Morgan Whittaker scored his first Middlesbrough goal as Rob Edwards’ side returned to the top of the Championship with an action-packed 2-1 win against Ipswich. Victory ended a three-game winless run for the home side, who had made their intent plain by pummelling the visitors’ goal after a forgettable first 30 minutes.
Whittaker doubled Boro’s lead in the 55th minute after Cédric Kipré’s own goal in first-half added time had given them the advantage, shortly after the home goalkeeper Sol Brynn saved a George Hirst penalty.
Ipswich, who had their own goalkeeper Alex Palmer to thank for keeping them level with a series of important saves around the half-hour mark, reduced the deficit through Dara O’Shea’s header with 14 minutes to go but scarcely threatened to claim the draw that would have extended their five-match unbeaten run.
Ipswich, stewing over a penalty appeal that was turned down after Hirst’s rising shot struck the arm of Alfie Jones, were saved three times in quick succession by Palmer. The former West Brom goalkeeper first stopped a low drive from Tommy Conway, then flipped Hayden Hackney’s deflected effort over the crossbar before tipping away Alan Browne’s drive from the resulting corner.
