With four clubs competing for the two automatic promotion places, any slip up can be pivotal, and it’s fair to say that Leeds United were the big winners this weekend.
Daniel Farke’s men picked up a tenth victory in 11 on Friday night at Sheffield Wednesday, as they overcame a tricky start to run out relatively comfortable winners at Hillsborough.
Then, having done their bit, they watched both Leicester and Ipswich drop points, with Saints’ 4-2 success over Sunderland preventing it from being the perfect gameweek for the Yorkshire side.
Ipswich Town collapse at Cardiff City
Yet, Ipswich’s loss at Cardiff could have greater consequences than the Tractor Boys simply losing three points, as the manner of their defeat was alarming.
Kieran McKenna’s side weren’t at their best in Wales, but they took a 79th minute lead through Kieffer Moore, as the big striker finished well with his left foot.
Even though they weren’t at their best, Ipswich looked set to pick up an impressive away win, and they were ahead of Leeds in second as it stood.
But, in a dramatic stoppage time, Cardiff would score twice, as they equalised in the 95th minute through Ryan Wintle, before Callum O’Dowda condemned McKenna’s men to their fifth defeat of the season when there were ten minutes of injury time on the clock.
So, this wasn’t just any loss, and the shell-shocked away end and the disbelief on the faces of the Ipswich players proved that.
They had the points in their hands, but that late collapse left them in third place.
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Momentum can be everything in football, and that would have felt like a real punch in the gut for Ipswich at such a crucial moment.
