WANDERERS’ Under-23s suffered a heart-breaking defeat at Ipswich to dent their chances of a Development League title.

David Lee’s side remain top of the table by a point from Sheffield Wednesday but now face an anxious wait to see if they can take a draw from their final game and overtake them.

For long periods at Portman Road the young Whites looked set for victory, playing some enterprising football in the first half in particular. But in a see-saw second half Ipswich twice hauled themselves level before snatching a late winner – and the sense of injustice was intensified with Wanderers claiming they should have had a penalty at 2-2.

A play-off place had already been guaranteed earlier in the day when Sheffield United failed to beat Charlton Athletic.

Wanderers took only a few minutes to get started, Connor Hall netting his 22nd goal of the season from close range.

He could have had a second midway through the half when he raced on to a bouncing ball but was only able to guide his shot into the side netting.

The Whites continued to control the half, with trialist Matthew Carter – a former West Ham and Charlton youth teamer – impressing in midfield alongside Jack Earing.

But within a minute of the restart Ipswich levelled the scores as Connor McKendry pounced on some dithering just inside the penalty box to slam home a stinging volley.

The riposte was a quick one. Jeff King finished smartly after Ipswich failed to clear their lines, the midfielder slotting in his sixth goal of the campaign for the Whites.

Wanderers looked good for more – Hall raced clear again but failed to double his own tally and both Dennis Politic and Carter went close in a goalmouth scramble on the hour.

But as the game moved on the hosts got stronger and after Aaron Drinan and Jack Lankester had both gone close from distance they were awarded a penalty for a soft foul on McKendry.

Shane McLoughlin rolled the penalty down the middle past James Aspinall to restore parity.

Moments later Aspinall was called upon to make a fine save from the dangerous McKendry, and for a moment even a point looked in doubt.

Wanderers recovered their poise again, however, and King had a chance to settle nerves when Hall did well on the right to beat his man and pull a cross back for the Whites number 10, only for him to lift a shot way over the bar.

Politic then thought he had won it as Ryan White’s pull back from the left found him unmarked but the youngster’s shot was blocked on the line.

Wanderers had a big appeal for a penalty turned down after Hall chased on to Jack Earing’s through-ball and went crashing to the floor under pressure from an Ipswich defender.

With Sheffield Wednesday trailing against Colchester, a point did not look a bad return for Lee’s side, who were really running out of steam by the final stages having put everything into the game. And then in the final minute, everything turned on its head once again.

No sooner had Lankester stooped to head home the winning goal for Ipswich from close range, news came in from Colchester that the Owls had equalised.

Wanderers barely had chance to restart the game before the referee called full-time.

Sheffield Wednesday now face Burnley at home on Friday night needing just a point to secure the northern section title and a home draw in the semi-finals.