Why Ipswich Town wanted game cancelled – then changed their mind – before conceding late goal to hand Sheffield Wednesday seven point buffer

The clash was played in difficult weather conditions as thick fog descended on the Kassam Stadium and worsened visibility throughout the match.

With the score at 1-1 after £1m left-back Leif Davis had levelled-up Yanic Wildschut’s Oxford opener in the first half, both managers were brought together by experienced referee Bobby Madden to discuss the fate of the fixture with 15 minutes to go.

Both Ipswich boss Kieran McKenna and Oxford boss Karl Robinson were initially in agreement that the game should be cancelled and replayed, with teams unable to see one side of the pitch from the other as the game went on.

Ipswich’s mood changed, however, when they were told that because the referee’s watch had indicated the match had moved past the 75-minute mark, the result would stand at 1-1 and count as a draw, a result that would have meant Ipswich would have eight points in four matches.

The game continued and fate played a twisted hand as Cameron Brannagan scored from long range to win the game for Oxford and put Ipswich’s four-match dropped points tally to nine.

It meant Wednesday’s win over Fleetwood Town stretched their lead over third-placed Town to seven points.

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“I'm disappointed that the game was finished in ridiculous conditions at the end,” a clearly perturbed McKenna said after the match.

“We certainly couldn't see the ball from the sidelines and the players couldn't see it on the pitch. We made that clear to the referee, and there was a discussion around it, and I think the game should have been played on another day.

“The referee said, though, that the result would have to stand and it would have to be a draw and there would be no replay.

“My team wanted to win so we thought 'we'll take our chances' and see if we could get the winner. The frustration and confusion is that our club secretary told us those aren't the rules and there is nothing in the rule book about that.

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“The game should not have been played in those conditions.”

Confusion still hangs over the guidance given by referee Madden. Speaking after the match, Oxford manager Robinson reiterated Ipswich’s u-turn on whether or not they wished for the game to continue – and intimated his understanding that a curtailment after 75 minutes constituted a result, with no mistake made.

“If we're being totally honest the game probably should have been called off but had it been we would have had a point,” he said.

“Once they realised that if the game was called off the result would stand and that might then not be good enough for them to get in the top two, they wanted to carry on.

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“From my point of view it was maybe the wrong decision that ended up being the right decision.”

The defeat means big-spending Ipswich have won just one of their last six matches.