Championship report: Swansea City 1-2 Ipswich Town

The Blues took an early lead through Nathan Broadhead, but they were pegged back by Jerry Yates, who bundled the ball into the net from a free-kick. It didn't take long for the visitors to reply as Conor Chaplin fired home from Leif Davis' cross, giving them their second away win of the season.

The heavy rain certainly didn’t help the early flow of the match, and while there were a handful of half-chances, the momentum was broken up by sloppy passes and the occasional foul. Davis came closest to scoring in the 11th minute, forcing Carl Rushworth into a good save from his powerful effort. Cameron Burgess headed over the bar soon after as Ipswich started to turn the screw.

Omari Hutchinson pounced on a mistake to play Nathan Broadhead through on goal for the opener (Image: Pagepix)

Swansea have a poor record when it comes to conceding early on in games, and Town were able to make that worse as Omari Hutchinson capitalised on a mix-up at the back, pouncing on Ben Cabango’s error before slipping Broadhead through on goal. The Wales international rushed through and dinked the ball over Rushworth to make it 1-0 in the 13th minute.

Kieffer Moore came close to scoring a header from a corner soon after, while Yates had space to equalise in the box, although he failed to pull the trigger. Moore tried his luck again shortly before the half-hour mark, but Rushworth was able to get down quickly to stop his fierce strike from the left side of the box.

It was Yates who bagged the equaliser in the 30th minute. Although Ipswich had managed the game well since going ahead, they were giving away far too many free-kicks inside their own half. The Swans eventually made them pay, with the former Blackpool striker turning the ball into the net from point-blank range after it bounced around the box.

Leif Davis set up Conor Chaplin to restore the Blues' lead (Image: Pagepix)

It felt like the momentum might’ve shifted. Town began to grow frustrated and Swansea spent an extended period in the final third. Unsurprisingly, it was a lightning-fast counterattack that led to the visitors retaking the lead in the 34th minute as Davis played a cutback to Chaplin from the left flank, allowing him to rifle a shot into the net to make it 2-1 to the Blues.

It took Chaplin’s total for the season to 10 goal, and it was also his 50th in an Ipswich shirt. Davis, on the other hand, moved onto 12 assists, just two away from equalling the record number provided by a defender in a single Championship season.

The Blues clearly started the second half with the aim to kill the game off rather than sit on their lead. Chaplin flashed a low shot wide of the target shortly after the restart before Massimo Luongo curled an effort into the gloves of Rushworth from just outside the area.

Kieffer Moore hit the crossbar with a fierce effort in the second half (Image: PA)

But it was Swansea who came closest in the 52nd minute as Ronald's cross met Yates in the centre of the box, but he was unable to make proper contact with the header as he glanced a shot wide.

Although the hosts pushed hard for another equaliser, Town hit the woodwork in the 61st minute as Broadhead played Moore through down the left. It didn't look like an easy shot to take on, but the towering striker went for it anyway, forcing Rushworth to tip it onto the crossbar.

Swansea were doing more in the final third, but Ipswich's attacks looked more dangerous. Kieran McKenna's side had a great chance to grab their third as Moore used his physicality in the box to create space. He played it to Davis, who in turn set up substitute Jeremy Sarmiento, but the Ecuadorian winger could only shoot low into the gloves of Rushworth.

Kieran McKenna faced Luke Williams for the first time in his managerial career (Image: PA Sport)

The visitors never looked comfortable in the final stages, but Swansea's end product let them down. As much as they kept knocking on the door, Ipswich stood tall to earn consecutive league wins for the first time since mid-December.

Swansea XI: 4-2-3-1: Rushworth; Naughton (Darling 85'), Cabango, Wood, Tymon; Allen (Patino 63'), Grimes; Ronald (Placheta 69'), Paterson, Cooper (Kuharevich 63'); Yates (Cullen 63')

Town XI: 4-2-3-1: Hladky; Clarke, Woolfenden, Burgess, Davis; Morsy, Luongo (Travis 83'); Hutchinson (Burns 67'), Chaplin (Harness 67'), Broadhead (Sarmiento 67'); Moore (Al-Hamadi 79')

Attendance: 16,646