IPSWICH suffered a minute of ecstasy and agony as their stuttering end of season form continued to derail their hopes of automatic promotion.

Joe Royle's men will be kicking themselves after their rivals for that second ticket to Premiership riches, Wigan, could only manage a stalemate at home to injury-ravaged Queen's Park Rangers.

The two-point gap was there to be closed and Royle's men failed to deliver when it mattered most.

When the dust settled on this scrappy encounter the finger of blame for Ipswich not getting the win they so desperately needed may well point at substitute Darren Currie who missed a sitter in the second minute of time added on.

The game looked to be petering out to a predictable draw but suddenly an unusually quiet Darren Bent burst clear on the left before pulling back a sublime ball for Currie lurking just ten yards out.

He even had time to sidefoot his shot but inexplicably sent the ball wide.

It was tough luck on the Tractor Boys, who had led the division from December through to February before being caught and overtaken by the Latics and Sunderland, who confirmed their promotion with a win against Leicester.

Royle stated his intentions with an exciting starting line-up involving 35-goal striker Shefki Kuqi and Bent together with Spaniard Pablo Counago.

And his bold plan looked to have done the trick when Ipswich grabbed the lead after just ten minutes. The move was set up by Kevin Horlock, who found Finnish international Kuqi inside the area.

He didn't look to get great contact on the shot but the deflection it took off Leeds defender Gary Kelly was enough to wrong-foot keeper Neil Sullivan.

That should have been the platform for an Ipswich victory - but as so often happens when nerves are jangling they were caught with a cruel sucker punch within a minute.

Ipswich were still full of euphoria as Frazer Richardson broke down the right form the kick-off and his cross was headed perfectly into the corner for Matthew Spring to record his first goal for the club in only his second league start The equaliser was doubly hard on stand-in keeper Lewis Price.

The Welsh under-21 international only got his call-up on the day before the game with regular keeper Kelvin Davis having time off for the birth of his baby boy.

The goal seemed to knock the stuffing out of Ipswich, who huffed and puffed right until the final whistle trying to recapture some early-season form.

Chances were at a premium for both sides and Leeds certainly didn't make it easy for their opponents, despite having only pride to play for, by packing out their midfield with five players .

The best and most exciting period came as the game drew to a close with both sides having chances to win.

Kuqi looked to have broken through in the 60th minute but was stopped in his tracks. And as the ball span sideways to top scorer Bent he could only smash the ball narrowly wide.

Kuqi almost hit the jackpot in the 73rd minute but his near-post effort from Fabian Wilnis's cross was deflected wide. Leeds too had their chances and Hulse even had the ball in the net only for his strike to be ruled offside.

Ipswich still have a shout but know they must not slip up in their final games with Crewe and Brighton if they are not to be forced into the play-offs.

LEEDS: Sullivan 6 - Kelly 6, Carlisle 7, Kilgallon 6, Gray 7 - Richardson (wdrn) 6 (King 87), Spring 6, Gregan 6, Einarsson (wdrn) 6 (Walton 67 (inj) 5, Wright 69, 5) - Moore 5, *HULSE 7.

IPSWICH: Price 6 - Wilnis 7, Naylor 7, De Vos 6, Unsworth (wdrn) 6 (Diallo 63, 6) - Miller 6, *MAGILTON 8, Horlock (wdrn) 6 (Westlake 59, 6) - Bent 6, Counago (wdrn) 5, (Currie 71), Kuqi 7.

Ref: C Webber 6.GAMES TO PLAY LeedsIpswichLeicester(a) May 1

Rotherham(h) May 8Crewe(h) Apr 30

Brighton(a) May 8