James Norwood scored twice and missed a penalty as Ipswich Town returned to winning ways with a 2-1 success at Swindon Town.

Teddy Bishop, Armando Dobra and Kane Vincent-Young all had big opportunities to break the deadlock before Norwood finally ended the team’s 11-hour goal drought from the spot in the 43rd minute.

Norwood then capitalised on Scott Twine’s under hit back pass to make it 2-0 in the 57th minute, but David Cornell allowed Brett Pitman’s shot to squirm through his hands to gift already-relegated Swindon a way back into the game in the 71st minute.

Swindon conceded another penalty moments later, but this time Norwood fired wide from the spot to miss out on a hat-trick.

Town’s first away win under Paul Cook’s management sees them move up to 10th in the League One table, but, with just two games to go, it is now mathematically impossible for them to finish in the play-off places.

Ipswich started on the front foot and created a good opening in the fifth minute when Myles Kenlock’s sweeping low cross just evaded Teddy Bishop on the edge of the six-yard box.

Moments later, Flynn Downes headed wide from a high Dozzell corner delivery.

Swindon should have broken the deadlock in the 16th minute when ex-Blues striker Brett Pitman fired wide from a golden position inside the box after Jack Payne had robbed Dozzell of possession

The Robins went close again not long afterwards when Scott Twine’s shot was beaten away by David Cornell, with Kane Vincent-Young then producing two blocks in quick succession to deny Tyler Smith and Matty Palmer.

Ipswich gradually started to take control from that moment onwards and saw four good opportunities to score go begging.

In the 27th minute, keeper Lee Camp was quick off his line to deny Bishop one-one-one following Norwood’s clever dummy on Downes’ through ball.

Three minutes later, Dobra dragged an effort comfortably wide after Gwion Edwards had mis-kicked in the box. That big chance came following Downes’ super switch and Kenlock’s low cross.

Then, seconds afterwards, Norwood saw a left-footed on-the-run effort tipped over by Camp after he had out-muscled his marker. Mark McGuinness headed the subsequent corner delivery over.

Ipswich again went close in the 40th minute. This time, Camp denied Vincent-Young from close-range following Kenlock’s deep cross to the far post. The loose ball wouldn’t quite fall for Norwood.

The Blues finally got their breakthrough in the 43rd minute.

Following Vincent-Young's dart inside from the right, Grounds produced a clumsy foul on Bishop in the box and Norwood converted the subsequent penalty down the middle.

Town’s goal drought had been ended just past the 11 hour mark.

And they had an opportunity to add a second just before the break when Bishop bundled his way to goal only to be denied by Camp.

The Blues continued to play with energy after the restart. In the 53rd minute, Bishop played the ball left, continued his run into the box, but mis-kicked when Edwards picked him out with the cross.

And it was the direct, front foot play of Vincent-Young and Dobra up the right which eventually led to Town doubling their lead in the 57th minute. After those two had probed and pressed, Twine played a badly under hit back pass that alert front man Norwood stabbed home on the stretch.

Swindon started to look increasingly ragged. Downes’ super raking pass from deep found substitute Troy Parrott, but he then tried to do it all on his own and saw an ambitious shot cannon into Thompson.

The Robins’ had some heart-hearted penalty appeals waved away when McGuinness robustly headed clear in the box and saw Pitman glance a deep free-kick delivery comfortably wide.

Still the Blues looked in control, only to gift the hosts a route back into the game in the 71st minute when Pitman’s tame low shot in the box squirmed through the hands of Cornell following Rob Hunt’s low cross from the right.

Two minutes later, Ipswich were awarded their second spot kick of the match when Taylor Curran slid in to foul Parrott from behind in the box.

Norwood spurned his hat-trick opportunity though, firing wide of the right-hand post from 12 yards out.

Downes had to commit a cynical foul to prevent Swindon getting to goal following a quickly taken free-kick in the 81st minute.

Moments later, sub Josh Harrop sliced a horrendous shot high, wide and out of the ground following Downes’ fine pass from deep and some good centre-forward's play by Norwood.

Camp again came to Swindon’s rescue in the 87th minute, spreading himself big to deny Parrott on the angle after Dozzell’s well-weighted pass.


SWINDON TOWN (4-4-2): Camp, Hunt, A Grant, Grounds (Broadbent 46), Thompson; Payne (Garrick 56), Palmer, Missilou (Curran 63), Twine (J. Grant 82); Pitman (cpt), Smith.

Unused subs: Matthews, Caddis, Hope.


IPSWICH TOWN (4-2-3-1): Cornell; Vincent-Young, McGuinness, Woolfenden, Kenlock; Downes, Dozzell; Dobra (Harrop 70), Bishop (Parrott 61), Edwards (Bennetts 70); Norwood (cpt).

Unused subs: Holy, Chambers, Nsiala, Hawkins.