Ipswich brought their two Jacks – Taylor and Clarke – back into the starting line-up, but playmaker Marcelino Nunez was absent because of a knock, while Stoke made five changes, with the suspended Sorba Thomas and injured captain Ben Wilmot among 12 senior players unavailable.
The first clear chance of the game came the home side’s way as a quick break led to Jesurun Rak-Sakyi cutting the ball back to Tomas Rigo, whose effort was saved with his feet by Christian Walton.
Ipswich almost went in front when Burns sent a long cross into the box after Stoke cleared their lines from a corner, but Kipre’s downward header bounced up against the post.
There was an element of controversy about Stoke’s opener as Ipswich claimed a foul against Maksym Talovierov, then handball against Manhoef, who outsmarted Kipre and fired against the upright before the ball was recycled by Rigo and Smit turned it home in from close range as Town appealed in vain again, this time for offside.
The visitors only had themselves to blame for the second goal, though. Taylor was caught in possession by Rigo when they tried to play the ball out from their own area, allowing Jun-Ho to thump the ball past Walton from 20 yards.
Stoke looked confident immediately after the interval, but a good passing move found Burns in space on the right, and a deflection off Eric Bocat wrongfooted keeper Tommy Simkin, who could not prevent the ball crossing the line.
Clarke brought a good save from Simkin with a left-foot shot before Taylor volleyed in an equaliser after Stoke failed to clear a long throw.
But the action then switched to the other end, where Walton was fully extended to keep out Rak-Sakyi’s inswinging corner and Ashley Phillips headed Manhoef’s cross over from four yards.
Ipswich, though, responded and after Azor Matusiwa won the ball, Kipre played it into the channel and substitute Hirst swept home his ninth goal of the season.
The final action, however, saw Smit level from the spot as Ipswich, who are next in action away to already relegated Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday, had to settle for another draw, while Stoke remain 15th and have now won only once in 11 matches.
