Ipswich move into automatic promotion places with home victory against Oxford

Ipswich climbed into the automatic promotion places in the Sky Bet Championship following a 2-1 victory over struggling Oxford.

Their victory came via first-half goals from leading scorer Jaden Philogene and Chuba Akpom, while Will Lankshear replied for the visitors.

Ipswich moved a point above Middlesbrough after they fell to a 1-0 defeat at Derby, while Oxford remain three points from safety.

Northern Ireland international Ciaron Brown was left writhing in agony after a challenge from Sindre Walle Egeli in the fifth minute but was able to continue, however the Ipswich forward was lucky not to be shown a yellow card.

Town took a deserved lead in the 17th minute when Philogene scored his ninth goal of the season.

It came after Jens Cajuste robbed Bulgaria international Filip Krastev. He fed the ball to Philogene who danced his way into the penalty area and fired a shot into the bottom corner past helpless Oxford goalkeeper Jamie Cumming.

The visitors suffered a setback in the 22nd minute when Tyler Goodrham suffered what appeared to be a knee injury and he was replaced by Siriki Dembele.

Shortly afterwards, Darnell Furlong appeared to be pushed over the perimeter wall by the Oxford substitute, who was the first player to be cautioned by referee Will Finnie.

Philogene spurned a wonderful opportunity to extend Ipswich’s lead when Leif Davis pulled the ball back from the byline into his path but he shot over the crossbar moments before Lankshear drew the visitors level in the 34th minute.

Przemyslaw Placheta, who scored the winning goal in the reverse fixture at the Kassam Stadium last month, surged forward and found Dembele who slipped the ball to Lankshear and he spun and netted past Ipswich keeper Christian Walton.

Town retook the lead through Akpom five minutes before the break.

Furlong’s run from deep ended with his pinpoint cross finding the Town striker who deftly slipped the ball past Cumming.

Marcelino Nunez’s shot from almost 30 yards saw Cumming dive to his right to deflect the ball clear as the half drew to an end.

Brian De Keersmaecker should have drawn the sides level after 51 minutes when he beat the challenge of Dara O’Shea but fired wide and the Town defender then had a bullet header cleared off the line by the Belgian midfielder.

Cumming palmed a shot from Nunez over the bar and later dived to his left to acrobatically turn away a 25-yard free-kick from the Chile international.

Oxford were growing into the game, putting the Town defence under pressure, but the Tractor Boys managed to hang on for the three points.