Sears at the double for Ipswich
Freddie Sears bagged a brace as Ipswich got their promotion challenge back on track with a 4-2 home win over battling Birmingham.
Tyrone Mings grabbed his first Ipswich goal in the 24th minute before an absorbing second half saw both Sears and Birmingham's David Davis score twice before home midfielder Kevin Bru made the game safe in stoppage time.
Looking to make up for a disappointing home defeat to Reading on Saturday, Ipswich started on the front foot with Jonathan Parr, Bru and Daryl Murphy all spurning half-chances inside the first 10 minute.
Murphy, the Championship's top scorer, then curled a long-range shot just wide of the far upright.
The hosts looked more likely to open the scoring and the breakthrough finally came when Mings powerfully met Paul Anderson's corner to head home his first goal for the club.
Birmingham were almost level straight after when Town keeper Bartosz Bialkowski flapped at a corner and Wes Thomas was inches away from benefiting from the subsequent goalmouth scramble.
Bialkowski made up for his error by brilliantly saving from Clayton Donaldson while, seconds later and at the other end, Murphy fired into the side-netting with team-mate Anderson screaming for a pass and an easy tap-in.
Minutes after the restart, Ipswich almost doubled their lead when Murphy rose highest to meet Jay Tabb's teasing cross but he was denied by the angle of post and bar.
They did not have to wait long for number two when Luke Chambers' long ball caught the Birmingham defence cold and keeper Darren Randolph was in two minds whether to come out or stay put.
That allowed Sears to race through and slot home for the second goal of the game four minutes after the interval.
But Birmingham reduced the deficit when Paul Caddis' pinpoint cross was beautifully turned in by the head of midfielder Davis after 57 minutes.
Ipswich restored their two-goal advantage when Sears took advantage of a mistake from Jonathan Grounds to outpace Jonathan Spector and then drill the ball into the far corner.
Parr fired just over for the hosts but it was Birmingham who pulled a goal back with 12 minutes remaining when Davis shot through a crowd of bodies and Bialkowski was unable to keep the ball out.
The game was on a knife-edge although Murphy almost finished it off, shooting straight at Randolph with Sears' deflected effort being brilliantly cleared off the line by Spector.
It mattered not when Bru pounced on a mistake from Paul Robinson to set Murphy clear.
The striker's shot was well saved by Randolph but Bru was on hand to poke the rebound into the empty net.
Source: PA
