Ipswich Town promotion in jeopardy - Kieran McKenna will be fuming after double reveal | OneFootball

Ipswich were hit twice when Stoke City were awarded a late penalty against them on Tuesday night

Ipswich Town did manage to cut the gap between themselves and Middlesbrough by a point across the recent midweek games, but Kieran McKenna will be more than frustrated that his side weren't able to pull even closer.

The Tractor Boys were involved in arguably the game of the round at the bet365 Stadium, as they came from two goals down against Stoke City at half-time to lead 3-2 with eight minutes remaining.

An own goal from Eric Bocat, plus strikes from Jack Taylor and George Hirst, had Ipswich on their way to a massive come-from-behind win, and what would have been their first since the 3-2 win against Southampton on Easter Monday two seasons ago.

However, Lamine Cisse was adjudged to have been felled in the box in second-half stoppage time, which led to Milan Smit netting his second of the game from 12 yards in the 96th minute to ensure that the points were shared.

Ipswich are now just four points off the automatic promotion places, after Middlesbrough were beaten by Charlton Athletic the following day, but it could so easily be a two-point gap now, especially given that, in retrospect, the equalising penalty shouldn't have been given.

Ipswich Town handed double blow in wake of Stoke City penalty decision

Ipswich manager Kieran McKenna has revealed that he and the club have received an apology from the PGMOL regarding the penalty decision which went against his side on Tuesday night, stating that it was incorrect.

Unfortunately, what that apology cannot do is reverse the decision and give Ipswich their win. What it also cannot do is reverse the yellow card which Cedric Kipre got in the aftermath.

That caution was the 29-year-old's 10th of the season, meaning that he'll miss the next two games against Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday, and then a massive game against Millwall the following week.

With the race for promotion going down to the wire, that match-up with Alex Neil's side will be vital in seeing who may push on and challenge Middlesbrough for their automatic promotion spot towards the final few games of the campaign.

And with the cut-off point for 10 yellow cards coming after the game against the Owls, there'd have been a likelihood that Kipre could have been rested for what is, on paper, a winnable game without him ahead of the following week, to not risk the 10th booking coming then.

Before this weekend, the Ivorian centre-back had started 20 consecutive Championship games, and had established himself as one of the first names on the team sheet at Portman Road.

Now, he won't make his return until after the March international break, and with it being due to a yellow card for a foul that, after review, wasn't a foul at all, it will be even tougher to take for Ipswich.

Stoke City decision was the first of two contentious penalty decisions involving Cedric Kipre in a week

For Ipswich, they'll feel that the world is against them at the moment, and also feel that they should be in the top two themselves if two late penalty decisions in the last two games had gone their way.

Ironically enough, the challenge by Leicester City's Hamza Choudhury in the Ipswich area late in the game on Saturday was done on Kipre. But that time, the penalty wasn't given, much to the disagreement of the majority of those inside Portman Road.

If that was given, and then subsequently converted, and then the penalty was rightly not given on Tuesday night, Ipswich would be level on points with Middlesbrough, and with a game in hand, too.

Instead, they're four behind, and one of their first-choice centre-backs is out for two games.

It just goes to show the fine margins that are being dealt with at the top end of the Championship as we head into the final couple of months of the season. Ipswich will be hoping that these decisions don't end up costing them promotion, but as it stands, they have a right to feel aggrieved.