Ipswich miss chance to move top of the Championship as Watford hang on to claim valuable 0-0 draw with Kieran McKenna's side struggling to breakdown mid-table opponents

It's been 22 years since Ipswich Town were a Premier League club.

They’ve experienced a long and arduous journey since, but Kieran McKenna - who was a youngster in Tottenham’s academy in 2002 - and his Ipswich side can almost taste a return to the promised land after just about keeping their fate in their own hands in this bonkers Championship promotion battle.

All season the Tractor Boys have dreamed of completing a fairytale run to the top flight and on a tense night, a 0-0 draw with Watford ensured they nudged themselves back ahead of Leeds into second.

Despite controlling much of the game, Ipswich were left frustrated, yet with only four games of the season left, it could have been much worse with Edo Kayembe almost scoring from inside his own half at the death.

There was a noticeable buzz around Portman Road ahead of kick off after Leicester and Leeds faltered on Tuesday to give Ipswich the opportunity to move top with a win.

McKenna’s side fed off that boisterous atmosphere as they started brightly against a Watford outfit, who are now unbeaten in five under interim boss Tom Cleverley.

McKenna had bemoaned ‘physical issues’ within his squad following their 1-0 derby defeat by Norwich and the Northern Irishman made four changes.

Kayden Jackson, one of those handed a rare start, was a menace on the right and saw a pinpoint cross diverted narrowly wide by Kieffer Moore, while Nathan Broadhead tested Daniel Bachmann.

Ipswich were piling on the pressure and this time Broadhead beat Bachmann, but his effort agonisingly struck the post and trickled across the goalline, before Moore saw a header at point-blank range somehow saved by the Austrian.

There have been very few bright spots in Watford’s season, with the prize of a top half finish all that is left to play for.

Yet to their credit, they weren’t here to roll over and continued to defend resolutely in the second half, while Yaser Asprilla and Ismael Kone tested Vaclav Hladky with stinging efforts.

McKenna rang the changes as Ipswich chased a winner, but the final quality was missing despite a late onslaught as Watford held firm to hint that this tightest of races still has plenty more twists and turns to come.