Lee Clark said he was devastated for his players after Christophe Berra struck his second goal in the fourth minute of added time to deny Birmingham a third home win in a week.

The Ipswich defender nodded home from Chris Anderson's cross to snatch a draw having first scored with a glancing header from an Anderson free-kick.

It had looked like Clayton Donaldson's first Championship goal for Birmingham, adding to David Edgar's opener, had earned victory after wins against Cambridge and Brighton.

Clark was irritated by referee Roger East's refusal to award a penalty for a trip on Paul Caddis with the score at 2-1 and for the five minutes of stoppage time added at the end.

It was an encouraging performance though after last season's close brush with relegation and showed the prudence of Clark eschewing the loan market for permanent transfers this summer.

The Birmingham manager said: 'I'm gutted for the players, they deserved another victory. But we won't be too downhearted. They are a powerful team.

'I'm delighted with what I've seen but devastated for the payers they didn't get what they deserved. For the first time since I've been through the door I have a squad who believe in what I'm doing to a man.'

Mick McCarthy countered: 'I think we deserved to get out of jail. It's very pleasing.'

Birmingham opened the scoring on the half hour. Edgar rose unchallenged from David Cotterill's corner to head home. Ipswich levelled five minutes after the interval when Anderson curled over a set piece from the left and Berra claimed the faintest glance.

In the 64th minute Donaldson raced onto a through-ball by strike partner Wesley Thomas, glided past Tommy Smith, and slotted beyond Dean Gerken.

But as the seconds ticked away Ipswich mounted a late rally and Berra found his second.

Laurie Whitwell (Daily Mail)