Kenwyne Jones scored on his debut for Bournemouth to salvage a 1-1 draw against Championship rivals Ipswich Town at Portman Road.
The Tractor Boys took the lead in the sixth minute thanks to a strike from Freddie Sears.
Bournemouth then dominated for large spells and finally equalised when Jones headed in from Matt Ritchie's corner.
They nearly snatched the points in stoppage time, but Yann Kermorgant's header was saved by Bartosz Bialkowski to ensure that the spoils were shared.
Find out how the action unfolded below.
Hello everyone! It's been a packed day of football in the Championship and there are still two huge matches left to play. Later this evening Derby County are up against Watford, but first we've got another vital clash in the battle for promotion, as Ipswich Town take on Bournemouth.
A recent dip in form had seen Ipswich's hopes of promotion take a blow, but they claimed back-to-wins just before the international break to revive their play-off chances. It look as if they will start today's match outside of the top six though, with Brentford and Wolves set to climb above them.
Matchday! Huge game at Portman Road today #itfc pic.twitter.com/mg7ULXj0Xa
— Ipswich Town FC (@Official_ITFC) April 3, 2015
Bournemouth had started today as the league leaders, but they have now slipped down to second following Middlesbrough's win over Wigan Athletic. There aren't many who thought that they would achieve promotion at the start of the season, but with five wins from their last six their Premier League hopes are still well and truly alive.
TEAM NEWS: Zeki Fryers has been handed his debut for Ipswich, after arriving on loan from Crystal Palace last week. Jonny Williams was also brought in from the Eagles, but he will start the afternoon the bench. Meanwhile, Ryan Fraser starts for Bournemouth in place of Marc Pugh, but Cardiff City loanee Kenwyne Jones has to settle for a place among the substitutes.
IPSWICH XI: Bialkowski, Chambers, Smith, Berra, Fryers, Skuse, Tabb, Bishop, Varney, Murphy, Sears
BOURNEMOUTH XI: Boruc, Francis, Cook, Elphick, Daniels, Ritchie, Surman, Arter, Fraser, Pitman, Wilson
IPSWICH: Gerken, Clarke, Chaplow, Anderson, Williams, Wood, McGoldrick
BOURNEMOUTH SUBS: Camp, Ward, Smith, Gosling, MacDonald, Kermorgant, Jones
Let's take a quick look at how things stand in the Championship following this afternoon's 3pm kick offs. Middlesbrough were 1-0 winners over Wigan and are now two points clear of Bournemouth at the top of the table. Watford and Norwich are just behind, while victories for Brentford and Wolves have seen them climb into the top six, pushing Derby and Ipswich down to seventh and eighth place.
We could be in for quite some game as these teams served up a thriller when they met in the reverse fixture back in November which ended in a 2-2 draw. Yann Kermorgant struck inside the opening two minutes for the Cherries, but that was cancelled out by Teddy Bishop's goal just after the break. Matt Ritchie quickly restored Bournemouth's lead, before a late header from Daryl Murphy saw the points shared.
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The previous three meetings between these sides have ended in draws and you have to go all the way back to 1996 for anything over than a stalemate. That was in the first round of the League Cup, where Ipswich won home and away to claim a 5-1 aggregate victory, on their way to a quarter-final exit.
With kick off just a couple of minutes away, make sure you check out our video preview of today's match.
KICKOFF! We are underway at Portman Road!
We haven't had any chances in the early minutes of this game, but it has certainly been a high-tempo start. Bournemouth have already shown a couple of dangerous moments down the right and Ipswich new boy Fryers looks like he is going to be in for a tough match at left back.
GOAL! Ipswich Town 1-0 Bournemouth (Freddie Sears)
This is the start that Ipswich would have wanted as they break the deadlock inside of six minutes. Murphy is the creator, as he collects a deep cross inside the box, before squaring the ball to an unmarked Sears, who places a composed finish into the corner. It was a well-worked move from the hosts, but Bournemouth's defending there simply wasn't good enough.
