Ipswich Town 1-1 Birmingham City

Jonathan Grounds scored for only the third time in 125 appearances for Birmingham

Ipswich Town made it nine draws in 12 games as they hit back to deny Birmingham the win at Portman Road.

Jonathan Grounds fired into the roof of the net to put Blues ahead after Bartosz Bialkowski saved Lukas Jutkiewicz's initial shot.

Jutkiewicz almost doubled the lead when put through by Craig Gardner's reverse pass, but Bialkowski saved well.

Town's equaliser had a touch of good fortune when Grant Ward's overhit cross flew over Tomasz Kuszczak into the net.

• Saturday's EFL action as it happened

Freddie Sears should have opened the scoring for Town, who are winless in eight matches, but fired straight at the legs of Kuszczak, and then had a goal ruled out for offside.

But Birmingham, who have won just twice in 20 matches since Gianfranco Zola took over as manager, created chances to secure their fifth away win of the season.

David Davis was inches away from connecting with Jutkiewicz's low cross before Bialkowski made a fine save to keep out David McGoldrick's header towards his own goal.

Ipswich substitute Kevin Bru went close late on to what would have been only a second win in 13 matches, but his curling shot was narrowly wide.

The Tractor Boys' fifth successive home draw keeps them 17th, a place above Birmingham on goal difference, with both sides six points above the relegation zone.

Ipswich manager Mick McCarthy: "I don't want to be involved in a relegation fight. We've got to get enough points and stay in the league.

"I thought the first half was a Championship scrap that we probably shaded, but we lost all our momentum for giving a poor goal away.

"Bartosz Bialkowski kept us in it and we weren't playing well. It was a horrible atmosphere and we got away with a wonder-strike, or a lucky cross, to get a point."

Birmingham manager Gianfranco Zola told BBC WM: "We looked like we were cruising. We scored a goal and I didn't see them scoring because we were defending very well.

"We had a couple of great chances, but we didn't convert. It is a pity because probably we deserved a little bit more.

"They [the players] fought very hard today - a lot of players have run a lot - so it will be important to recover quickly."