Championship leaders Ipswich strengthened their automatic promotion hopes with a nervy victory over Leicester at Portman Road.

Shefki Kuqi's 15th goal of the season and an own goal from Mark de Vries gave the Tractor Boys the points, with Jordan Stewart setting up a grandstand finish.

But manager Joe Royle owed a huge debt of gratitude to goalkeeper Kelvin Davis, who pulled off a string of brilliant saves to keep his side in front.

Finland international Kuqi took 75 seconds to put the Tractor Boys in front but his day was to end in agony as he was forced off with a knee injury as the first half came to a close.

Darren Currie forced City goalkeeper Ian Walker into a fine save, but from Jim Magilton's resulting corner Kuqi rose unchallenged to head the ball home.

But the Foxes, containing four changes to the side which drew against Crewe, soon got the bit between their teeth as David Connolly forced Davis into making a couple of saves with long-range efforts inside a minute.

Craig Levein's men continued to force the pace as Keith Gillespie fired wide from distance after a quarter of an hour.

But Town doubled their lead eight minutes later from another corner after Walker pushed Tommy Miller's smart shot round the post.

Ipswich defender Jason de Vos missed Currie's inswinging flag-kick, only for de Vries to slice his clearance straight at Walker, with referee Kevin Wright adjudging the ball to have crossed the line.

However, the visitors always looked dangerous as Connolly was once again denied by a breathtaking stop by Davis with a close-range volley from Stewart's cross.

Jamie Scowcroft headed Gillespie's free-kick over the bar and minutes later recalled defender Dion Dublin forced Davis into action.

De Vries had another couple of chances as the half came to a close. It ended distressingly for Kuqi, who went up for a header with Dublin and landed awkwardly, with Kevin Horlock coming on for the final few seconds.

Former Hearts striker de Vries looked to atone for his blunder five minutes into the second half only to shoot wide of the upright when well placed.

Ipswich nearly stretched their lead on the hour when Currie's corner was headed just over the bar by Richard Naylor.

Connolly summed up a frustrating afternoon by missing the target moments later, before De Vos made a goalline clearance to keep out Nikos Dabizas' header from a Stewart corner.

De Vos and Miller both went close for the home side, before the Foxes grabbed a lifeline eight minutes from time.

David Unsworth fouled Gillespie just outside the box, and Stewart curled a superb free-kick in off the underside of the bar.

Bent tried his luck with a couple of shots from outside the box which failed to trouble Walker.

The game nearly had a dramatic climax in the first minute of stoppage time, but fittingly Davis held on to Gillespie's strike.

Teams:

Ipswich: Davis, Wilnis, De Vos, Naylor, Unsworth, Miller, Magilton (Karbassiyoon 90), Westlake, Currie, Kuqi (Horlock 45), Bent.

Subs Not Used: Price, Richards, Bowditch.

Booked: Unsworth.

Goals: Kuqi 2, de Vries 24 og.

Leicester: Walker, Makin (Stearman 63), Dabizas, Dublin, Stewart, Gillespie, Gudjonsson (Nalis 74), Hughes, Scowcroft (Tiatto 71), Connolly, de Vries.

Subs Not Used: Hirschfeld, Wright.

Booked: Hughes, Dabizas, Dublin.

Goals: Stewart 82.

Att: 27,392

Ref: K Wright (Cambridgeshire).