Ipswich Town v Middlesbrough: Championship stats & head-to-head

Ipswich's Jack Clarke jumps in the air with both arms raised after scoring the equaliser against Middlesbrough — Image caption,
Jack Clarke's late penalty was his 15th goal of the season for Ipswich

Glenn Speller

BBC Sport England at Portman Road

Ipswich Town moved back into second place in the Championship as they snatched a point with a controversial late penalty in a tension-filled showdown against rivals Middlesbrough, whose own hopes of claiming automatic promotion suffered a blow.

With Millwall having gone into second spot on Saturday by beating QPR and Southampton continuing their late challenge with a dramatic victory at Swansea, both sides knew only a victory would prevent handing a further incentive to their rivals.

Having dominated the opening stages, Ipswich found themselves behind as David Strelec tapped in from close range but Boro's lead lasted less than five minutes as Ivan Azon and Kasey McAteer combined for the latter to level matters.

A rejuvenated Middlesbrough took control of the second half and were deservedly back in front when Tommy Conway rolled the ball in from two yards.

But, with time running out, George Hirst was ruled to have been pulled back by Boro defender Adilson Malanda and Jack Clarke smacked home the resultant penalty.

The top six in the Championship with a photograph of Ipswich boss Kieran McKenna — Image caption,
Ipswich still have to visit Southampton

McKenna 'surprised' by penalty questions after Boro draw
'Second spot still in play' - Boro boss Hellberg

After watching their respective rivals claim important wins 24 hours earlier, Ipswich were out of the blocks quickly at a sun-drenched and raucous Portman Road, with Azon twice off target and Darnell Furlong also failing to test visiting keeper Sol Brynn.

Middlesbrough struggled for any fluency in the opening half so it came as a surprise when they nudged themselves in front as Aidan Morris and Alan Browne linked up neatly for the latter to cross for Strelec to convert.

Ipswich's response was immediate and clinical, with Azon back-heeling into the path of McAteer who unerringly found the bottom corner of Brynn's net from 20 yards.

Whatever Boro boss Kim Hellberg said at the interval completely changed the complexion of the game, with Alex Gilbert having an effort cleared off the line and Strelec seeing a shot well saved by Christian Walton.

Slovakia international Strelec was a thorn in Ipswich's side throughout and he found Callum Brittain, whose cross was blocked into the path of the waiting Conway, who could not miss from two yards.

Strelec almost added a third, forcing a good save out of Walton, before substitute Jeremy Sarmiento, a promotion-winner with Ipswich two years ago, did likewise.

With Middlesbrough seemingly heading for a win that would reignite their own automatic promotion hopes, Ipswich substitute Hirst took a tumble in the area under an untidy challenge from Malanda.

Referee Jarred Gillett paused before awarding a penalty, which Clarke duly dispatched to leave second place still very much up for grabs.

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Kieran McKenna post Middlesbrough (H)

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Hellberg: 'Boro were better than Ipswich today'

Player of the match

D. Strelec

7.26

Ipswich Town
Middlesbrough

20 K. McAteer

6.76

47 J. Clarke

6.70

14 J. Taylor

6.60

28 C. Walton

6.46

31 Iván Azón

6.41

26 D. O'Shea

6.40

24 J. Greaves

6.34

19 D. Furlong

6.30

5 A. Matusiwa

6.06

3 L. Davis

5.95

11 J. Philogene

5.76

32 M. Núñez

5.67

33 A. Mehmeti

5.67

6 D. Neil

5.47

8 S. Egeli

5.30

9 G. Hirst

5.19

Back to team tabs

After the opportunity to rate players has closed, the score displayed represents the average from all the submissions by BBC Sport users.

Team	Played	Won	Drawn	Lost	Goals For	Goals Against	Goal Difference	Points	Form, Last 6 games, Oldest first
1 Coventry City	43	25	11	7	85	43	42	86	Result Loss Result Win Result Win Result Draw Result Draw Result Draw
2 Ipswich Town	42	21	13	8	73	44	29	76	Result Win Result Draw Result Win Result Win Result Loss Result Draw
3 Millwall	43	22	10	11	58	47	11	76	Result Loss Result Draw Result Win Result Loss Result Draw Result Win
4 Southampton	43	21	12	10	75	51	24	75	Result Win Result Win Result Win Result Win Result Win Result Win
5 Middlesbrough	43	20	13	10	64	44	20	73	Result Draw Result Draw Result Loss Result Draw Result Loss Result Draw
6 Hull City	43	20	9	14	65	61	4	69	Result Loss Result Win Result Draw Result Draw Result Loss Result Draw
7 Wrexham	43	18	13	12	65	60	5	67	Result Loss Result Win Result Draw Result Loss Result Loss Result Win
8 Derby County	43	19	9	15	62	53	9	66	Result Win Result Win Result Loss Result Win Result Loss Result Win
9 Norwich City	43	18	7	18	59	52	7	61	Result Loss Result Win Result Draw Result Win Result Loss Result Win
10 Bristol City	43	16	10	17	54	55	-1	58	Result Draw Result Loss Result Win Result Win Result Draw Result Loss
11 Queens Park Rangers	43	16	10	17	58	65	-7	58	Result Win Result Win Result Win Result Draw Result Draw Result Loss
12 Sheffield United	43	17	6	20	61	59	2	57	Result Draw Result Loss Result Draw Result Loss Result Win Result Win
13 Watford	43	14	15	14	52	53	-1	57	Result Win Result Draw Result Loss Result Draw Result Loss Result Loss
14 Birmingham City	43	15	12	16	52	53	-1	57	Result Draw Result Loss Result Loss Result Loss Result Win Result Draw
15 Swansea City	43	16	9	18	51	56	-5	57	Result Loss Result Loss Result Draw Result Draw Result Win Result Loss
16 Preston North End	43	14	15	14	50	55	-5	57	Result Loss Result Win Result Draw Result Draw Result Win Result Loss
17 Stoke City	43	15	10	18	49	48	1	55	Result Win Result Loss Result Win Result Loss Result Draw Result Loss
18 Portsmouth	43	13	12	18	44	57	-13	51	Result Loss Result Draw Result Draw Result Win Result Win Result Win
19 Charlton Athletic	43	12	14	17	40	52	-12	50	Result Draw Result Loss Result Loss Result Draw Result Loss Result Draw
20 West Bromwich Albion	43	12	13	18	44	56	-12	49	Result Win Result Win Result Draw Result Draw Result Draw Result Win
21 Blackburn Rovers	44	12	13	19	39	54	-15	49	Result Draw Result Win Result Draw Result Draw Result Loss Result Draw
22 Oxford United	43	10	14	19	41	55	-14	44	Result Draw Result Loss Result Draw Result Draw Result Win Result Loss
23 Leicester City	43	11	14	18	54	65	-11	41	Result Loss Result Draw Result Draw Result Draw Result Loss Result Loss
24 Sheffield Wednesday	43	1	12	30	26	83	-57	-3	Result Loss Result Loss Result Loss Result Draw Result Draw Result Draw

Key Events

Ipswich Town

Middlesbrough

Summary

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Sunday 19th April

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Key

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home team, Ipswich Town

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home team, Ipswich Town

away team, Middlesbrough

Pitch Formation

Starting lineup

away team, Middlesbrough

home team, Ipswich Town

Pitch Formation

Starting lineup

Substitutes

away team, Middlesbrough

Pitch Formation

Starting lineup

Substitutes

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