Ipswich Town are presently battling for automatic promotion from the Championship, but they will have to play the next several games without crucial defender Leif Davis.

After a three-game winning streak, the Tractor Boys’ momentum has slowed over the past week with back-to-back draws against Leicester City and Stoke City, with the latter converting a 96th-minute penalty on Tuesday night to deprive Kieran McKenna’s side all three points at the bet365 Stadium.

With second-placed Middlesbrough suffering a shock home defeat to Charlton Athletic in midweek, Ipswich’s slip-up proved insignificant, as they are now only four points behind the Teesside club with a game in hand.

However, when the Tractor Boys attempt to cut the gap on the top two in the coming weeks, they will be unable to call on Davis, who has been hit with a retrospective ban, much to the dismay of chairman Mark Ashton.

Ipswich Town handed a heavy blow to Leif Davis following the Leicester City incident.

Ipswich Town are presently battling for automatic promotion from the Championship, but they will have to play the next several games without crucial defender Leif Davis.

After a three-game winning streak, the Tractor Boys’ momentum has slowed over the past week with back-to-back draws against Leicester City and Stoke City, with the latter converting a 96th-minute penalty on Tuesday night to deprive Kieran McKenna’s side all three points at the bet365 Stadium.

With second-placed Middlesbrough suffering a shock home defeat to Charlton Athletic in midweek, Ipswich’s slip-up proved insignificant, as they are now only four points behind the Teesside club with a game in hand.

However, when the Tractor Boys attempt to cut the gap on the top two in the coming weeks, they will be unable to call on Davis, who has been hit with a retrospective ban, much to the dismay of chairman Mark Ashton.

Ipswich Town handed a heavy blow to Leif Davis following the Leicester City incident.

Davis acknowledged to the allegation but argued that the penalty was “clearly excessive.” As the club’s anger with officiating decisions grows, chairman Ashton responded strongly.Ashton expressed irritation with the timing, method, and outcome of the incident, as stated by the BBC.We are currently awaiting written reasons, which we expect to be comprehensive, clear, and transparent, and will maintain the club’s position until then.”

Davis will miss Saturday’s trip to Sheffield Wednesday, as well as the upcoming home games against Millwall and Birmingham City, and with the international break in between, he will not be available until the East Anglian derby against Norwich City on April 11th.

Kieran McKenna facing Ipswich Town selection dilemma after Leif Davis ban

It is clearly a significant setback for Ipswich to lose a player of Davis’ caliber at such a critical stage of the season, but the lack of a natural successor exacerbates the situation.

In Davis’ absence, McKenna may chose to use right-back Ben Johnson on the opposite side of defence, while centre-back Jacob Greaves, who has done so earlier this season, is another option.

The Tractor Boys should easily defeat bottom-placed Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday without Davis, but they will be far more sad to lose him for the crucial game against third-placed Millwall next weekend, as well as the visit of Birmingham City on Easter Monday.