Town remain third ahead of Millwall in fourth on goal difference following a 1-1 draw at Portman Road. Jack Clarke’s 14th goal of the season saw the Blues into the lead on 41 as Town dominated the first half, but Millwall levelled through Josh Coburn five minutes into the second half with both teams having opportunities to win it after that, Lions sub Mihailo Ivanovic slamming a late chance against the bar.

The Blues made two changes from the team which won 2-0 at Sheffield Wednesday last Saturday with Kasey McAteer and Ivan Azon coming back into the XI.

McAteer, starting for the first time since the 0-0 draw with the Lions at the Den on Boxing Day, came in for Sindre Walle Egeli on the right, while Azon was the number nine with George Hirst dropping to the bench alongside the Norwegian.

Marcelino Nunez, who manager Kieran McKenna said on Friday was “touch and go” to be involved following his hamstring injury, wasn’t included in the 20-man squad.

Wes Burns missed out with the calf injury sustained at Hillsborough, along with the suspended Leif Davis and Cedric Kipre.

Jaden Philogene was again among the subs, as was U21s left-back Somto Boniface, on the bench for the first time in the Championship this season, having been included for the FA Cup tie at Wrexham and for five Premier League games during 2024/25.

Millwall also made two changes with Caleb Taylor and Luke Cundle returning to the side for Danny McNamara and Barry Bannan, who both dropped to the bench.

January Blues target Femi Azeez started, as did Zak Sturge, last week’s red card against Blackburn having been overturned on appeal.

Town threatened for the first time in the third minute, Clarke riding tackles before feeding Ben Johnson inside the area to his left but the full-back’s cross failed to find a teammate.

Two minutes later, the Blues kept the ball well around the Millwall box before Clarke eventually played back to Dan Neil just outside the box, the on-loan Sunderland midfielder’s shot flying just the wrong side of Lions’ keeper Anthony Patterson’s left post.

The visitors were next to attack, Camiel Neghli hitting a cross-shot from the left on six, which Christian Walton batted behind for a corner at his near post.

On nine, a deep free-kick from the left reached Darnell Furlong beyond the far post from where the right-back nodded it back into the six-yard box but Millwall skipper Jake Cooper was able to hook clear with no Town player having read to knock down.

In the 13th minute, Millwall’s Macaulay Langstaff was spoken to by referee Michael Salisbury after a clash with Dara O’Shea after the ball had gone out for a Town throw and the former Notts County forward appeared to have stepped on the grounded Blues skipper.

Three minutes later, Coburn was booked for catching Jacob Greaves in the face with an arm, although it looked harsh on the Millwall attacker.

Coburn briefly found himself breaking towards goal in the 17th minute but O’Shea got across to block his shot.

However, it was still mainly Town and a minute later O’Shea sent Clarke away in space on the left, the ex-Sunderland forward exchanging passes with Mehmeti on the left of the area before being crowded out.

The Millwall goal was beginning to live a charmed life and on 19 only a superb save from Patterson prevented the Blues from going in front.

Town had already had a couple of bites at the cherry before the ball was swept wide to McAteer, whose cross was cleared to Neil. His shot was blocked by Taylor and the ball fell to Azon, whose hooked effort towards the roof of the net was somehow palmed over by the Lions keeper, the Spaniard once again bringing the best out of an opposition keeper.

From the resultant corner, Town threatened again, Greaves heading towards goal at the back post and Patterson punching uncomfortably away.

Tristan Crama shot well wide for the visitors on 23, then four minutes later Azeez lofted an effort deep into the Sir Bobby Robson Stand.

On 29, O’Shea diverted a low near-post corner from the right into the air and Azon hit a shot against the Irishman and wide.

Just before the half-hour, Azon battled for the ball on the left, won it and took it on into the area, his cross-shot catching two players before going behind for a corner.

In the 37th minute, Furlong dived low to head a low near-post corner from the right towards goal, a defender getting in the way, the Blues having looked to either the front post or beyond the back with their flag-kicks, presumably to circumvent Millwall’s greater height in the box.

The half had been virtually all Town, more dominant than against anyone else in a first period at Portman Road this season and in the 41st minute they finally got their reward.

Clarke tried to bring the ball in from the left but it was stabbed away from him. However, the Blues’ top scorer tackled back and it fell to Matusiwa, who returned it to Clarke, the forward bringing it inside before hitting a powerful low strike which beat Patterson inside his right post, the keeper probably having been unsighted.

The Town number 47’s 14th goal of the season was greeted by a huge roar around Portman Road as he celebrated in the corner.

There were no other chances after the goal and following one minute of additional time, the Blues were cheered off by their fans at the whistle after a hugely impressive 45 minutes.

Town, who had been disappointing in their previous three first halves, dominated from the start with a goal the only thing missing until Clarke’s late strike.

At the other end, aside from Walton’s save from Neghli early on and a couple of shots from distance which failed to find the target, Millwall had shown little.

The Lions swapped Langstaff for Serbian international striker Ivanovic, who went into a two-man attack with Coburn.

