Sunderland and Ipswich battle to a thrilling 3-3 draw at Portman Road

On August 29, 1981, Sunderland and Ipswich Town played to an exciting 3-3 draw at Portman Road in the Football League First Division. Sunderland took a 2-0 lead with goals from Mick Buckley and Tom Ritchie, but Ipswich fought back with two quick goals from Eric Gates. Ally McCoist made his debut for Sunderland during the match, contributing to their scoring. Ipswich would go on to finish as runners-up that season, while Sunderland narrowly avoided relegation by two points. The introduction of a new points system for wins and draws was also a topic of discussion among the managers post-match.

• 5:00 AMYahoo Sports — On This Day (29 Aug 1981): A Six-Goal Thriller For Sunderland At Ipswich