Albion’s play-off hopes were hit by a pair of Ipswich Town headers at the Amex today.

Centre-back Tommy Smith and target man Daryl Murphy were on target in the second half to hand the Tractor Boys a 2-0 win.

Albion were not at their best but had a handful of chances at both 0-0 and 1-0 to have taken some reward in the race for the top six.

Smith claimed Town’s 16th set-piece goal of the season – the second best tally in the Championship on the hour.

He struck from point blank range after Murphy nodded a corner goalwards.

Murphy himself got the second 20 minutes later, heading across Tomasz Kuszczak after brilliant work by Jonny Williams to beat Will Buckley and cross.

Town became only the second team this term to stop Albion scoring at home.

Dean Gerken made his best save soon after the interval from a volley by Jesse Lingard which looked like beating him low to his right.

Lingard failed to convert a first half one-on-one created by Bruno’s clever chipped pass.

And Leo Ulloa glanced a header just wide at 1-0 from a tempting cross by Lingard.