COVENTRY City lost in the league for just the second time this season following a 3-0 defeat away at Ipswich Town.
The Sky Blues saw their lead at the top of the Championship table cut to seven points following goals from Sindre Walle Egeli, George Hirst and Iván Azón at Portman Road.
Despite the defeat Frank Lampard’s side remain seven points clear of closest challengers Middlesbrough at the top of the table.
The Sky Blues spurned the first chance of the game as Kaine Kesler-Hayden headed Ephron Mason-Clark’s cross wide of the post when unmarked in the box.
Coventry almost broke the deadlock soon after when Josh Eccles saw his first time shot from 20-yards out tipped onto the post by Ipswich goalkeeper Christian Walton.
Walton then tipped Mason-Clark’s curling effort over the crossbar moments later as the Ipswich stopper made two crucial saves in quick succession.
Coventry felt Ipswich striker Hirst should have received a second yellow card for delaying the restart just past the half-hour mark after he shot wide when offside with the whistle already blown.
However, referee Paul Tierney opted against booking the striker despite showing a card to Eccles for the same offence earlier in the half.
And Ipswich took the lead two minutes before half time as Walle Egeli curled a shot into the bottom right corner from the edge of the penalty area.
Town doubled their lead on the hour mark when Hirst raced onto Marcelino Nunez’s through ball and coolly finished past Carl Rushworth when one-on-one.
Ipswich exploited Coventry’s high line again deep into injury time as substitute Azon curled a shot into the bottom right corner from inside the penalty area.
Coventry are next in action against Preston North End on Tuesday, December 9 with kick-off at 7.45pm at Deepdale.
