Clarets left with nothing as Chopra fires Ipswich up the table

Ipswich, one of the form teams in the second tier, dominated from start to finish, with former Barnsley striker Chopra lashing home the only goal from a rebound early in the second half to secure his side a seventh win in their last 10 league matches.

Burnley’s play-off hopes have receded in recent weeks and they have surely waved goodbye to any faint hopes they retained of mounting a late challenge as they have now won only one of their last eight games.

The narrow scoreline hardly did justice to Paul Jewell’s side, who had Grant Leadbitter sent off late on for a second bookable offence.

Burnley goalkeeper Lee Grant made several outstanding saves, while Leadbitter and Jay Emmanuel-Thomas in particular went close.

Ipswich got the goal they deserved in the 54th minute. Burnley captain Chris McCann was robbed in midfield after dallying on the ball and Martin raced through on goal.

McCarthy did well to keep out Martin’s fierce low drive, but Chopra followed up to lash home the rebound high from six yards.

Kevin Phillips and Jermaine Beckford each scored twice as Blackpool and Leicester played out a thrilling 3-3 draw.

The evergreen Phillips nodded the Seasiders ahead from a corner, only for former Leeds United forward Beckford and David Nugent to respond with goals either side of half-time to put Leicester ahead.

Substitute Roman Bednar made it 2-2 with 21 minutes remaining, before another replacement, Leicester’s Ben Marshall, crossed for Beckford to head his second.

There was to be another twist in the tale, however, as Phillips popped up in stoppage-time with a close-range equaliser.

Oliver Norwood netted in the fifth minute of second-half stoppage time to rescue a point for Coventry in a 2-2 draw at Cardiff.

Norwood blasted home from 25 yards after Gary McSheffrey’s pass found its way to his feet in the last seconds of a pulsating encounter in South Wales.

Cardiff had taken the lead just after the quarter-hour mark, with Sky Blues forward Cody McDonald putting through his own net.

Cardiff were thoroughly tested by a Coventry side battling against looming relegation, and were fortunate not to be pegged back when McSheffrey missed a 51st-minute penalty.

McSheffrey then hit a post before Jordan Clarke equalised for Coventry with 20 minutes remaining. Peter Whittingham looked to have won it for Cardiff late in the game only for Norwood to strike and gain Coventry a precious point.