LEE Bowyer scored after four minutes but Leicester clawed their way back to earn a 1-1 draw in the East Midlands.

A pulsating first few minutes saw Ipswich miss a second minute penalty through Michael Chopra before Bowyer gave them the lead.

Town then survived a red card appeal after a clumsy tackle by Ibrahima Sonko to cap an incredible eight minutes.

Leicester fought back in the second half and though they found clear-cut chances hard to come by, Jason Scotland gave away a penalty for handball and Paul Gallagher thumped the penalty home to keep Ipswich in 19th.

In a frantic start, Chopra should have already given the visitors the lead but his spot kick was fantastically saved by Kasper Schmeichel after Paul Konchesky had tripped Lee Martin following a flowing Town move.

Konchesky was perhaps lucky to stay on the pitch, but Leicester had their own reason to complain after Bowyer’s goal which came about after some poor home defending.

Jermaine Beckford was hauled down by Ibrahima Sonko but referee Darren Drysdale decided that the Foxes striker was going away for goal and the Senegalese international was only booked.

All this happened within the first eight minutes and the rest of the half was an entertaining affair.

Jason Scotland’s shot was comfortably held by Schmeichel before Daryl Murphy just failed to get on the end of Damien Delaney’s flick header.

Leicester had their moments and always looked dangerous, but their best chance came from Gallagher’s long range shot that only found the body of Arran Lee-Barrett.

Town’s chances were dealt a blow when Keith Andrews limped off just before the break leaving Ipswich to play the second half with Jimmy Bullard and Bowyer in centre midfield.

The second 45 minutes was poorer fare, from a football sense, but the narrow nature of the scoreline and the passionate home support ensured a tense end to the game.

David Nugent turned Paul Konchesky’s cross goalwards but Arran Lee-Barrett saved with his legs and Gallagher curled a free kick wide while at the other end Bullard had a powerful volley well held.

The game turned in the 68th minute when Scotland was adjudged to handle the ball and Gallagher thumped the spot kick low beyond Lee-Barrett.

Emmanunel-Thomas thundered a shot wide while Town fans were left on the edges of their seats when Delaney handled on the edge, but Gallagher’s free kick was deflected wide,

Starting line-ups

Ipswich: Lee-Barrett; Edwards, Sonko, Delaney, Cresswell; Martin, Andrews, Bowyer, Murphy; Chopra, Scotland. Subs – Wright, Emmanuel-Thomas, Ellington, Bullard, Wabara

Leicester: Schmeichel; Peltier, Mills, Bamba, Konchesky; Gallagher, Abe, Wellens, Dyer; Nugent, Beckford. Subs – Howard, King, Weale, Danns, Schlupp