Late Papadopoulos goal hits Mowbray hopes

The name of Dimitrios Papadopoulos might sound all Greek to Tony Mowbray who would doubtless curse Burnley's late substitute if only he could pronounce him. But if Mowbray does succeed in becoming Ipswich Town's manager, he might consider Burnley's late equaliser last night academic in any case.

With Mowbray on the brink of achieving his second successive home victory while in temporary charge at Portman Road, Papadopoulos thumped an 89th-minute header into the roof of the net. Mowbray, who knows that Peter Reid, the recently deposed Sunderland manager, has been linked all week with the post created by George Burley's dismissal 12 days ago, conceded: "We're in the results business and, if that affects my future, so be it. But I know I'm building blocks and trying to get the spirit back to where it was a year ago. We'll win games with more of that.''

The other three goals in a lively tussle all came during a frantic first 15 minutes. Two central defenders even got in on the act. The first was John McGreal, who headed Ipswich in front within 75 seconds after the visiting on-trial goalkeeper, Marlon Beresford, had failed to collect a free-kick from Mark Venus.

Burnley, unchanged for the first time this season, had arrived on the back of a five-game winning run but without their manager, Stan Ternent, who was, according to his assistant Sam Ellis, "in excruciating pain'' suffering from a mouthful of ulcers. "We played our part in a good game,'' added Ellis, who had seen his side recover from the setback of conceding a sixth-minute goal.

Beresford, who was almost caught napping by Jamie Clapham's low drive, aimed a swift clearance downfield, which led to Ian Moore having a shot parried by Andy Marshall. Moore was crowded out of cashing in on the rebound but still forced a corner. That was taken by Glen Little and nodded firmly past Marshall by Arthur Gnohéré.

The best goal was the next one, made by Chris Makin with a lovely pass placed into the path of Darren Ambrose. The impressive teenager controlled the ball on his chest and in one breathtaking movement swivelled to volley past Beresford.

Paul Weller's arrival as a second-half substitute for Burnley had the desired effect of tightening up the visitors in midfield. Consequently the game lost much of its earlier sparkle with a close-range miss by Steve Davis, for Burnley, the only goalmouth action of any significance until the 73rd minute, when Matt Holland's desperate intervention denied Lee Briscoe an equaliser. Then, along then came Papadopoulos, the captain of the Greece Under-21 side, with a goal headed in from Dean West's deep right-wing cross, only six minutes after coming on.

Ipswich Town (3-5-2): Marshall; McGreal, Venus (Brown, 81), Hreidarsson; Ambrose, Makin, Holland, Wright (T Miller, 67), Clapham; Couñago, Armstrong (D Bent, 67). Substitutes not used: George, Pullen (gk).

Burnley (4-4-2): Beresford; West, Cox, Gnohéré, Branch; Davis, Little (Weller, h-t), Briscoe, Blake; I Moore (Papadopoulos, 83), Taylor. Substitutes not used: Cook, Grant, Maylett.

Referee: P Joslin (Nottinghamshire).