Conor Chaplin was proud of Ipswich Town’s display as the Blues showed they can ‘mix it with the best’ League One has to offer in their draw with Wigan.

The two sides drew 2-2 at Portman Road on Tuesday evening, as Ipswich came from behind to lead 2-1 before former Town striker Will Keane scored his second of the night to level matters late on.

The Latics are likely to win the League One title this season, but Chaplin believes the impressive nature of his side’s performance shows they can reach the standards needed to truly contend for promotion from the third tier.

“We should have been,” Chaplin said when it was suggested Town would have been good value for victory.

“Frustration is probably the big emotion after the game because we were so dominant. We have played some very good football in terms of performance and intensity during this season but I’d say this was probably the only time we were bang at it for 90 minutes.

“That’s not easy to do. The best teams in the world can’t always be at it for 90 minutes but I thought we were in this one. Every section of the game we controlled and we were intense in our pressure off the ball as well as on it when we got it wide and in behind.

“We know what we need to improve, we’re not stupid, but every player in our dressing room I’m sure believes we can compete with anyone in this division if we’re on it and if we can iron out mistakes.

“We know we can mix it with the best, we know we can, but our results haven’t showed that which we’re fully aware of. They’re facts.

“But we want to finish this season as strong as we can and then we all know where we need to improve.

“We want to be where Wigan are this time next season and there’s no shying away from that.”

Chaplin netted Town’s first goal under the Portman Road lights, firing home from inside the box to level the scores and also take his personal tally for the season to 10.

“That’s probably my kind of goal,” he said.

“It was too long from when I last scored (v Gillingham on February 5) to now because I don’t like going that long without a goal, but it’s good to get back on the trail.

“Any forward player wants to hit double figures but I want more. I want more goals and more assists than I’ve had this season and I want to kick on.”