Last updated on .From the section Championship

Billy Sharp ended a barren run with his 13th goal in all competitions this season

Billy Sharp's header for promotion-chasing Sheffield United denied the Championship's bottom side Ipswich Town a much-needed victory at Portman Road.

Ellis Harrison put Town ahead when he capped a breakaway with a stunning strike into the top corner for his first league goal of the season.

But Sharp improved a run of just one goal in seven games with a richly-deserved equaliser soon after the break, heading in Oliver Norwood's cross from close range for his 12th of the campaign.

United threatened to take all three points, but John Egan headed wide from John Fleck's corner late on, and Ipswich held out for a valuable point.

A narrow win over Wigan last time out gave Town their first home win of the season, and United arrived with a woeful record at Portman Road of just one victory in their previous 20 visits.

The Blades were also hoping to improve their recent form, having won just three of their previous 10 league matches since a run of four straight wins had sent them top in early October.

They were well on top for much of the game, as they looked to feed leading scorer Sharp, but Town had their moments from set-pieces, with Luke Chambers denied by the offside flag after heading in John Nolan's corner.

Harrison's superb strike came firmly against the run of play, after Sharp forced a good early save from goalkeeper Dean Gerken, and saw another effort ruled out for offside.

But his equaliser gave Chris Wilder's side the perfect start to the second half, and they piled on the pressure, only for the hosts to almost grab a dramatic win when Freddie Sears' close-range strike was deflected wide.

United remain in the play-off spots, but drop a place to sixth, while Ipswich stay bottom, four points adrift of safety.

Ipswich manager Paul Lambert:

"They (Sheffield United) are as good a team I've seen so far in the short time that I have been here.

"We are a really young side with so much inexperience. I'm delighted with their application and the enthusiasm.

"It was a huge point for us. If you look at our team: Andre Dozzell, Jack Lankester, Flynn Downes, Trevoh Chalobah, 18 to 19-year-olds. I'd love to know if there's another team in the division with that amount of players at that age.

"The midfield is so inexperienced it's not true. Dozzell shows great desire. Chalobah is going to be an exceptional player. We are getting there slowly but surely."

Sheffield United boss Chris Wilder:

"I thought we dominated the game from start to finish. We had a dodgy five, six minutes after they scored but apart from that I thought that we were pretty much in control really.

"Thankfully Billy (Sharp) was on the end of a great ball to get us back in the game at one all.

"He keeps going. He gets into those areas where he can score. It was a great goal and a great cross.

"It's a right tough league and now is the challenge to stay up there."