IPSWICH TOWN 1, OLDHAM ATHLETIC 1
Oldham Athletic blunted the cutting edge of in-form Sky Bet League Two Ipswich Town as they almost pulled off an Emirates FA Cup upset against the Tractor Boys at Portman Road.
Had Dylan Bahamboula not missed a second-half penalty, Latics would have won away rather than having to settle for a home replay.
But it was a terrific result for Latics against an Ipswich side which had only lost one of its last six league games in which they had netted 15 goals.
And it was a measure of how seriously manager Paul Cook treated the tie that he made only one change from the midweek 4-1 victory at Wycombe, Cameron Burgess replacing Hayden Coulson who had come off injured at Adams Park.
Town took the lead after eight minutes. Macauley Bonne, who had seen a header saved by Jayson Leutwiler from a Kyle Edwards cross moments earlier, curled the ball into the box for Wes Burns to direct his effort into the roof of the net from seven yards.
Leutwiler kept out another headed effort from Bonne shortly afterwards, this time following an out-swinging Lee Evans corner.
Latics’ first opening of the game came with just under half an hour played, Hallam Hope heading wide from the middle of the penalty area before captain Carl Piergianni did likewise five minutes later.
Having enjoyed their best period of the match, Latics equalised four minutes before half-time, Davis Keilor-Dunn curling into the bottom corner from the edge of the area.
Latics had a great chance to move in front for the first time eight minutes after the break. Janoi Donacien, one of two half-time substitutes alongside Matt Penney, was adjuged to have fouled Bahamboula two yards.
The Congo international picked himself up to take the resulting penalty but goalkeeper Christian Walton guessed the right way, diving low to his right.
Conor Chaplin, on in place of Edwards, shot over at the end of a slick move involving Burns and Bonne before the former Barnsley-man saw his free-kick turned around the post by Leutwiler.
Chaplin again looked set to be the man to put Town back ahead with 10 minutes remaining but, after being played in by Bersant Celina, he was denied by a stunning last-ditch tackle from Jordan Clarke.
Oldham Athletic: Leutwiler, Clarke, McGahey, Piergianni, Whelan, Hope, Keillor-Dann, Fage (Adams 87), Bowden, Bahamboula (Vaughan 78), Couto. Subs (not used): Dearnley, Diarra, Da Silva, Diarra, Modi, Southerington.
Goals: Burns (8) for Ipswich. Keillor-Dunn (41) for Oldham Athletic.
Attendance: 8,845 (437 visitors).