Murphy rues dropped points despite two-goal salvo

He may have netted twice but Daryl Murphy still cut a frustrated figure after Nottingham Forest struck late to deny Ipswich victory in yesterday’s Championship clash.

Murphy twice put the Tractor Boys in front but they ultimately had to settle for a share of the spoils after a 2-2 draw.

“It’s devastating to concede like we have done in injury-time, it makes the result feel more like a loss,” Murphy said. “It would have been a great victory and we would have gone joint top of the league, but it shows how far we are progressing that we are disappointed to only come away with a point.”

Ipswich boss Mick McCarthy was also disappointed, but praised Murphy’s efforts.

He said: “They were two great goals from a striker playing some of the best football of his career.”

Meanwhile, Brentford manager Mark Warburton hailed the commitment of Jonathan Douglas after the veteran midfielder scored the killer third goal in Brentford’s 3-1 win over Reading on Saturday.

Trailing 2-0 at half-time Reading summoned Simon Cox from the bench and the Irish striker halved the deficit within four minutes. However, Douglas made the game safe with a header from a corner nine minutes from time.

“Dougie came back from the summer lighter and fitter,” Warburton said.

“He’s lean and hungry and it [his form] is not a fluke. He was committed and got his just rewards.”

Elsewhere, Paul Green netted a penalty as Rotherham drew 1-1 with high-flying Norwich.

It was a good day for the Championship’s Irish goalkeepers too as a succession of fine saves earned Keiren Westwood the man of the match award and Sheffield Wednesday a point after a 1-1 draw with Leeds, while David Forde kept a clean sheet in Millwall’s draw with Derby.

In League One, Eoin Doyle maintained his scintillating early-season form by netting his ninth goal in his last six matches and 13th in all as Chesterfield ran out 3-2 winners over Sheffield United. Jimmy Ryan was also on the scoresheet for the victors.

Saturday was a good day, too, for Alan Browne as the 19-year-old midfielder netted the second of Preston’s four goals in their 4-2 win over Colchester.

In League Two, a long-range free from Michael Collins was enough to give 10-man Oxford United a 1-0 win over Newport, while substitute Stephen Elliott netted in Carlisle’s 3-0 win at Hartlepool.