Jack Clarke’s late strike rescued a point for Ipswich, snatching a 2‑2 draw that ended Southampton's hopes of securing automatic promotion and pushed the battle for a Premier League slot right to the final day of the season. The goal, his sixteenth of the campaign, came in the dying minutes and forced the Saints back into the play‑off picture, where they will now meet Preston North End.
Southampton entered the match knowing that only a win would keep their ambition of finishing second alive. Coventry City were already guaranteed the runners‑up spot, and the Saints needed to out‑perform them on the final day to claim the automatic promotion place. Clarke’s equaliser, however, meant that the Saints’ automatic‑promotion dream was over and that they must now navigate the high‑stakes play‑offs to achieve promotion.
Ipswich, who host Queens Park Rangers on the season’s last Saturday, now sit one point ahead of Millwall and two points clear of Middlesbrough. All three clubs will be playing their final fixtures at lunchtime, with every match broadcast live on Sky Sports. Millwall travel to Oxford United, a side already condemned to relegation, while Middlesbrough face Wrexham, who themselves need a result to lock in a play‑off berth ahead of Hull City and Derby County.
The match itself was a roller‑coaster. The first half was tense and tightly contested, with neither side able to find a breakthrough. The second half erupted into action when Jacob Greaves won the ball from Tom Fellows in midfield, lofted it forward and Ivan Azon delivered a pinpoint cross into the box.
Burns met the ball with a powerful strike that flew past Daniel Peretz, giving Ips Ipswich an early lead. The advantage was short‑lived. Ten minutes later Greaves was shown a yellow card for a robust challenge on Finn Azaz just outside the Ipswich penalty area.
From the ensuing free‑kick, Manning’s low effort deflected off Marcelino Nunez and ricocheted into the roof of the net after striking the leg of a bewildered Walton, leveling the score. Southampton, aware that a draw would not be enough, pressed forward. In the 80th minute a moment of brilliance turned the tide in their favour. Manning drove forward, sliding a perfectly weighted pass to Canadian international Larin.
Larin, showing composure under pressure, slipped past Greaves and Leif Davis and slotted the ball past Walton for a 2‑1 lead. With the clock winding down, Ipswich threw everything at the Saints. Clarke, who had already been a constant threat, found the net three minutes from the final whistle, blasting his 16th league goal into the bottom right corner to make it 2‑2.
The winger had earlier struck the post and later forced a last‑ditch save from Peretz, while Darnell Furlong’s header drifted just wide, illustrating how close both sides came to a decisive winner. The draw meant that the promotion race will be decided on the final day.
Ipswich now sit a point above Millwall and two clear of Middlesbrough, while Southampton are forced into the play‑offs, where they will meet Preston. The final fixtures will be crucial: Millwall host Oxford United, Middlesbrough travel to Wrexham, and Ipswich host QPR. All three matches will be televised, adding to the drama of the closing weekend.
After the match, Southampton manager Tonka Eckert praised his side’s effort to Sky Sports, saying, "We kept pushing and compliments to Ipswich today, it was two teams finishing on a high off the back of a very tough schedule. I would have loved to have won it today, but overall it was a very good game.
You saw the dedication and we tried everything to win the game. It's crunch time now, but we have clarity and we need to get ready for the play‑offs." Ipswich boss Kieran McKenna also spoke highly of his team’s performance, describing the encounter as "one of the best in my time, certainly in the Championship, I'll put it right up there. I thought it was a top game.
I loved our performance. To do that at this stage of the season, here with the form they're in, I think is a great sign for where we're at as a group.
You probably can't come much closer to getting promoted than we were at the end, in terms of a matter of inches from the ball going in the net. But I loved where we're at, and we look forward to Saturday." The broader context of the Championship race includes a host of other fixtures that will shape the final table: Blackburn versus Leicester City, Bristol City versus Stoke City, Derby County versus Sheffield United, Hull City versus Norwich City, Millwall versus Oxford United, Portsmouth versus Birmingham, Preston versus Southampton, Sheffield Wednesday versus West Brom, Swansea versus Charlton, Watford versus Coventry City, and Wrexham versus Middlesbrough.
Fans can also take part in the Super 6 competition for a chance to win £250,000, with free entry available. In summary, the Ipswich comeback has forced Southampton into the play‑offs, while Ipswich now sit in a strong position to chase automatic promotion on the final day.
The drama of the Championship’s closing stages promises more excitement as teams battle for the coveted Premier League spots.