Ipswich held by Villa

Ipswich were unable to break their 18-year drought

Ipswich 0-0 Aston Villa

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Ipswich slipped back into relegation trouble after they failed to break their home league jinx against Aston Villa at Portman Road.

After blowing a host of chances in the second half, Ipswich had goalkeeper Matteo Sereni to thank for a share of the points with a late save to deny Tomas Hitzlsperger.

With Bolton winning at Charlton, Ipswich now lie third from bottom in the Premiership.

The hosts, looking for the first home win in the league against Villa for 18 years, began the brighter despite the early loss of Chris Makin.

  Key moments

8 mins: Chris Makin forced off with injury

68 mins: Jim Magilton hits the post

93 mins: Matteo Sereni saves from Tomas Hitzlsperger

The right-back went off with an ankle injury following a tackle by Darius Vassell after eight minutes.

After an early Matt Holland chance, Findi George produced a save from Peter Schmeichel.

The Nigerian international's 25-yard volley swerved late and the Danish keeper needed two attempts to claim the ball.

"I thought we were worth three points but we got just one - we will keep working at it and if we continue like that the results will come

Ipswich manager George Burley

But the best chance of the first-half fell to the impressive Marcus Bent.

His volley from a Mark Venus corner was blocked by Schmeichel and Bent's follow-up shot failed to test the keeper.

Dion Dublin, starting in place of the injured Juan Pablo Angel, offered Villa an aerial threat and his glancing header flashed past the far post a minute after Bent's opening.

The match switched up a gear after the break and Marcus Stewart should have done better from six yards out after good work by George.

We may not have played as well as I would have liked but there can be no accusations thrown at those Villa boys

Aston Villa manager Graham Taylor

A Venus free-kick squeezed past the post and Mark Delaney blocked a goal-bound header from Stewart.

Villa were reduced to taking shots from distance and German teenager Hitzlsperger twice shot wide from outside the box.

They were watched by former Villa striker Luc Nilis who returned to the ground where his career was ended last season when a collision with Ipswich keeper Richard Wright shattered his leg.

Jim Magilton, who replaced Makin, saw his shot from inside the six-yard box cannon off the post, but Vassell, quiet in the first-half, almost gave Villa an unlikely lead.

His angled shot was well saved by Matteo Sereni and minutes later he was brought down inside the box by Venus, but play was called back for offside.

Despite Martijn Reuser and Alun Amstrong being introduced Ipswich could find no way past Schmeichel and it was Sereni who tipped over a stinging Hitzlsperger drive in injury time to preserve the deadlock.

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Ipswich: Sereni, Makin (Magilton 10), McGreal, Venus, Hreidarsson, George (Reuser 83), Holland, Wright, Clapham, Stewart (Armstrong 83), Marcus Bent.
Subs Not Used: Marshall, Counago.

Aston Villa: Schmeichel, Delaney, Mellberg, Staunton, Samuel (Taylor 80), Stone, Hitzlsperger, Boateng, Barry, Dublin, Vassell.
Subs Not Used: Merson, Enckelman, Balaban, Hadji.

Booked: Dublin, Delaney.

Att: 25,247

Ref: D Pugh (Bebington).