Ipswich strike late against Middlesbrough to move back into top two

Leading scorer Jack Clarke fired home an 87th-minute penalty to save a point for Ipswich in a pulsating 2-2 draw with promotion rivals Middlesbrough.

Referee Jarred Gillett awarded the spot-kick when he adjudged Adilson Malanda tugged substitute George Hirst in the box.

Middlesbrough, who are on a seven-match winless run, went ahead through David Strelec only for Kasey McAteer to equalise five minutes later. The visitors took the lead through Tommy Conway but Clarke’s spot-kick saw the points shared.

The result moved the Tractor Boys up into second in the Championship on goal difference ahead of Millwall, a point in front of Southampton and three ahead of Boro.

Malanda got in an early muddle with his goalkeeper Sol Brynn, who came out of his area as Leif Davis looked to flick the ball over him but the keeper got a touch of the ball with his shoulder to stop the danger.

The best chance so far came in the 24th minute when a flowing Ipswich move involving Ivan Azon, Marcelino Nunez and McAteer ended with full-back Darnell Furlong firing just wide.

But against the run of play the visitors took the lead a minute later through Slovakia international Strelec, who sidefooted home from just inside the six-yard area following a cross from Alan Browne.

Town were level five minutes later through a superb strike from McAteer. Azon produced a cheeky backheel and the Ipswich winger latched onto the pass and rifled the ball into the bottom corner.

Brynn had to dive full-length to acrobatically turn a shot from Jaden Philogene round the post and in a rare Boro attack, Conway found Alex Gilbert on the overlap and his cross was met by Strelec but Town goalkeeper Christian Walton landed on the scuffed, bouncing effort.

Walton had to beat away an angled shot from Strelec as both sides sought to take the lead while at the other end Brynn leapt skywards to palm over a thunderbolt from Azon. From the resultant corner, Jack Taylor fired narrowly wide.

Conway struck for Boro in the 64th minute for the visitors to regain the lead. Strelec cut the ball back from the right and Callum Brittain’s shot was kept out by Walton but Conway was on hand to steer the ball into an empty net.

Walton dived to palm away a shot from Middlesbrough substitute and former Ipswich player Jeremy Sarmiento as Boro piled on the pressure.

The stadium erupted with three minutes left in the game when the penalty was awarded and Clarke scored from the spot.