Ipswich Town's 21-match unbeaten run in all competitions was ended by a 4-3 defeat to Leeds United at Portman Road.
Despite opening the scoring, three quickfire goals from the visitors saw them rush into a healthy lead. The Blues struck back before the break, but were unable to capitalise in the second half despite an impressive performance.
Their best chance of the opening stages came in the sixth minute, when Nathan Broadhead headed a long ball over to Kayden Jackson, allowing the striker to overlap down the left. However, he gave it straight back to Leeds in an attempt to pick out Broadhead, allowing them to clear the danger.
He was much more clinical in the seventh minute, playing a vital role in the goal that gave Town the lead. He broke down the left flank once again, advancing into the final third before cutting inside and going for goal. His effort deflected off Tottenham Hotspur loanee Joe Rodon, flicking up and into the net to make it 1-0.
Wes Burns will have been furious that he was unable to double the Blues’ lead a few seconds later after he was played through on goal, seeing his low shot blocked for a corner. Daniel Farke’s men made him pay for his wastefulness, as Georginio Rutter picked up the ball down the right and waltzed into the box, firing a low shot in off the post to score his first goal for Leeds.
They weren’t done there, however, albeit that their second goal seemingly came from next to nothing. A floating cross from Luis Sinisterra down the left flank met Wilfried Gnonto in the box, allowing the wantaway attacker to slip past Leif Davis and prod a point-blank shot into the back of the net to make it 2-1 in the 14th minute.
The game began to slip away from Ipswich before the 20-minute mark as Leeds made it 3-1. A cross-field ball caught Harry Clarke out of position, allowing Sinisterra to pick it up and fizz a low cross into the box. Hladky was able to push it clear as far as Joel Piroe, with the debutant calmly slotting the rebound into the net to extend his side’s advantage.
The home crowd got behind Ipswich as they surged forward in search of a response, but Massimo Luongo saw his shot blocked for a corner which Leeds cleared after a lengthy injury to Sam Byram. It allowed the visitors to reset, dominating possession without really threatening in the final third.
The half-hour mark saw a slight swing in momentum. A quick run from Burns saw him brush past early substitute Cody Drameh, but his low cross to Jackson was ultimately cleared out for yet another corner. A long ball from Davis threatened to find the striker in the box once again, but it bounced over everyone for a goal kick.
The left-back had to rush back as Leeds countered quickly, blocking Luke Ayling’s powerful close-range strike after Piroe managed to keep the ball in play and cross from the left side of the box.
Town’s improvement continued towards the end of the half. A sensational lobbed pass from Luongo played Burns through on goal in the 41st minute, but Rodon and Pascal Struijk both slid in at the same time to prevent his shot from testing Illan Meslier.
They kept pushing in a bid to narrow the gap before the break. Davis’ through ball picked out Broadhead in the middle, allowing him to find a gap between the two Leeds centre-backs and go for goal, fizzing a powerful effort just wide of the target.
Just when it looked like Town would have to fight from two goals down in the second half, Broadhead was able to reduce Leeds’ advantage with an easy finish. Jackson capitalised on a woeful back pass, rounding Illan Meslier and setting up the Wales international in the centre of the box to make it 2-3 in the seventh minute of first-half stoppage time.
The start to the second half was rather tepid compared to the first. Ipswich looked to dominate the flow of the game, but the first chance went the way of Leeds in the 52nd minute when an unmarked Luis Sinisterra volleyed an underwhelming effort into the gloves of Hladky.
A comedy moment almost led to Town equalising in the 58th minute. Half-time substitute Jamie Shackleton launched his boot into Town's half, leaving him standing timidly in midfield as Broadhead snuck into the box, cutting inside firing a low shot at Meslier's near post that was deflected for a corner.
Davis played the set piece short to Clarke, allowing him space to curl an astonishing long-range effort past the post.
Chances were few and far between after that. Sinisterra's fierce strike from the edge of the area shortly before the 70th minute looked dangerous, but it was ultimately an easy catch for Hladky. The goalkeeper was forced into a much better save a few seconds later, denying Piroe's flick from the centre of the box.
McKenna opted for a triple substitution in the 72nd minute, bringing on Omari Hutchinson and Freddie Ladapo, as well as debutant Brandon Williams. The Manchester United loanee was given a brutal welcome to the Championship as Sinisterra rushed past him with ease, calmly slotting past Hladky from a tight angle inside the box to make it 2-4.
Ipswich refused to lie down in the dying embers of the game. Substitutes Jack Taylor and Omari Hutchinson did well to force two good saves from Meslier, but neither could find a way through. Chaplin struck a low shot from the edge of the area to beat the Frenchman late on, but Leeds ultimately ran out as 4-3 winners at Portman Road.
Town XI: 4-2-3-1: Hladky; Clarke (Williams 72'), Woolfenden, Burgess, Davis; Morsy, Luongo (Taylor 82'); Burns (Harness 82'), Chaplin, Broadhead (Hutchinson 72'); Jackson (Ladapo 72')
Attendance: 29,606 (2,008 away)
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