CHANCE! What a big chance this is for Bournemouth to immediately pull a goal back. Wilson shows great skill down the right and he whips a low cross into the path of Surman. The angle is tight for the striker, but he drills in a low strike that ends flashing across the box and wide of the far post.
SHOT! The visitors have responded well to falling behind and they come close again to getting back on level terms. This time Arter is found on the edge of the box by Ritchie and he tries to find the top corner with the outside of his left boot, but the ball fizzes narrowly over the bar.
SHOT! This has been such an open and attacking game and I would be shocked if we didn't see any more goals. Bourmemouth have had a couple of chances going forward, but they have looked shaky at the back and Varney is afforded far too much space down the right to cross to Fryers, who then drills a strike well over the top.
Although Ipswich are in front, it's the visitors who look best in possession and some of the movement of their forward players has been fantastic. They look a real threat on each flank and it's something that the home side will have to wary of.
Bournemouth keep plugging away and after another good passing move, the ball is fed to Ritchie just outside the box. The Scotland international then looks to drill a first-time strike into the top corner, but his effort is wayward and flies well off target.
The pressure from the visitors really is building and Ipswich can't seem to get out of their own half. They are being pegged back on the edge of their own box, as their opponents' string a number of passes together in search of that killer final ball.
YELLOW CARD! Chambers picks up the first booking of the match for a crunching challenge on Fraser.
Since taking the lead, Ipswich haven't created much, with a wayward strike from Fryers their only other attempt. They do have plenty of pace in their side and as Bouremouth keep pushing men forward, you get the feeling that they could do some real damage on the counter attack.
CHANCE! Surman has a glimpse of goal when an interception from Bishop runs kindly through to him. He has to react quickly and gets in a low strike, but he was unable to get enough power behind it and the ball comfortably rolls into the gloves of Bialkowski.
Ipswich haven't seen much of the ball in recent minutes, but when they get into the final third they are causing some real problems for Bournemouth. Varney has looked one of their most dangerous players and he shows good skill on the right, before whipping in a teasing cross that is headed behind in the nick of time by Francis.
SAVE! The Cherries put together another wonderful team move and after a quick break Fraser is found in space at the back post by Ritchie. He then looks to fire a strike into the corner, but Bialkowski was there to deny him and palms his effort behind for a corner.
YELLOW CARD! Arter picks up Bournemouth's first booking of the match for a foul on Tabb.
SAVE! For the second time in quick succession Bialkowski is forced into making a fine save. It's Fraser who almost scores when he whips in a cross from the left that ends up swinging towards the far corner and requires the keeper to tip the ball over the bar.
SHOT! Bournemouth really must be starting to wonder how they have not found the back of the net. Ritchie has their latest chance with a powerful strike from the edge of the box that is palmed away by Bialkowski, before Fraser fires wide from the rebound.
We're going to have two minutes of stoppage time.
HALF-TIME: Ipswich Town 1-0 Bournemouth
It's half time at Portman Road and Ipswich have a crucial lead against Bournemouth. An early goal from Freddie Sears is all that separates the teams and it means that the Tractor Boys will be heading back into the top six if they can hold on to the three points.
Even though Ipswich are winning, it's the visitors who have dominated. They have controlled the ball for long periods of the match and have amassed 62% of the possession. The Cherries have also had 10 strikes on goal compared to just two from the home side, but of course the most vital statistic is that they are yet to score.
As things stand, Bournemouth will stay two points behind leaders Middlesbrough and they could find themselves out of the automatic promotion places if Watford beat Derby later this evening. Meanwhile, Ipswich would move up to fifth, but there is still a long way to go in this match before any of that happens.
Good first-half from #itfc who lead 1-0 thanks to Sears early opener. Here's the moment he found the back of the net pic.twitter.com/qBOXmzCq92
— Ipswich Town FC (@Official_ITFC) April 3, 2015
Bournemouth take the kick off and get the second half started!
SHOT! Sears opened the scoring early in the first half and he almost does the same here. He steals the ball in the middle of the pitch and charges towards the box. Murphy makes a run to his left and it opens up space for Sears to shoot, but from just outside the box he can only drag his effort wide of the post.
