Leon Cort earned Hull a deserved Coca-Cola Championship point at Portman Road when he rose highest to head home a second-half equaliser.

The big defender connected sweetly with Stuart Green's 57th-minute corner to cancel out Darren Currie's fortuitous first-half opener.

Currie whipped a free-kick into the penalty area and watched as the ball evaded everyone before bouncing inside the far post in the 23rd minute.

Alan Lee almost snatched three points for Joe Royle's side in stoppage time. But Boaz Myhill turned his shot away, and Hull deservedly held on.

Ipswich, showing just one change from last week with Ian Westlake in for on-loan Ricardo Fuller, flew out of the blocks and forced Hull goalkeeper Myhill into two fine early saves.

First Lee and, seconds later, Matthew Richards forced Myhill to parry similar efforts inside the penalty area after Green had volleyed wide for Hull - who made three changes - in the second minute.

Manuel Rui Marques, on loan from Leeds, was handed his Tigers debut - while Kevin Ellison and Jon Parkin also returned to the side with Alan Rogers, Stuart Elliott and Craig Fagan making way.

Currie's 30-yard shot was blocked by Rui Marques, but it seemed a matter of time before Ipswich broke the deadlock.

Myhill was well-placed to hold Lee's 25-yard effort but helpless when Currie's free-kick into the penalty area eluded everyone and bounced inside the far post.

The goal stung Hull into life.

Green went close again from distance - and Billy Paynter, Damien Delaney and Parkin peppered Shane Supple's goal but were off target.

Lee then had three chances within two minutes to increase the home side's lead. His first shot was blocked by Rui Marques; a header from Luis Castro Sito's cross was held by Myhill, and his left-footed effort whistled over the bar.

Town were dealt a blow six minutes before half-time when Westlake was forced off injured and replaced by Dean McDonald, while Cort went close to snatching an equaliser in stoppage time - heading wide from Andy Dawson's corner.

Currie curled a 25-yard free-kick over the bar soon after the restart, and Paynter forced Supple into a rare save with his left-footed shot from the edge of the penalty area.

Town were made to pay for their missed chances in the 57th minute when Cort powered home a header from Green's corner.

Ellison was well-placed inside the penalty area but dragged his shot wide before Hull pair Fagan and John Welsh replaced Delaney and Green in a double substitution.

Currie's lob dropped just above the bar, and Cort blocked a shot from Magilton who then forced Myhill to save before making way for substitute Danny Haynes.

Lee forced Myhill into another smart save, and Fabian Wilnis headed the subsequent corner narrowly over the bar - with the visiting goalkeeper then holding Currie's stinging 30-yard shot.

Teams:

Ipswich Supple, Sito, De Vos, Wilnis, Barron (Casement 79),Magilton (Haynes 74), Westlake (McDonald 39), Garvan, Richards,Lee, Currie.

Subs Not Used: Price, Brekke-Skard.

Goals: Currie 23.

Hull Myhill, Wiseman, Cort, Delaney (Welsh 68), Dawson,Green (Fagan 68), Andrews, Rui Marques, Ellison, Paynter,Parkin.

Subs Not Used: Duke, Thelwell, Duffy.

Booked: Delaney.

Goals: Cort 57.

Att: 23,968

Ref: R Olivier (W Midlands).