Half-Time Report: Ipswich Town level against Birmingham City after penalty

Ipswich Town needed a penalty to come from behind and head into half time level at 1-1 with Birmingham City in their Championship Match at Portman Road this evening.

The home side looked the livelier of the two sides in the opening 10 minutes as Brett Pitman tried his luck from 25 yards out, before Tommy Smith attempted to head in from a corner after Larsen Toure saw his effort deflected behind.

Against the run of play, it was the visiting side that opened the scoring midway through the first half as a Christophe Berra slip allowed Andrew Shinnie to run at the Ipswich goal, before setting David Cotterill up for a tap in at the near post.

Mick McCarthy's side were back on level terms less than 10 minutes later though, as Jonathan Spector brought Ainsley Maitland-Niles down in the penalty area, giving the hosts a spot kick, which Pitman converted.

Birmingham pressed again before half time as they tried to restore their lead, but Cotterill saw his free kick saved, before the scorer of the opening goal set Clayton Donaldson up for a shot, which Berra blocked to ensure that the sides were level at the break.