Ipswich Town were forced to settle for a point against Nottingham Forest on Friday night after Julio Enciso’s first goal for the club since his return came at Portman Road. Neco Williams put the visitors ahead before the hosts’ striker levelled on his own before half-time.

Forest would have felt they deserved more after creating the better chances, but Town can be happy to have picked up another point to take them to ninth in the Premier League table. Here are four thoughts on an entertaining evening at Portman Road.

Enciso Is Continuing To Influence Games

The Paraguayan was one of Ipswich’s finest attacking threats throughout the evening and looked the most likely player to deliver whenever given the ball. His goal came from a misplaced pass by Nikola Milenkovic, but there was still work to do.

The forward reacted quicker than any other, stole possession and calmly slotted beyond Matz Sels to level proceedings before the break. It was the kind of moment Town signed him for.

Aside from the goal, Enciso was heavily involved in much of Ipswich’s effective attacking play. He carried the ball well, tackled tricky conditions with ease and linked up well with Exequiel Palacios whenever the pair found room between the lines. Confidence boosted after netting his first goal for Portman Road, Town supporters will be hoping there is a great deal more to come.

Palacios Continues To Grow Into the Team

While Enciso was the man making headlines, Exequiel Palacios once again reminded supporters why there is so much excitement surrounding him. The Argentine grew into the game after a difficult opening spell and became Ipswich’s primary source of control in midfield.

Whenever the Blues were looking like they could build attacks, Palacios was almost always involved. His range of passing helped Town move up the pitch, and there were a number of occasions where he wriggled free of pressure and turned defence into attack.

Against a Forest side containing plenty of Premier League experience, Palacios was looking increasingly comfortable. As the season progresses, he feels like a player who could become absolutely central to what Gary O’Neil wants this side to be.

Diop Decision Was a Huge Moment

There is little doubt this will be the biggest talking point among Nottingham Forest supporters. Early in the second half, James McAtee appeared to be racing through on goal after Dara O’Shea lost possession near halfway. Issa Diop launched into a challenge, missed the ball entirely and brought the Forest player down.

Many inside the stadium expected a red card. Instead, referee Tom Bramall showed only a yellow after consulting the pitchside monitor, reasoning that McAtee had taken the ball towards the right rather than directly towards goal.

Ipswich fans will understandably argue that Leif Davis was moving across and could potentially have provided cover. Forest supporters will undoubtedly see it differently. Either way, it was a hugely significant moment.

Had Diop been dismissed, Town would have faced more than 40 minutes with ten men against a side already causing problems on the counter-attack. The decision changed the complexion of the match and allowed the Blues to remain competitive.

A Point Town Will Happily Accept

There have been draws where Ipswich have left the pitch frustrated previously, but this probably wasn’t one of them. Forest created the better chances throughout much of the contest and repeatedly exposed Town in transition. Morgan Gibbs-White, Dan Ndoye, Liam Delap and Callum Hudson-Odoi all had opportunities that could have won the game for the visitors.

Christian Walton was called into action on several occasions, while Dara O’Shea, Leif Davis and Diop all produced important defensive moments. At the other end, Town struggled to create sustained pressure after the break.

In truth, Jack Clarke’s late effort was one of the few occasions where the Portman Road crowd seriously believed another dramatic winner might be coming. Considering the flow of the second half, Ipswich will probably view this as a valuable point rather than two dropped.

Another Step Forward

The game was not faultless, and there will be things Gary O’Neil will want his side to address ahead of next week’s clash with Hull City. But there were some positives.

Enciso scored his first goal, Palacios continued his impressive form, and Town showed they could cope with a number of Forest attacks. Above all, they did not lose.