A goal in each half earned Ipswich a 2-0 win over Middlesbrough to keep Kieran McKenna’s side on the tails of leaders Leicester.
The Tractor Boys impressed at the Riverside even though goalkeeper Vaclav Hladky had to make a few good second-half saves to prevent Boro from scoring.
Conor Chaplin’s eighth of the season nine minutes before half-time was followed by substitute Omari Hutchinson’s fine finish in the 67th minute to seal the points for McKenna’s side.
The third win in a row keeps Ipswich a point behind Leicester at the top of the table, while Middlesbrough sit 12th and three points behind sixth place after a third defeat in four games.
Despite a decent atmosphere inside the Riverside, the game took a while to burst into life.
Neither side created anything in the opening exchanges, with the visitors making inroads as an attacking force first.
Ipswich were also first to hit the target. Middlesbrough goalkeeper Seny Dieng was in the right place to hold a deflected effort from George Hirst after good work from Nathan Broadhead.
And Broadhead, who spent time in the North East at Sunderland last season, went close when his 20-yard strike took a deflection before dropping just the wrong side of the crossbar after half an hour.
Ipswich got the breakthrough they deserved six minutes later. Chaplin’s half-volley, which shaved the head of Matt Clarke before finding the net, was the result of Jonny Howson’s failure to deal properly with Wes Burns’ ball into the area.
Defender Clarke, who was making his first start in more than a year because of a problematic back injury, could not have done much about it.
It was only then when Middlesbrough, who had eight first-team players ruled out, started to look more threatening.
Striker Emmanuel Latte Lath, the liveliest man in a red shirt in the final third, side-footed wide from 18 yards after his direct run through the heart of the Ipswich defence created something from nothing.
That was the closest Middlesbrough came to scoring before the break.
After the restart Matt Crooks earned a corner 10 minutes in when a passage of play ended with his shot being blocked by Cameron Burgess when it looked like it could test goalkeeper Hladky.
In fact the best save Hladky had to make up to that point was when he turned over Dan Barlaser’s corner on the hour that was curling straight in.
And the Czech Republic man was alert again five minutes later to dive left and prevent Latte Lath from finding the net with a header.
Those stops paved the way for Ipswich to add the second. This time Chaplin turned provider with a pass in behind the defence.
And with Middlesbrough full-back Lukas Engel caught deep, Hutchinson was played onside. When faced with just Dieng to beat he picked his spot brilliantly, low to the left with 23 minutes remaining.
Engel’s cross a few minutes later almost made amends when it was deflected goalwards by the head of Ipswich’s excellent defender Luke Woolfenden. Again, though, Hladky was there to save well.
Nuno demands Premier League resolves PSR 'mess' as Forest await appeal verdict
Nuno Espirito Santo has called for the Premier League to provide clarity as Nottingham Forest wait on their appeal against a four-point deduction for breaching profit and sustainability rules, describing the situation as a "mess".
Forest were deducted four points in March after being found to have breached the competition's financial rules in the assessment period culminating in the end of the 2022-23 season.
Everton have also had a total of eight points deducted for two separate breaches, but with the Toffees pulling clear of the relegation zone, it is Forest who are looking over their shoulders.
Nuno's team sit just one point clear of 18th-placed Luton Town as they await the outcome of an appeal against their penalty, and he says the lack of clarity is affecting several clubs.
Asked whether he had received an update on Forest's appeal on Thursday, Nuno said: "Unfortunately we haven't heard yet.
"We are expecting to, but not yet. It is very difficult. We have been dealing with this situation for a while.
"We all expected the decision to come sooner, so we would know exactly how many points we have. Do we have 30, 29, 28, 27? We need it as fast as possible.
"To have 30 points would be fantastic, because this is the number of points that the boys achieved on the pitch.
"It is a mess. It should have been decided before. They have had enough time. It is very difficult for us but also for the rest of the league. It is very hard to be in this situation."
Forest visit already-relegated Sheffield United on Saturday, having taken just one point from four Premier League games since beating Fulham 3-1 in early April.
They could be in the relegation zone by the time that match kicks off, with Luton hosting Everton in a huge clash at Kenilworth Road on Friday.
France defender Hernandez to miss Euro 2024 after suffering ACL injury
Lucas Hernandez will miss France's Euro 2024 campaign after tearing his anterior cruciate ligament during Paris Saint-Germain's 1-0 Champions League defeat to Borussia Dortmund.
Dortmund will take a slender lead to the Parc des Princes for next week's semi-final second leg after Niclas Fullkrug's strike powered them past PSG in Wednesday's first leg in Germany.
Hernandez sustained a knee injury while chasing after Fullkrug in the build-up to the goal and was substituted after a brief attempt to play on.
On Thursday, PSG announced an MRI scan had revealed an ACL tear in his left knee, which will require surgery in the coming days.
Hernandez, who has 37 senior international caps, will now miss Euro 2024, with France set to open their Group D campaign against Austria in Dusseldorf on June 17.
Didier Deschamps' side then face the Netherlands in Leipzig four days later, before taking on Poland in Dortmund on June 25.
Hernandez was part of France's squad for the 2022 World Cup but sustained another ligament injury during Les Bleus' opening match against Australia, missing the rest of the tournament and not returning to club football until the start of 2023-24.
Tonali set for August return after receiving suspended two-month ban from FA
Sandro Tonali has been given a suspended two-month ban by the Football Association (FA) after admitting to breaching gambling rules.
The sanction means the Newcastle United midfielder will be eligible to return to action on August 27, 2024, when his 10-month suspension issued by the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) expires.
FIFA ratified that ban, causing it to become applicable worldwide, after Tonali admitted to placing bets on matches as part of an investigation into unregulated betting platforms in Italy.
In March, the FA charged Tonali with breaching English football's gambling rules 50 times between August and October last year, leading to fears his spell out of the game could be extended.
However, on Thursday it was confirmed that the FA had suspended Tonali's punishment for the duration of the 2024-25 season, meaning he can return in August if he does not reoffend.
In a statement, Newcastle said: "Sandro Tonali has been given a suspended two-month ban from competitive football by an independent regulatory commission after self-declaring breaches of FA betting rules.
"He has also been fined £20,000 and warned by the FA as to his future conduct.
"Provided that he does not commit any further breach of the FA betting rules during the suspension period, Sandro will not serve any part of the two-month sanction.
"As acknowledged by the FA in the independent regulatory commission's written reasons, the level of assistance Sandro has provided by self-referring and fully cooperating with a subsequent investigation is extraordinary and unprecedented.
"Sandro is continuing to follow a therapeutic plan and educational programme with the club's full support and will continue to train with his team-mates."
Tonali's initial ban has limited him to just eight Premier League appearances since he joined Newcastle from Milan in a £55million deal, while he will also miss Italy's Euro 2024 campaign.
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