Burton Albion were undone by Bersant Celina's 90th-minute free-kick as they fell to an agonising 2-1 defeat at home to Ipswich Town.

The Brewers' long wait for a goal was ended by Ben Turner as they took a deserved lead, but they were made to pay for wasting several glorious first-half openings as Martyn Waghorn levelled things up, before that gut-punch of a late strike from Celina.

Connor Ripley's league debut for the Brewers was one of three changes from last weekend's defeat at Nottingham Forest, with Marvin Sordell and Matty Lund also returning to the starting XI.

That saw Albion stick with the 3-5-2 system, as Sordell partnered Lloyd Dyer up front and Lund slotted in alongside Luke Murphy and Jamie Allen in midfield.

Burton Albion manager Nigel Clough
Burton Albion manager Nigel Clough

Lucas Akins had recovered from a hamstring injury to start at right-wing-back - and Albion's most consistent performer of the season was the symbol of his side's early threats against the Tractor Boys.

He got down the right flank well and delivered a couple of dangerous crosses that were well cleared.

In truth, the chances would keep coming all half for Burton, though, as they dominated their visitors, winning possession back at every turn with a notable intensity.

Jake Buxton saw a glancing header from Lund's free-kick saved by Bartosz Bialkowski.

Lund himself might have made the breakthrough and notched his first league goal for the club when Sordell powered goalwards from 20 yards and saw the attempt spilled by Bialkowski - but Lund's rebound was thwarted by the Ipswich keeper.

And Bialkowski was in sharp form again moments later when denying Dyer with his legs, before Lund again came close, drilling just wide.

Ben Turner in action for Burton Albion
Ben Turner in action for Burton Albion

Ironic cheers from the Ipswich end when David McGoldrick's low effort was saved by Ripley showed their struggle to impose themselves against the Brewers.

The onus was on Burton to maintain that dominance after the break - and they did just that by ending their six-game wait for a goal.

Murphy had just been denied by a quite brilliant Bialkowski save that won Albion a corner.

And from that set-piece, Ben Turner climbed highest to head the ball back across goal and just under the crossbar, to the delight of the goal-starved home faithful.

It was the least the hosts deserved after a dominant first hour.

Their lead would last only nine minutes, though.

Luke Murphy controls the ball against Ipswich Town

Waghorn was the man to level things up, clinically drilling through a glut of bodies and inside the far post after a loose ball broke to him 18 yards out.

That goal energised Ipswich, with Waghorn wrestling past McFadzean and squaring for Sears, who saw the ball tipped away by Ripley.

McGoldrick then curled an effort just wide of the far post.

And as the Tractor Boys knocked louder and louder at the door, it was left to Celina to step up in the last minute of normal time and curl a free-kick inside Ripley's near post.

The result leaves Albion in the bottom three and without a win in six games. The reaction to this on Tuesday could tell us a lot about how the season will pan out.