While Ipswich Town were struggling to a 1-1 draw with Sheffield United, Marcus Stewart banged in two for Huddersfield - and the irony will not be lost on boss George Burley.

Ipswich, who last week made a bid for the Huddersfield striker, were simply crying out for that extra sparkle up front that would have won them this match in the first half.

Instead, despite all their huff and puff and superior play, Town were limited to just the one goal - and how they were made to pay.

Sheffield United boss Neil Warnock is a canny manager - and whatever he said at half-time it came up trumps as Sheffield fought back into a game that had looked beyond them on the evidence of the first half.

Ipswich were without Jim Magilton, who failed to shake off a groin problem in time, although there was a return for Richard Naylor and Gary Croft started a match for the first time since his prison release.

They started like a steam train, dominating possession but just lacking the killer instinct in the final third.

After 12 minutes goalkeeper Simon Tracey just got his foot to a David Johnson cross as Naylor bore down on goal.

And Johnson would surely have scored after 21 minutes were it not for a superb challenge by Shaun Murphy.

If the Sky Sports team had been there, their possession statistic would surely have read about 65-35 in Ipswich's favour.

But they found themselves up against spirited United resistance with Murphy and Lee Sandford superb at the back for the visitors.

Town did go ahead after 44 minutes though. After James Scowcroft's cross sat up awkwardly and Michael Brown handled in the box, Johnson made no mistake from the spot.

Warnock introduced former Leeds man Bruno Ribeiro at half-time and United, with the awkward wind in their favour, picked up in the second half.

Croft had a chance to increase the lead on 51 minutes but shot wide - and then, two minutes later, came the sucker punch.

A long ball from Tracey eluded everyone bar Marcus Bent and John McGreal - and as the ball bounced up Bent brilliantly stuck a boot out to lob Richard Wright from all of 25 yards.

Soon after Johnson missed a great chance to restore the lead but from then on the game died a death as both teams' passing deteriorated and the defences got on top.

Micky Stockwell and Jonas Axeldal were both introduced as Burley went for the win, with Mark Venus and Richard Naylor - who both picked up injuries - the men sacrificed.

But by that point there was an air of the inevitable about the final result and both substitutes made little impact.

The performance of Ipswich midfielder Jermaine Wright perhaps summed up Town's afternoon.

Excellent in the first half, in which he was at the centre of much of the Suffolk's side's fine play, he suffered a terrible second period, continually misplacing passes and frustrating home fans.

On the other hand skipper Matt Holland grew in stature and at times seemed to be fighting a lone war in midfield.

Even a late Ipswich salvo, which saw Scowcroft spurn two half chances, was ultimately in vain as twice the ball span agonisingly across the face of Tracey's goal.

Sheffield United frustrated Ipswich's attempt to keep pressure on the league leaders

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