Magilton 46), Clapham, Venus, Holland, Johnson (Axeldal 89), Scowcroft, Naylor (Stockwell 46), J. Wright, Brown, McGreal Subs not used: Salmon, Niven Goals: Scowcroft 88 Booked: Clapham, Venus, Wilnis, Johnson, Magilton Sent Off: McGreal (40) Attendance: 16,034 Referee: P Alcock (Halstead)

Ipswich had defender John McGreal sent off in the first half but still stormed back to snatch a late equaliser. Ipswich remain unbeaten after James Scowcroft had taken advantage of some defensive hesitancy to score with two minutes remaining. McGreal was sent off in the 40th minute for a clumsy challenge on Portsmouth veteran striker Guy Whittingham on the edge of the area when referee Paul Alcock deemed he was the last man. Alcock also booked five Ipswich players, and one from Portsmouth, former Ipswich defender Jason Cundy. Portsmouth were made to look second best until £1 million striker Rory Allen limped off in the 24th minute with an ankle injury. His replacement, teenager Luke Nightingale, quickly made an impression and Portsmouth deserved to take the lead soon after the break. The goal owed much to the bravery of Whittingham and also an error of judgment by England fringe goalkeeper Richard Wright. Australian Mike Panopoulos marked a sound debut following his £500,000 transfer from Greek football, by hoisting a deep centre in from the right. Wright raced from his goal to the edge of the area in an attempt to catch it but Whittingham got in first to loop a gentle header into the net. Ipswich manager George Burley sent on experienced midfield players Micky Stockwell and Jim Magilton at the start of the second half and their class began to tell as Portsmouth tired in the second half. Portsmouth goalkeeper Andy Petterson made a superb save to prevent Scowcroft scoring with a header in the 74th minute and then dived at the feet of leading scorer David Johnson. But Scowcroft was not to be denied and with time running out, Stockwell dispossessed Jeff Peron in midfield and crossed for Scowcroft to get in front of Adrian Whitbread to nudge in a shot from six yards. Referee Alcock booked Jamie Clapham, Mark Venus, Fabian Wilnis, Johnson and Magilton all for fouls as Ipswich struggled to show the form which had taken them to the top of the first division. But their hard-earned point at Fratton Park keeps them right up among the early-season pacesetters.