Ipswich Town missed the chance to move into the Championship's automatic promotion places as they were held at home by Leicester City who failed to lift themselves out of the relegation zone with a hard-earned point at Portman Road.

Seeking a first league win in 10 attempts, Leicester got themselves in front through Patson Daka's fine volleyed finish, having already seen Harry Winks force a good save from Ipswich goalkeeper Christian Walton.

The home side might have been ahead through Dara O'Shea only for the captain to send a free header against the outside of the post from a Marcelino Nunez corner.

With Ipswich piling on the pressure from the start of the second-half and boss Kieran McKenna sending on George Hirst, Sindre Walle Egeli and top-scorer Jack Clarke they eventually managed to breach the visitors' back line.

Clarke's ball into the box fell to Anis Mehmeti and when his shot was blocked, Egeli swept home the rebound.

Seeking a fourth successive league win to move them above Middlesbrough, Ipswich made a ponderous start with Dan Neil's error allowing Winks a shot which Walton saved and Stephy Mavidi drove an effort wide as the visitors belied their lowly status.

For all that, Ipswich should have taken the lead on the half hour when O'Shea got free at the far post only to shave the woodwork with his header.

Leicester's lead arrived six minutes before the break as Darnell Furlong conceded a needless free-kick from which Luke Thomas crossed to find Daka who expertly volleyed past Walton.

Having failed to keep a clean sheet in their past 29 games the visitors' one-goal advantage was always going to look precarious as they were put under almost incessant second-half pressure by Ipswich.

Ivan Azon was just unable to convert from Mehmeti's header back across the face of goal and Jack Clarke saw a goal bound effort deflected wide.

The home side eventually found an equaliser 14 minutes from time as Egeli seized on a rebound to beat Jakub Stolarczyk at his near post.

Jordan James then blocked a Darnell Furlong shot on the line before loud appeals for a penalty were waved away by referee John Busby as Cedric Kipre went down under a messy challenge from Hamza Choudhury.

Ipswich may well rue not making more of their second-half dominance and Leicester will need to show similar resilience if they are to avoid relegation.

They are at home to Bristol City on Tuesday evening, with Ipswich travelling to Stoke and looking to return to winning ways.

Ipswich boss Kieran McKenna told BBC Radio Suffolk:

"I thought it was clear we should have had a penalty.

"The referee said he didn't see it but for me you can't miss it because as soon as Dara (O'Shea) crosses it there's nowhere else to look and Cedric (Kipre) is ready to attack the ball and gets wiped out - I thought we should have had two penalties in the second half.

"I really liked us in the second half, the way we chased the game and the pressure we put on.

"It is what it is, we take the positives, there are things we can take and improve like conceding a goal from a set-piece but the way we pushed in the second-half and dominated a Leicester side full of quality and pushed for the winning goal there are real positives in there."

Leicester head coach Gary Rowett:

"First and foremost we knew we had three away games out of the first four fixtures against really in-form teams. To come here and do what we've done is testament to the players trying to buy into the structure and what we're trying to do.

"We maybe should have done better early on with Harry Winks' shot and Stephy (Mavididi). I liked the look of us in the first-half and to go a goal ahead with a well worked set-piece we were pleased at half-time.

"They play with an incredible energy and we were under pressure in the second-half. We were backed up and didn't use the ball well enough but maybe that's because of the run we're in.

"I'm disappointed to concede but I can't complain that Ipswich didn't deserve something for their efforts."