Ipswich find themselves in a straight fight with Wigan for the one remaining automatic promotion place following Sunderland's return to the Premiership.

Ipswich's failure to beat a hard-working Leeds at Elland Road guaranteed manager Mick McCarthy's side a multi-million pound pay-day on their climb back to the top flight.

Despite taking two points from their last three matches as Ipswich continue to falter over the Coca-Cola Championship run-in, the one saving grace for boss Joe Royle's boys is Wigan are also showing signs of the jitters after their goalless home draw with QPR.

Just two points continue to separate second-placed Wigan from nearest-challengers Town, but now with only two matches remaining on which their hopes rest of avoiding the play-offs.

In truth, Ipswich only have themselves to blame because, aside from one glorious minute of this game, the other 89 bordered on typical end-of-season fare.

Credit to Leeds as they went into the match with little to play for other than pride, and in that respect Ipswich should have found a way to take all three points.

Instead, it was midfielder Matthew Spring who put a spoke in the wheel of their hopes with his first goal for the club following his free transfer move from Luton last summer.

That came less than 60 seconds after Shefki Kuqi had set Ipswich on their way with his 17th of the campaign.

Kevin Horlock's through ball in the 11th minute found Kuqi on the edge of the D, with the Finland international striker then turning Gary Kelly inside out.

Kuqi's eventual 16-yard shot took a slight deflection off the left leg of right-back Kelly, which was enough to deceive Leeds' newly-crowned player-of-the year in goalkeeper Neil Sullivan.

Leeds' response was instant, although their equaliser was more in part to slack marking in the Ipswich defence as Spring was left unmarked 12 yards from goal. It allowed him to head home Frazer Richardson's pin-point right-wing cross for his debut goal, albeit playing only his 13th match for Leeds and making only his second Championship start.

Sadly, the game soon deteriorated into a spring slog, with chances at a premium, with those that followed for Ipswich only half ones at that as Horlock volleyed over and Tommy Miller fired into Sullivan's welcoming arms.

In between, Kuqi somehow failed to connect with a raking, defence-splitting pass from skipper Jim Magilton, with the goal at his mercy as Kelly and Clarke Carlisle looked on.

At least there appeared a greater urgency from both sides after the break, although the chances continued to be fleeting until the dying moments.

Richard Naylor found himself in the right place at the right time in cutting out a low ball into the six-yard box from Ian Moore, with Rob Hulse waiting to sidefoot home at the far post.

After Darren Bent had flashed an angled drive through the six-yard area on the hour, an all-alone Hulse was given little choice but to shoot for goal soon after, only to send his rising shot from 14 yards over the bar.

Hulse then curled a yard wide late on before Ipswich should have sealed the points, only for a Kuqi shot on the turn to flash inches past the right-hand post in the 89th minute.

Worse followed for Royle in injury time as he must have thought the winner was coming.

But despite a deadball-line pull-back from Bent to a wide-open Darren Currie, the 71st-minute substitute for Pablo Counago sidefooted inches wide the kind of chance that could return to haunt them.

Teams

Leeds Sullivan, Kelly, Carlisle, Kilgallon, Gray, Einarsson (Walton 67), Gregan, Spring, Richardson (King 89), Hulse, Moore, Walton (Wright 69).

Subs Not Used: Pugh, Lennon.

Goals: Spring 12.

Ipswich Price, Wilnis, De Vos, Naylor, Unsworth (Diallo 63), Miller, Horlock (Westlake 55), Magilton, Kuqi, Bent, Counago (Currie 71).

Subs Not Used: Supple, Scowcroft.

Booked: Bent.

Goals: Kuqi 11.

Att: 29,607

Ref: C Webster (Tyne & Wear).