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Ipswich Town manager Kieran McKenna celebrates. Alamy Stock Photo

Ipswich top Championship after Leicester defeated and Leeds grab late draw

Leeds were in danger of suffering a first league loss of 2024 until 20-year-old Spaniard Mateo came off the bench and scored.

LAST UPDATE | 29 Mar

IPSWICH CLIMBED TO the top of the English Championship table, following a 1-0 win away to Blackburn Rovers on Friday.

Conor Chaplin scored the only goal of the game in the ninth minute at Ewood Park, the midfielder starting and finishing a move that ended with him beating Aynsley Pears at the Blackburn goalkeeper’s near post after exchanging passes with Leif Davis.

Ireland international Sammie Szmodics, the league’s top scorer, missed a glorious chance 11 minutes from time, but Ipswich dug in admirably to notch their eighth win in nine.

Tonight, substitute Mateo Joseph netted a late equaliser to earn Leeds a 2-2 draw at Watford – but that was not enough to lift his side back to the top of the table.

Mid-table Watford led twice before half-time thanks to goals from Vakoun Bayo and Emmanuel Dennis either side of a fine Leeds reply from Crysencio Summerville.

Leeds were in danger of suffering a first league loss of 2024 until 20-year-old Spaniard Mateo came off the bench and scored seconds later.

Leeds ended Good Friday in second spot however as Ipswich are a point ahead.

Earlier, Leicester’s hopes of an immediate return to the Premier League suffered a fresh setback with a 1-0 loss away to Bristol City.

City’s Anis Mehmeti struck 17 minutes from time at Ashton Gate with a left-footed shot into the roof of the net.

Leicester have led the league for much of the season, but they have now won just one of their last six Championship games to fall behind Leeds.

Jamie Vardy came closest to scoring for the Foxes but the former England striker, one of the stars of Leicester’s stunning Premier League title triumph eight years ago, was twice denied by excellent saves from Max O’Leary.

Meanwhile, in the other early game, John Swift’s penalty rescued a point for play-off chasing West Brom as they extended their unbeaten run to seven league games with a 1-1 draw at Millwall.

The Lions controlled the first half and were a goal ahead at the break after a fine finish from Duncan Watmore.

However, Swift converted a penalty to ensure the Baggies sealed a seventh game unbeaten in all competitions for the first time since their 2019/20 Championship campaign.

– © AFP 2024

Additional reporting by Press Association

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