Boro down Town
STEWART DOWNING helped Middlesbrough move back into the automatic promotion slots and extend Ipswich’s agony.
Downing shone as he doubled his side’s lead shortly after Mo Besic had opened the scoring, seeing Boro move into second place above West Brom, who play today.
Tony Pulis’s visitors took advantage of some appalling first-half defending by Ipswich, who have yet to win under new manager Paul Hurst.
IPSWICH MIDDLESBROUGH
Besic fired home in the 12th minute at the second attempt after Toto Nsiala blocked his first effort. Then Downing cut inside to score a deflected effort after Luke Chambers inexplicably gifted him possession.
Ipswich were booed off at the break but perked up in the second half as both sides spurned chances. GLENN WHELAN missed a penalty with the last kick of the game leaving Steve Bruce to sweat on his managerial future after Aston Villa’s dramatic 3-3 draw with Preston.
Villa midfielder Whelan stepped up five minutes into added time to take a spot kick that capped a barely-believable second half.
But Preston goalkeeper Chris Maxwell guessed correctly, saving to his left after referee Darren England adjudged that Daniel Johnson had pushed over Birkir Bjarnason.
Bruce appeared to have relieved the growing pressure when Villa went two goals to the good before the break courtesy of Jonathan Kodjia’s header and a clever finish from Tammy Abraham, right.
But then James Chester’s 53rd-minute sending-off for bringing down Lukas Nmecha sparked a second-half meltdown as Alex Neil’s Preston sensed a comeback was on the cards.
Johnson scored from the resulting penalty then substitute Paul Gallagher fired them level, squeezing a free-kick inside Mark Bunn’s near post. Basement boys Preston staged a remarkable rally that ended with substitute Louis Moult making it 3-2 in the 87th minute.
Bruce was subjected to chants of ‘You’re getting sacked in the morning’ but they were cut short when substitute Yannick Bolasie fired home from close range.
There was still time for Whelan to see his penalty saved
Birmingham manager Garry Monk was sent to the stands for protesting Maikel Kieftenbeld’s controversial red card in the 1-1 draw at Brentford. Kieftenbeld was sent off for a 66th-minute off-the-ball clash with Neal Maupay. Birmingham’s players were furious and Monk was punished for overdoing his protests. Monk’s men had led through Michael Morrison but Josh McEachran equalised from a free kick. Bruno Martins Indi and Tom Ince were on target for Stoke in a 2-0 win over Bolton.