Swansea keep slim play-off hopes alive with rare away win at Ipswich

Posted Tuesday, April 23, 2019 by PA

Swansea ended their dismal away form with a 1-0 victory against already-relegated Ipswich at Portman Road.

The Swans had lost seven consecutive games on their travels prior to playing the Tractor Boys but Wayne Routledge’s 57th-minute goal secured the points for the visitors.

The win keeps Swansea’s outside hopes of reaching the Sky Bet Championship play-offs alive with five points separating the Welsh side from sixth place.

For Ipswich, who will ply their trade in League One next year after relegation was confirmed nine days ago, it was the 24th defeat of a miserable campaign.

The visitors should have gone ahead as early as the fifth minute when a glaring error from Ipswich’s Toto Nsiala let in Daniel James, but the Welsh striker could not find the target when clean through.

Ipswich’s first effort came a minute later when Gwion Edwards curled his shot over from outside the box.

Swansea’s George Byers was booked for diving in the 16th minute after he went to ground attempting to round Town goalkeeper Dean Gerken in the box.

Jay Fulton’s strike from distance for Swansea was comfortably taken by Gerken as the visitors probed the Ipswich back-line.

The Swans came close again on the half-hour mark, Oliver McBurnie found Fulton in the box but the midfielder’s curled effort was diverted over by Routledge’s outstretched boot.

Ipswich’s best chance of the half came in the 39th minute when Will Keane’s close-range effort came back off the post following an Andre Dozzell corner and Trevor Chalobah fired the follow-up wide.

Kyle Naughton’s shot was saved by Gerken after a Swansea break and Nsiala headed over for the Tractor Boys from Alan Judge’s deep corner just before half-time.

The Swans started the second half brightly and Gerken produced a good stop to keep out James’ curled effort from the left-hand side of the box in the 54th minute.

The visitors took the lead three minutes later when James’ shot from distance was tipped onto the post by Gerken before Routledge pounced to slam the rebound home.

Ipswich made a double substitution in the 66th minute, throwing strikers Kayden Jackson and Collin Quaner on for Dozzell and Keane as they sought an equaliser.

McBurnie then glanced a near-post header over from James’ cross in the 73rd minute as the Swans looked to extend their advantage.

Ipswich’s best chance for an equaliser came four minutes later when Flynn Downes found Quaner on the left, but Swans goalkeeper Kristoffer Nordfeldt was equal to the German striker’s side-footed effort.

Judge’s strike for Ipswich from distance did not trouble Nordfeldt and Swansea were comfortably able to end their barren away run, much to the delight of their travelling supporters.