Bristol City conceded a damaging stoppage-time goal for the second time in three days as Ipswich put an end to any lingering hopes the Robins had of making the Championship play-offs.

City threw away a 2-1 lead at Nottingham Forest on Saturday to lose 3-2, and it was late drama again at Ashton Gate as Giovani Dos Santos' injury-time penalty earned Ipswich a point.

There was almost a pre-season atmosphere in the opening period with Richard Wright's save from City midfielder Lee Johnson's 35th-minute drive a rare moment of excitement.

The game came to life in the 48th minute as City midfielder Marvin Elliott swept home Michael McIndoe's incisive ball from the left wing to give the home side a barely deserved lead.

Nicky Maynard and Johnson both went close to extending the Robins' lead but the momentum turned following the introduction of Ipswich playmaker Giovani.

The Mexico international came close with a ferocious long-range effort before stepping up to calmly convert from the spot in stoppage time following a foul on Ivan Campo.

March proved to be a woeful month for the Robins with just one win, one draw and three defeats severely denting their promotion aspirations and leaving them 10 points adrift of the play-offs.

And their cause was not aided when goalkeeper Adriano Basso was forced to withdraw from the action after just six minutes with what appeared to be a serious knee injury.

Robins boss Gary Johnson had to contend with a defensive injury crisis with Jamie McAllister, Liam Fontaine and Louis Carey all ruled out.

And his troubles were compounded when Brazilian goalkeeper Basso landed awkwardly following a routine catch, leaving Johnson with little option but to hand back-up stopper Stephen Henderson his first appearance of the season.

Robins midfielder Johnson turned his man before unleashing a drive from 25 yards but former England keeper Wright proved equal to it as he athletically tipped over the bar with the ball heading for the top right-hand corner.

But within three minutes of the re-start, the home side snatched the lead and the match got the injection of life it so drastically needed.

McIndoe was the architect as the Robins midfielder gathered the ball on the left and threaded an incisive through-ball to Elliott who made no mistake from six yards out as he planted his shot into the bottom right-hand corner to make it 1-0.

The home side were certainly in the ascendancy and almost doubled their advantage in the 55th minute as former Crewe striker Maynard lashed a shot in on target, forcing Wright to claw the ball away at his near post.

Maynard was fast becoming a constant menace to the Tractor Boys' back-line and once again he tried his luck from distance - spinning before unleashing a ferocious drive which had Wright scrambling to tip the ball over.

Ipswich boss Jim Magilton introduced on-loan Tottenham misfit Giovani, who scored three goals in 28 appearances for Barcelona last term, in a bid to add an attacking dimension to his side's lacklustre performance.

And the switch almost paid immediate dividends but a fantastic back-pedalling save from Henderson denied the Mexican's thunderous 20-yard drive.

Giovani's introduction seemed to inspire his team-mates too as midfielder Norris lashed in a thunderbolt from distance which once again had Henderson scrambling but the substitute keeper did brilliantly to parry the ball wide.

But just as it seemed the home side had resisted the late surge of pressure, former Real Madrid and Bolton midfielder Campo was clipped by Peter Styvar in the area and referee Anthony Taylor pointed to the spot.

Giovani stepped up to slot home from the 12 yards to earn his side a share of the spoils and subsequently end any faint promotion ambitions the Robins still harboured.

Teams

Bristol City Basso (Henderson 9), Orr, McCombe, Iriekpen,Skuse, Williams (Sproule 67), Johnson, Elliott, McIndoe,Adebola (Styvar 78), Maynard.

Subs Not Used: Murray, John.

Booked: McCombe.

Goals: Elliott 49.

Ipswich Richard Wright, David Wright (Campo 34), Balkestein,Bruce, Thatcher, Walters (Giovani 53), Norris, Shumulikoski,Quinn, Lisbie, Counago (Wickham 73).

Subs Not Used: Bialkowski, Garvan.

Booked: Balkestein.

Goals: Giovani 90 pen.

Att: 16,430

Ref: Anthony Taylor (Greater Manchester).