Referee Darren Drysdale locked heads with Ipswich midfielder Alan Judge in an extraordinary exchange during their goalless League One draw with Northampton.
The official moved his head towards the Irishman in the final moments of the match and then briefly appeared to square up to the 32-year-old, before being ushered away by Northampton's Lloyd Jones.
Judge, who had protested after being penalized for simulation, was then shown a yellow card, the fifth booking of the match.
In the third minute of stoppage time, Town's Flynn Downes was sent off for violent conduct in an ugly end to the match.
Lowly Northampton defied the odds to secure a draw, but will be frustrated they only came away with one point instead of all three.
It lifted the Cobblers up two places, but they remain inside the relegation zone on goal difference. Ipswich, who finished with 10 men, moved up a place to 11th but are four points off the top six.
