The race for the second automatic promotion place in the Championship will be defined by what happens in the next 10 days, according to Ipswich boss Kieran McKenna and his opposite number at Middlesbrough, Kim Hellberg.

With the sides sharing a 2-2 draw in a pulsating match at Portman Road on Sunday, Ipswich have sneaked back into second spot on goal difference from Millwall and one point ahead of Southampton.

Potentially crucially, they also have a game in hand on their rivals.

"We have three away games in six days to finish the season so it's going to take an incredible effort from everyone to see if we can bring it back here [to Portman Road] for the final game," said McKenna.

Ipswich have found life on the road difficult so far this season, with only eight wins from their 20 games, and visit Charlton on Wednesday before heading to West Brom next Saturday and a potentially season-deciding game at fourth-placed Southampton on Tuesday, 28 April.

"We've had periods where we've had some good away results – we've won at the team who are going to win the league this year but we know we've had results against teams where games have got away from us," added the Northern Irishman.

"We've shown a lot this season in taking steps forward, so to go and have to get results from three away games in six days we will need to take another step forward if we want to be successful."

From being two points ahead of promoted Coventry City at the top of the Championship in mid-February, Middlesbrough now find themselves three points short of second place.

A seven-game winless run has left Hellberg's side as outsiders for that second spot behind Ipswich, Millwall and Southampton.

"We need to look at the next two games and try to win them to still have a chance to play for automatics in the last game or have momentum to take into the play-offs," he said after the final whistle at Portman Road, where his side led 2-1 before Jack Clarke's late penalty.

"It is tough because at 88 minutes we were in a position where we were in with everyone else but there are still twists and turns. We're not out of it but we wait for the next two games and see where we are."

Hellberg took charge on 26 November following Rob Edwards' move to Wolves and won his first four matches, but a wretched run which has accrued only four points from a possible 21 has left them playing catch-up.

"The expectation of us being in the top two of the division is because w…