The crown appeared to be slipping from the head of Ipswich Town striker David Johnson.

Marcus Stewart's arrival meant a new king was born at Portman Road and there were doubts whether the two were prepared to share the coveted title.

Shorn of confidence, Johnson had been beginning to look like King Canute waiting for the waves to engulf him as those around him carried on the promotion momentum.

Stewart's electric start, with two goals in his First two games, got the fans on his side and it looked as though the throne would be his alone.

Johnson's solitary goal - a penalty - this side of the change of millennium was not a favourable return before Sunday's trip to St Andrews but he did much to restore the faith with a volley on the stroke of half-time.

Outside the penalty area, his performance was full of startling reminders of his early season form when the fireworks propelled Town to the top of the First Division table.

His unstinting first-half efforts were rewarded with his 16th score of the season after Birmingham City had taken the lead courtesy of Tony Mowbray's own goal.

Johnson's strike enabled Town to extend their unbeaten run to an astonishing 18 League games and while the orders for next season's Premiership A to Z Guide are still on hold, Town are beginning to look as though little will get in their way.

They had chances to win the game in the second half, but few teams will escape from this cauldron with more than a point before the end of the season.

Trevor Francis's City side were bang in form before they ran head on into the Burley Boys and they must have fancied their chances of recording a sixth straight home win.

Unbeaten since mid-January, Birmingham were beginning to get a whiff of promotion again and could have even set their sights on second place if they had chalked up victory.

But surely they can now only be left to contemplate the lottery of the play-offs after failing to take advantage of their supremacy in the early stages.

They took the lead when Richard Wright beat out Dele Adebola's effort but Simon Charlton picked up the rebound and his cross was met by the head of Mowbray.

Town's player-coach sent his diving header beyond Wright for the opening goal, but it wasn't long before the home side were on the ropes.

Clapham's 25-yard strike crashed against Ian Bennett's upright before Mowbray atoned for his earlier rush of blood to set up Johnson for the equaliser.

Wayne Brown launched a free-kick into the box and Mowbray's header was guided into the path of the King of Portman Road who volleyed the ball beyond the keeper.

The crown - for now - still belongs to Johnson.

Men of the moment - Town goalscorer David Johnson, above, and left, Wayne Brown, whose free-kick set up the equaliser.

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.