Town successfully defended an early Millwall corner on the left, Clarke breaking before finding McAteer but the Irish international’s ball forward for Mehmeti on the right of the area was just overhit. It was, however, a counter-attack which showed promise.

On 49, McAteer skinned his man on the right before crossing low, Crama’s clearance hitting Billy Mitchell before ricocheting kindly to Patterson.

Two minutes later, the visitors levelled. Neghli outmuscled Furlong for a ball down the Lions’ left, the former Algeria U23 international taking it on and crossing low for Coburn, who turned into the net from close range.

Town looked to restore their lead, Clarke feeding Azon into the left of the area, the Spanish striker cutting in and hitting a shot which was blocked. In the aftermath, Azon was booked for a dive, although somewhat harshly having indicated to referee Salisbury that he hadn’t been fouled.

On 55, Millwall had the ball in the net for a second time, this time direct from an Azeez corner on the right, but referee Salisbury correctly ruled it out for Coburn’s shove on Walton.

Crama blazed high and wide in the 56th minute with the Lions showing significantly more threat in the second half than in the first.

Two minutes later, Clarke cut in from the left and hit a low shot which was bound for the far corner until it struck a defender. From the corner, the ball looped across the six-yard area with Greaves unable to get his head on it and then Azon just failing to make contact at the far post as he slid in.

In the 62nd minute, Furlong lost his man and rose high at the near post but his powerful header flew wide.

Two minutes later, Clarke played the ball inside from the left to Neil on the 18-yard line, the loanee hitting a low shot which clipped Mitchell and went behind for a corner.

From the flag-kick, Greaves was hauled down but with referee Salisbury seeing no infringement, much to the frustration of the Blues players.

On 66, with Town starting to restore their early control and dominance, Mehmeti cut in from a Matusiwa pass. The Albanian international’s first shot was blocked, then his second lacked power and squirmed well wide.

The Blues made their first changes in the 68th minute, Philogene and Jack Taylor replacing McAteer and Neil, Clarke moving to the right. Millwall swapped Cundle for Barry Bannan.

Two minutes after coming on, Bannan beat Mehmeti on the right following a corner but fortunately for the Blues scraped his shot well wide.

Town made two more changes on 72, Hirst and Chuba Akpom replacing Azon and Mehmeti.

Three minutes later, there was a scare for the Blues when Walton dropped a cross sent in from the left from a free-kick, but Coburn shot well wide on the turn.

Town had struggled to settle since the changes but on 77 Clarke sent Hirst away on the right, the Scotland international returning the ball but the winger running into trouble.

A minute later, Clarke crossed low from the right and a defender’s toe was close to diverting it into Hirst’s path but not close enough.

The Blues were back on the front foot, however, with Philogene, Hirst and Akpom all beginning to make an impression.

On 83, Millwall introduced Tommy Watson and Derek Mazou-Sacko for Neghli and Mitchell.

Three minutes after coming on, Mazou-Sacko was booked for sending Clarke flying as the Town top scorer broke away after a Millwall corner. On 87, Clarke made way for Walle Egeli.

As the game moved into its final scheduled minute, Millwall went very close to winning it. Coburn laid it back to Bannan, his shot was blocked and it fell to Azeez, whose effort was well saved by Walton. However, the loose ball fell to Ivanovic, who from about eight yards out smashed a shot against the underside of the bar and off Walton on the line before Taylor turned it behind.

With four additional minutes having been announced, Town defended the corner but wasted the counter-attack, Matusiwa uncharacteristically playing the ball straight out of play when trying to find Walle Egeli.

The Norwegian sent a late free-kick into the area, Patterson finding himself in no-man’s land but the ball wouldn’t fall for a Town player and moments later the whistle confirmed a point apiece.

The Blues will feel it was two points dropped having been much the superior side in the first half but having netted just the once.

Millwall’s more physical, direct approach caused more problems in the second half but the goal came from a rare Town error at the back.

The Blues restored their earlier dominance but were unable to find a second goal and in the end were fortunate not to concede a second, Ivanovic slamming against the bar when it looked easier to score, Walton having made an excellent save from Azeez.

Shared points means Town remain third, ahead of the Lions on goal difference and still two points behind Middlesbrough in second with the Teessiders having been held to a 0-0 draw at Blackburn and now without a win in three games.

The Blues are now without a game for 16 days before they host Birmingham City at Portman Road on Easter Monday.

Town: Walton, Furlong, O’Shea (c), Greaves, Johnson, Matusiwa, Neil (Taylor 68), McAteer (Philogene 68), Mehmeti (Akpom 72), Clarke (Walle Egeli 87), Azon (Hirst 72). Unused: Palmer, Baggott, Boniface, Cajuste, Walle Egeli.

Millwall: Patterson, Sturge, Crama, Cooper (c), Taylor, Mitchell (Mazou-Sacko 83), Neghli (Watson 83), Azeez, Langstaff (Ivanovic 46), Coburn, Cundle (Bannan 68). Unused: Crocombe, McNamara, Ballo, Watson, Bryan, Lamptey. Referee: Michael Salisbury (Preston). Att: 29,129.

Photo: Matchday Images