Ipswich Town 0-1 Swansea City: Blues improve on Preston display but are beaten at home once again

Ipswich Town’s penultimate home game of the season ended in defeat as the Blues were beaten 1-0 by midtable Swansea.

Wayne Routledge scored the only goal of the game just before the hour mark, as he followed up a Dan James shot which came back off the inside of the post, with the visitors ultimately good value for their victory.

The Blues put in a better display than in the 4-0 humbling at Preston on Good Friday but, a Will Keane effort which hit the post and a snatched effort from Collin Quaner aside, they were largely unable to test the Swans’ back line.

Manager Paul Lambert and his players undertook a lap of appreciation at full-time, as much to thank supporters for sticking with them during the most testing of seasons, as it was for the fans to thank the players for their efforts.

Ipswich see out their season with a visit to promotion-chasing Sheffield United and a home clash with Leeds.

There were seven changes to the Ipswich Town side when the team sheets were released at 2pm, starting in goal where Dean Gerken replaced Bartosz Bialkowski.

Both full backs were switched, with Josh Emmanuel and Myles Kenlock making way for James Bree and Callum Elder, while Trevoh Chalobah and Andre Dozzell replaced Cole Skuse and Teddy Bishop in midfield.

Gwion Edwards and Will Keane came into the front three alongside Alan Judge, with the Blues showing great intensity from kick-off as they chased and harried the Swansea backline to try and win the ball back.

They should have been behind inside the first five minutes, though, as Nsiala carelessly allowed the ball to bounce under his foot following a long ball from goalkeeper Kristoffer Nordfeldt. Thankfully for the centre-back, the on-running Dan James dinked his shot wide when one-on-one with Gerken.

Swansea’s quick interplay and fast breaks were causing Ipswich problems, with the latter producing penalty appeals when George Byers dived over the legs of Gerken. He was booked for diving.

The Swansea pressure continued, with Wayne Routledge poking a Jay Fulton shot over the bar, before the Blues enjoyed their most threatening moment of the half.

It came from a Dozzell corner, won by Flynn Downes, with Keane and Edwards both heading up in the air before the ball dropped for Keane to volley against the foot of the post from a tight angle. Chalobah followed up with an effort which squirmed wide, but the Swans were soon up in the Ipswich box again as Connor Roberts curled into the body of Gerken following a square Routledge ball.

Nsiala was the next Ipswich player to threaten the goal, doing well to meet a Judge corner but only being able to head over the top of the bar before the half-time whistle went.

Ipswich were on the front-foot to start the second but were soon behind. Play became frantic as Nsiala needed to intervene during a scramble in the box but, after Chalobah was unable to keep hold of possession in the middle of the pitch, the visitors worked it back towards goal. James fired off the inside of the post from outside and, with Elder not reacting quick enough, Routledge was there to slam the rebound home into the roof of the net.

The closest Ipswich came to mustering a reply came when Downes slid substitute Collin Quaner away, with the German opening his body and forcing a low save from Nordfeldt.

But there was no way through for the Blues, despite six minutes being added on, as they fell to defeat at home once again.

Ipswich Town: Gerken; Bree, Chambers, Nsiala, Elder; Chalobah (Bishop 79), Downes, Dozzell (Quaner 66); Edwards, Judge, Keane (Jackson 66)

Subs: Bialkowski, Ndaba, Nydam, Skuse

Swansea City: Nordfeldt; Roberts, van der Hoorn, Carter-Vickers, Naughton; Byers, Grimes, Fulton (Fer 84); Routledge (Dyer 69), James (Rodon 90); McBurnie

Subs: Benda, John, Baker-Richardson, Fer, McKay