Championship high-flyers Ipswich Town and Millwall played out a pulsating draw which saw both sides miss a great opportunity to strengthen their automatic promotion chances.

The Tractor Boys, third in the table and only ahead of fourth-placed Millwall on goal difference, were on top before the break and deservedly led late in the first half thanks to the outstanding Jack Clarke's astute low finish.

Ipswich had the better chances and could easily have been further ahead as they looked to see out a win which would have taken them up to second.

But the Lions, chasing a fifth win in six, were vastly improved on the resumption and drew level within five minutes when Camiel Neghli's brilliant cross was expertly sidefooted in by Josh Coburn for his eighth goal of the season.

Both sides had chances in the latter stages with Millwall going closest through substitute Miahilo Ivanovic, who crashed a shot against the underside of the bar.

Defeat would have been cruel on the hosts who dominated possession and posed the greater overall threat, but were generally wasteful in the final third.

A point apiece means the gap to second-placed Middlesbrough remains at two points following Boro's draw away at Blackburn Rovers.

The real winners were Coventry City, who could go nine points clear at the top of the table with victory over Swansea City in the evening kick-off.

Town looked in good shape to be the team leading the charge in the first period, with Dan Neil sending a shot narrowly wide, Darnell Furlong having a header cleared off the line by Jake Cooper and only a staggering one-handed reaction save from Lions keeper Anthony Patterson keeping the score at 1-0.

Millwall only threatened occasionally, notably when Neghli's strike forced a fine stop from Town keeper Christian Walton.

But they played with far greater tempo after the interval and were soon level thanks to Coburn's cleverly constructed goal and came so close to snatching victory late on, only for Walton to superbly deny Femi Azeez before Ivanovic's follow-up strike bounced to safety.

The Lions will next travel to Middlesbrough on Friday 3 April, while Ipswich will not be in action again until the following Monday, when they host Birmingham City at Portman Road.

Ipswich Town boss Kieran McKenna told BBC Radio Suffolk:

"We should win from where we had it. The performance in the first half was really, really good and we gave them so many problems and dominated the game.

"But we would like to have executed better and should have opened up a two-goal lead to give us that margin, and in the second half we had so many moments on the edge of the box.

"They defended well and got bodies in the way but we still could have executed better to kill the game off. When you don't, with a team like Millwall you know they carry such a threat and can score from not very much - and they did that with the goal.

"They threw everything at us and your goal is always going to be under threat so the best way is to kill the game at the other end, but we didn't.

"Jack Clarke played really well. He found some great spaces, the boys found him well and it was a really good performance."

Millwall boss Alex Neil told BBC London:

"In the first half they were the better side. We still pressed the ball the same way we normally do but they moved it really well and were threatening.

"We didn't have loads to do but the pressure was building and it was evident they were moving the ball better than us.

"These are the best home team in the league and I am really proud of the players in the second half, how they attacked it, their aggression, their desire and their lack of fear.

"I thought we deserved a point and could have nicked it at the end.

"I wouldn't have taken a point before the game. I wanted a win but at half-time I would have taken a point. It shows we are determined and have no fear about going up against one of the best squads in the league."