Jutkiewicz atones for miss but Boro held

Grant Leadbitter and Lukas Jutkiewicz both went from villain to hero as Ipswich Town and Middlesbrough shared the spoils at Portman Road.

An ordinary first half produced next to nothing in the way of excitement in this fixture which was rearranged after being abandoned back in February due to a frozen pitch.

But the encounter came to life within minutes of the restart as Boro substitute Jutkiewicz, a replacement for Seb Hines – who was forced off due to injury along with captain Matthew Bates – registered his contender for miss of the season.

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Ipswich midfielder Leadbitter soon had his head in his hands as well as he watched his penalty turned away by Jason Steele.

Emmanuel-Thomas was adjudged to have been brought down in the area by Richard Smallwood, but Leadbitter failed with his spot-kick.

Boro soon made the most of the escape as Jutkiewicz converted from close range on 63 minutes after Ipswich had been forced to clear their lines on more than one occasion in a swift attacking move. Jutkiewicz converted from close range and Boro manager Tony Mowbray will have been hoping for a maximum return from the game. But Leadbitter also redeemed himself 11 minutes later with a blistering shot from 30 yards 16 minutes from time.

It was a third successive draw for promotion-chasing Boro, who are now winless in five, and keeps them in fifth while Ipswich – denied a sixth straight home win – have suffered just two defeats in their last 12.

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Ipswich: McCarthy, Edwards, Delaney, Smith, Cresswell, Emmanuel-Thomas, Bowyer (Drury 64), Leadbitter, Murphy (Scotland 68), Martin, Chopra. Unused substitutes: Lee-Barrett, Stevenson, Sonko.

Middlesbrough: Steele, Hoyte, Bates (McMahon 17), Hines (Jutkiewicz 46), Bennett, Hammill, Robson, Bailey, Arca, Emnes (Thomson 85), Smallwood. Unused substitutes: Zemmama, Ogbeche.

Referee: K Stroud (Hampshire).