Ipswich Town 3-1 Birmingham City: Tractor Boys strike late win to keep pace with Leeds in promotion race

Report and free match highlights from the Sky Bet Championship match between Ipswich Town and Birmingham City at Portman Road on Saturday | Late goals from Jeremy Sarmiento and Omari Hutchinson keep Tractor Boys in thick of promotion race.

Saturday 24 February 2024 18:22, UK

Ipswich chalked up a fourth successive win to keep up the pressure at the top of the Sky Bet Championship with a 3-1 win over Birmingham.

Conor Chaplin opened the scoring for the Tractor Boys, but Birmingham equalised in the closing minutes of the first half through Jordan James. Jeremy Sarmiento put the Town ahead before Omari Hutchinson wrapped up the three points in the stoppage time.

The result means Ipswich are level on points with second-placed Leeds, but have an inferior goal difference after the Yorkshire outfit defeated table-toppers Leicester on Friday night.

Meanwhile, the visitors, without manager Tony Mowbray due to medical treatment and who was a key member of the Town's promotion-winning campaign in the 1999-00 campaign, fell down three places to 18th spot.

City's appeal for a penalty was turned aside by referee Gavin Ward when Luke Woolfenden challenged Tyler Roberts in the home box. At the other end, a sweeping cross by Wes Burns was taken off the toes of Kieffer Moore at the far post by a sliding Marc Roberts.

Birmingham goalkeeper John Ruddy dived full length to deny Chaplin from heading Ipswich into the lead following a corner by Leif Davis in the 18th minute.

Ipswich were dominating the opening quarter of the game and took the lead through Chaplin in the 31st minute - the first time the hosts were ahead in a game at Portman Road since the 2-2 draw with Norwich back in December.

Hutchinson crossed for home skipper Sam Morsy, whose shot was diverted into the Birmingham net by Chaplin with a neat flick to completely wrong-foot Ruddy.

Just before the half-time break, Ipswich goalkeeper Vaclav Hladky turned the ball round the post following a shot from Tyler Roberts just before the visitors levelled the score in first minute of stoppage time through Wales international James after he was picked out with a cross from Koji Miyoshi.

Birmingham pressed forward in bid to take the lead, but Ruddy came the visitors' rescue when he diverted a shot from Hutchinson round his left-hand post and substitute Sarmiento fired just over the crossbar.

At the other end, a breakaway attack led to Hladky tipping a shot from Jay Stansfield round the post before Ruddy pushed away a strike by Morsy.

But Ipswich took the lead in the 81st minute through Sarmiento. Hutchinson played in raiding full-back and man-of-the-match Axel Tuanzebe, whose cross was turned home by the Ecuador international to the delight of the home support.

Hutchinson wrapped up the three points for Ipswich in the third minute of stoppage time after Moore's header put him through with just Ruddy to beat.

The managers

Ipswich's Kieran McKenna:

"I thought it was a really good performance and I enjoyed it, and I was pleased with all aspects of it. We were really good off the ball, aggressive against a good footballing team, and didn't really give them any confidence to grow in the game.

"We attacked well, had a threat throughout the game, but found control in the right moments and appropriately patient in the second half.

"It was an excellent performance and a really good day. I thought we started the game excellently and we didn't let up too much in the first half.

"Of course Wes (Burns) going off - that's something you have to respond to - and then Omari (Hutchinson) comes on and does great and I thought it was a really good start to the game.

"I thought that it was another good performance. We caused a change in their shape they went with, they tried to break the flow and I felt like the goal was coming.

"We knew we had players on the bench who could impact, but even the players on the pitch at that time I shared their belief that if we kept doing the right things the goal would come."

Birmingham's caretaker manager Mark Venus:

"It was a tough afternoon to a point. We got a slow start and then got back in the game and I thought for the second half for a period we sort of contained them without really threatening, but we didn't have enough moments from our team.

"We put a lot of work in to contain Ipswich, but there was not enough of those moments.

"I think they (Ipswich) have to be given a bit of credit on the day, I think they played really well. They were on the front foot, they had a lot of purpose, they have a big pot at the end of the season if they can achieve it and they have taken three teams right to the wire.

"We have to maintain our league position and league status this season and that is the aim and that is the aim for the next 13 games. We have to pick the points up, which we need to get to that point."