AFTER dropping yet another two points at home striker Pablo Counago admitted the Blues are beginning to prefer playing away.

Derek Davis

By Derek Davis

AFTER dropping yet another two points at home striker Pablo Counago admitted the Blues are beginning to prefer playing away.

Counago netted both of Ipswich's goals in the 2-2 draw with Swansea at Portman Road on Saturday that leaves them seventh from bottom of the Championship.

It was the second draw, to go with two wins and two losses, at home this season and after last's year's phenomenal success when they lost just once at home, Counago believes teams have worked out Town and it is now easier for the Blues to play their own brand of football away from home.

Manager Jim Magilton was booed and fans chanted you don't know what you are doing for the second time when he made a double substitution and jeers rang out around the ground at full time.

Town go to bottom club Nottingham Forest tomorrow and Counago feels they can get their own game going at the City Ground.

Counago said: “It is probably easier for us to play away.

“Normally when you play away the home team have to play more open football and come on to use and that makes it easier for us.”

Swansea played with one man up front and were 2-1 up before Counago salvaged a point, after earlier giving Town a half-time lead..

He said: “We were brilliant at home last season but teams have worked out how to come here and make it more difficult for us. “Normally teams play 4-4-2 but teams now come here playing 4-5-1 to make it harder for us.

“We need to deal with that though and play our own game.

“Swansea played five in the middle and always had one more playing in the middle of the park.

“When we have the ball we tried to play through the middle and it was made difficult for us.”

With Swansea playing two midfielders in front of the back four, and a bank of three attacking, Counago could not drop as deep as he likes to put that worked out well for him.

He said: “With five in midfield and two playing close to the centre backs it was hard for me to drop back as I usually do.

“The manager has told me to get behind defenders more and it worked.

“It is a role I enjoy, especially as I have scored two goals.”

The brace takes his tally to four for the season but Counago was not satisfied.

He said: “I would prefer to get three points. Next time I hope to make it three goals and three points.”

Swansea felt the late equaliser was offside but Counago was not concerned about such trivialities.

He said: “I just looked to score the goal and worry about it later. I don't know if it was offside or not.”

David Norris and Alan Quinn are both injury concerns ahead of the visit to Nottingham Forest but both will be assessed today.

derek.davis@eadt.co.uk