Brett Pitman headed a dramatic injury time winner as the Blues came from behind to to beat Leeds United 2-1 at Portman Road. Souleymane Doukara put the visitors ahead in only the 12th second - the fastest strike in all four divisions so far this season - but Town gradually took control and dominated a second half in which Luke Chambers headed a 50th minute equaliser and then Pitman sealed the win, both goals coming from Ryan Fraser crosses.
Mick McCarthy reverted to the team which won 1-0 at Brighton and showed only one change from the side which drew 0-0 at Burnley last time out in the Championship with Jonathan Douglas returning from his knee injury to replace Luke Hyam in the Blues three-man midfield. For Leeds, former Town loan striker Chris Wood missed out with a hamstring injury.
The Blues found themselves behind after just 12 seconds. Skipper Chambers headed a long ball down the Leeds left inside towards Douglas, who dallied and was outmuscled by Doukara, who slammed a low shot past Dean Gerken to record the fastest goal in all four divisions this season, four seconds quicker than Freddie Sears’s goal at Fulham.
Town, stung by conceding such an early goal, went looking for an equaliser. Murphy forced keeper Marco Silvestri into a fifth minute save, then from the corner Chambers was adamant he’d been pulled back as Douglas headed the ball back across the area, however, referee Fred Graham wasn’t interested.
Fraser scuffed a shot through to Silvestri on six before Tommy Smith inadvertently diverted a Mustapha Carayol cross goalwards but Gerken was able to claim comfortably.
Leeds weren’t far away from increasing their advantage in the 12th minute when Doukara sent Carayol away on the left and Smith again scuffed the on-loan Middlesbrough winger’s cross towards his own goal but the Town keeper clawed behind.
The action was moving swiftly from one end of the field to the other basketball style and two minutes later Sears forced Silvestri to save from the edge of the area.
Within a minute, Town threatened again when a short corner on the left was played to Kevin Bru and his cross whipped across the six-yard area but with no one able to add a final touch.
Bru forced Silvestri into a save down to his left from 25 yards out on the right in the 22nd minute with the Blues by now presenting the greater threat.
On 28 Fraser dug out a pass to Daryl Murphy from the right and the Irishman turned and hit a powerful shot which Silvestri somewhat uncomfortably kept out.
The Blues continued to put the visitors under pressure but without testing Silvestri further. Bru shot wide from well out on the left in the 35th minute, while Chambers again claimed a penalty after he was caught as he looked to get on the ball earlier in the move, but again referee Graham wasn’t interested.
Town continued to dominate, passing the ball around confidently and keeping possession comfortably and on 41 Jonas Knudsen whipped over a dangerous cross which was headed away in front of Douglas.
Two minutes before the scheduled end of the half Silvestri, who had struggled with his kicking all half, required treatment from the Leeds physio.
The keeper was deemed OK to carry on and a minute later was called into action again when Murphy laid a ball into feet off to Fraser on the left of the box and the Scotland U21 international cut in and hit a shot which the Italian did well to tip over.
Moments before the break Fraser whipped over another cross from the left but without being able to create the opportunity which would see the Blues get back on terms.
Having been caught cold for the very early goal, the game was a scrappy end to end affair for the first 20 minutes or so before Town began to take control.
Leeds, who might well have increased their lead during the opening spell, rarely threatened the nearer the game got to the break, while Town forced Silvestri to make saves on a number of occasions and had deserved to have got themselves back on terms.
Soon after the restart Sears sent the ball well into the Sir Bobby Robson Stand from the edge of the area, then at the other end Alex Mowatt turned Carayol’s cross from the left over the bar.
But the Blues had begun the second half as they had ended the first and on 50 they levelled. Fraser whipped over a superb cross from the left and skipper Chambers powerfully headed his third goal of the season across and past Silvestri.
Town kept up the pressure and on 54 Fraser sent over another ball from the left but this time Silvestri claimed.
Three minutes later the on-loan AFC Bournemouth man again crossed from the left and Murphy turned it against a defender. The loose ball ran to Cole Skuse, who curled a shot just past the post from 25 yards. Moments later, Douglas picked up the game’s first yellow card for a foul on Carayol.
On 62 Bru sent over a cross from the left, Chambers knocked it back across goal from a tight angle on the right and Sears was just unable to keep it in play on the left.
The Blues continued to dominate with Leeds desperately hanging on at times, keeper Silvestri grasping the ball ahead of Murphy after Bru had again crossed from the left.
Town came agonisingly close to the second goal their performance deserved in the 72nd minute. Fraser quickly took a throw on the left and Bru whipped over a cross which Murphy and then Chambers both just failed to get a touch on and Silvestri pawed behind, although referee Graham signalled a goalkick.
Murphy looped a header to Silvestri from Chambers’s cross a minute later as the Blues kept up what had been almost relentless pressure from start of the second half.
Fraser fed in Murphy on the left of the area on 76 but the striker lost his footing as he sought to cut inside a defender. The Irish international was replaced by Pitman two minutes later. Soon after, Leeds swapped Lewis Cook for striker Mirco Antenucci.
As the game moved into its final scheduled 10 minutes, Chambers was booked for impeding Silvestri as the keeper looked to get the ball out quickly after catching a corner.
Dallas joined him in the book for a foul on Bru in the 83rd minute, although referee Graham failed to bring play back despite the Blues having received little advantage. A minute later the Mauritius international, who had been hurt by the challenge, was replaced by Luke Hyam.
Within a minute of coming on, Hyam played in Fraser down the right. Silvestri needlessly rushed off his line and the Scot powered the ball across the six-yard area but a sliding Pitman was just unable to apply the final touch.
But in the second of five minutes of injury time, Town finally won it. Knudsen hit a long ball down the left, Fraser deftly controlled before looping over a cross, which Pitman stooped to nod home to send Portman Road wild. It was the former Bournemouth striker’s eighth goal of the season.
There was no time for Leeds to hit back and referee Graham’s whistle confirmed the Blues’ victory.
Town thoroughly deserved their victory having dominated the game from the midway point in the first half playing some of their best football of the season and creating a number of decent chances.
Leeds were under pressure for virtually an hour of the game and looked to have held out until Pitman’s late goal, like Chambers’s earlier header, superbly created by man of the match Fraser.
The victory sees the Blues stretch their winning record at home on Tuesday nights to 15 games - their last Tuesday home defeat was the 2-0 loss to Watford in February 2013 - while Town are still unbeaten in matches refereed by Fred Graham, 11 wins and two draws.
Town climb to fifth in the table with Brighton continuing their recent slide with a 2-0 reverse at Rotherham.
The Blues, who have won back to back home league games for the first time since August, are at home again on Saturday when Preston, who won 2-1 at Bristol City this evening, are the visitors.
Town: Gerken, Chambers (c), Smith, Berra, Knudsen, Skuse, Douglas, Fraser, Bru (Hyam 84), Sears, Murphy (Pitman 78). Unused: Bialkowski, Malarczyk, Maitland-Niles, Oar, Varney.
Leeds: Silvestri, Wootton, Bellusci, Cooper (c), Taylor, Byram, Bridcutt, Mowatt (Phillips 60), Cook (Antenucci 79), Carayol (Dallas 64), Doukara. Unused: Peacock-Farrell, Coyle, Bamba, Murphy. Referee: Fred Graham (Stanford-le-Hope). Att: 19,146 (Leeds: 1,259).