Championship match report: Coventry City 1-2 Ipswich Town

The Blues took an early lead through Kieffer Moore, although they were pegged back just after half time as Haji Wright's shot fizzed into the net. However, it didn't take long for Town to re-take the lead as Cameron Burgess converted from close range, putting his side on the brink of a place in the top flight.

The first real test for Brad Collins came in the fifth minute as Omari Hutchinson beat his man to run through the middle. Clearly feeling confident after bagging a brace at Hull City, he took aim from distance, although the goalkeeper was able to hold his central shot.

Kieffer Moore opened the scoring for Town in the eighth minute of the game (Image: Pagepix Ltd)

From then, it took just three more minutes for Town to find the breakthrough as Leif Davis took a throw-in down the left, picking out Sam Morsy through the middle. The skipper played an inch-perfect pass to Wes Burns, who in turn provided the cutback to find Moore, allowing the striker to convert from inside the box.

They continued to push, looking for a second goal to put themselves into a commanding position. However, they allowed Coventry to break down the right as they cleared a corner up to Milan van Ewijk, who beat Morsy for pace down the right. The Sky Blues just overplayed the counter as the ball was cut out before it could reach Josh Eccles, with Ipswich clearing the resulting corner.

They kept pushing. A long-range effort from Ben Sheaf almost provided them with an equaliser in the 20th minute, but it brushed just past the post.

Vaclav Hladky made an impressive save to keep out Haji Wright just before half time (Image: Pagepix Ltd)

The hosts kept turning the screw, dominating possession while pinning Ipswich back as they played the ball around their defence. Coventry’s best chance came around the half-hour mark, when a quick move saw Morsy make a crucial block to deny Kasey Palmer on the line before Vaclav Hladky reacted to keep out Wright’s close-range effort with an athletic save.

They ramped up the pressure as the clock ticked towards half time. Ellis Simms scooped a shot wide with 42 minutes on the clock, but it was Nathan Broadhead who had the last chance of the half as Burns rushed to keep a loose pass in play, bursting down the right and crossing a ball onto the head of the fellow Welshman, who fired wide.

Coventry started the second half quickly, pouncing forward after a period of possession to allow Eccles to shoot from range, brushing the side netting with a fierce shot.

Nathan Broadhead came close with a header just before the break (Image: Pagepix Ltd)

A change of referee due to injury threatened to kill the momentum of the game 10 minutes after the restart, but Broadhead came close to grabbing his side's second goal as he pounced on a loose ball, cutting inside and curling a shot onto the crossbar from outside the box just before the hour-mark.

It was Coventry who struck next, however, as a quick ball through to Wright allowed him to fire a low shot under Hladky to equalise in the 65th minute.

If nothing else, it opened the game up. Ipswich tried to capitalise as Coventry gave away possession in their own third, with substitute Jeremy Sarmiento forcing a good save from Collins with his first shot after coming on.

Cameron Burgess re-established the Blues' lead with just over 20 minutes remaining (Image: Pagepix)

Fellow substitute George Hirst beat the offside trap seconds later, going clean through on goal, but he struck the ball straight at Collins, who stood tall once again.

Just like they did at Hull, Ipswich showed that they look much more comfortable chasing a goal than they do while trying to hold a lead.

They were presented with another fantastic opportunity in the 69th minute as they won a free-kick down the left, which Davis lifted onto the head of Burgess. The ball got stuck in a pile of bodies before the Australian international popped up to turn it into the net, putting the visitors 2-1 up.

Wes Burns picked up an injury late on in the match (Image: Pagepix)

The game became end-to-end as the clock ticked towards full time, opening space for Burns to break down the right. Just as he started to get going, he pulled up holding his hamstring, which forced him to be withdrawn in the 80th minute.

Then, when 11 minutes of added time were announced at the end of the 90 minutes, there was an audible groan from the away end.

In the end, Ipswich were able to see the game out, nullifying their opponents to move a point away from promotion to the top flight. A draw against Huddersfield Town on the final day of the season will be enough to get them there.

Coventry XI: 4-3-3: Collins; Van Ewijk, Thomas, Latibeaudiere (O'Hare 85'), Dasilva; Eccles, Kelly (Bidwell 85'), Sheaf; Wright, Simms, Palmer (Dausch 90+5')

Town XI: 4-2-3-1: Hladky; Tuanzebe, Edmundson, Burgess, Davis; Morsy, Luongo; Burns (Jackson 80'), Hutchinson (Taylor 90+2'), Broadhead (Sarmiento 65'); Moore (Hirst 65')

Attendance: 26,457