Ipswich Town 1 Middlesbrough 1: Boro recover after lightning-quick blow

Strachan said: "I thought it was a fair result. Our mental strength got better as the game went on.

"We showed we can play but we have to learn to be more professional in the first couple of minutes.

"Sometimes when a team score early on it's a brilliant goal and you can't do anything about it.

"But with this one we were so embarrassed, down the left-sided area, that we crumbled.

"It took us until half-time to settle everyone down."

Ipswich's lightning-quick lead came from a move started when Jon Walters picked up a loose ball and pushed it wide to deadline-day signing David Healy.

The striker's low cross took a slight deflection but reached Daryl Murphy, who muscled in front of David Wheater and turned a close-range effort into the Boro net.

The Irishman had also signed on loan from Sunderland on Monday and it was his first goal in two years – a barren spell spanning 45 games.

However, Ipswich failed to build on their lead and their manager Roy Keane said: "Scoring goals has been a problem for us all season.

"In the second half we got in some really good positions but we just needed the final ball. The final ball is the most important one in football.

"If you look at what happens between the two boxes we do reasonably well. But what goes on in the boxes is what life's all about."

The Teessiders punished Ipswich when they equalised after 62 minutes.

Gary O'Neil swung in a corner and Wheater rose highest to send a header spinning into the Ipswich net.

Ipswich Town: Lee-Barrett, Rosenior, McAuley, Delaney, David Wright (Garvan 79), Walters, Leadbitter, Norris, Colback, Healy (Counago 62), Daryl Murphy (Stead 85). Unused substitutes: Brian Murphy, Peters, Balkestein, Edwards.

Middlesbrough: Coyne, Naughton, Wheater, Grounds, Hoyte, Flood, O'Neil, McManus, Taylor (Franks 51), Miller, Killen (Lita 81). Unused substitutes:Steele, Walker, Bennett, McMahon, Luke Williams.

Referee: Keith Hill (Hertfordshire).