Ipswich strikes late to stay ahead of Leeds in the top-two fight, but the bad news is that their two-top experienced star will miss three games because of….

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.

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.