CHANCE! Both teams have looked shaky at the back today and Daniels finds himself in down the left. He is at a tight angle, but Bialkowski comes out to close him down and makes a good save from his chipped effort.
SHOT! Bournemouth have reaffirmed their grip of the match since the break and they look so dangerous every time they come forward. They are finding a lot of room down the left at the moment and Wilson does well to charge to the byline, before firing in a low strike that crashes into the side netting.
SUBSTITUTION: Ipswich are going to make the first change of the match and it's Chaplow who is coming on for Bishop.
The visitors are still well on top and pushing hard for the equaliser, but in the past five minutes the game has been played largely in the centre of the pitch. The Cherries are staying true to their passing game and at the moment there's no reason for Eddie Howe to press the panic button and tell his players to start lumping it into the box.
SHOT! I mentioned in the first half how dangerous Varney was looking for Ipswich, but he has largely failed to replicate that since the break. He does have a slight chance here though, as he works some space outside the box and fires in a strike, but it was always heading off target and Boruc safely watches it out of play.
SUBSTITUTION: The visitors are making their first sub as Kermorgant comes on to replace Pitman.
CHANCE! Ipswich survive again as Wilson holds the ball up in the box and waits for the run of Ritchie. When the midfielder does arrive he looks to fire in a first-time strike, but Berra stands tall to block the effort and his side eventually clear the ball to safety.
It hasn't been a vintage performance from Ipswich, but they deserve a huge amount of credit for their defensive performance. They are holding off wave after wave of Bournemouth attacks and they have done well in this half to limit their opponents to largely half-chances.
Ipswich have been largely pegged back in this match, but at the moment they are enjoying a decent spell of possession. They are seeing the ball in much more advanced areas and with 15 minutes left to play a victory today is very much within their grasp.
SUBSTITUTIONS: It's a double change for Bournemouth, with Smith replacing Fraser and Jones coming for his debut in place of Cook.
SUBSTITUTION: Ipswich are also going to change things around here as Wood is on to replace Sears.
CHANCE! This is a really big moment in the game as Ipswich almost open up a two-goal lead. Varney manages to win possession for the hosts and finds himself through on goal, but Boruc spreads himself well to make a vital save.
GOAL! Ipswich Town 1-1 Bournemouth (Kenwyne Jones)
He's been on the pitch for less than five minutes, but Jones has bagged a crucial goal on his debut for Bournemouth. The striker rose highest in the box to meet a corner from Ritchie before planting a firm header into the back of the net. It's no more than the visitors deserve and they will fancy their chances of stealing all three points now.
It's all Bournemouth at the moment and if we are going to have a winner then they look the most likely. Ipswich just haven't been able to contain the threat of the Jones and he has shown his aerial threat on a couple more occasions since finding the net.
Berra has been a rock at the back for Ipswich and he does brilliantly to clear a low ball that Ritchie whips to the near post. They have put so much effort into this game and it would be cruel if McCarthy's side did not end up taking a point.
SUBSTITUTION: It's a third and final change for Ipswich, with Clarke coming on for Varney.
We are going to have four minutes of stoppage time.
Arter was just off the pitch relieving some treatment from the medical staff, but he comes back on to have a strike on goal. It's not the greatest effort though, as he fires in a low shot from 25 yards out that lacks any power and heads comfortably through to the keeper.
SAVE! Bournemouth almost win it right at the death! The visitors win a late corner and Kermorgant heads in an effort that looks destined for the top corner, before Bialkowski throws himself across his line to tip away the strike.
FULL-TIME: Ipswich Town 1-1 Bournemouth
The final whistle blows and it's ended all square at Portman Road. Ipswich were eight minutes away from a victory, but debutant Kenwyne Jones headed in to earn Bournemouth a vital point. The Cherries are now second in the table and a point behind leaders Middlesbrough, while Ipswich have climbed back into the top six.
I'm afraid that's all we've got time for here, but stick around as we've got more live coverage from the Championship, with Derby taking on Watford. I hope you enjoy the rest of your weekend. Goodbye!
