Ipswich Town’s push for a top six finish has been handed a major boost after Crystal Palace agreed to extend Jonny Williams’ loan spell at Portman Road until the end of the season.

An extension had to be agreed before his original one-month switch expired at the end of today and the paperwork has been completed in time.

Palace will be able to recall the midfielder at 24 hours notice though and, should they do so, he would not be able to return to the Blues again this season. The loan extension does include an option which would enable Town to keep Williams for the play-offs should they finish in the Championship top six.

The 20-year-old Welsh international has been a revelation during his short time with the Blues, producing scintillating performances against the likes of Brighton and Derby to ignite an end of season surge towards the Championship play-off places.

Blues boss Mick McCarthy feared that Palace boss Tony Pulis would want the tricky and tenacious midfielder back at Selhurst Park given the fact that the Eagles are very much in a Premier League relegation battle still.

However, with the South London club having beaten Chelsea 1-0 at the weekend – and attackers Dwight Gayle and Marouane Chamakh returning to fitness – Pulis has decided that Williams can stay in Suffolk for the time being. The parent club have inserted a 24-hour recall clause though and will continue to judge the situation on a game-by-game basis.

Williams himself may have played his part in the decision, the youngster quick to say that he was loving his time at Ipswich and was keen to remain part of ‘something special’ if he was not going to get regular football in the top-flight.

Ipswich Town players have heaped praise on Williams, Paul Anderson and Dean Gerken insisting that the sky is the limit for the hot prospect.

– See tomorrow’s EADT and Ipswich Star for comment.