Swindon Town lose 2-1 to Ipswich Town in League One

An error-strewn contest was broken up by two James Norwood goals for Paul Cook’s men and a Brett Pitman consolation strike for the hosts.

Defeat was Swindon’s 14th league loss in 23 games, adding to the four cup defeats across the campaign.

Caretaker boss Tommy Wright made two changes to the side that lost 5-0 to Milton Keynes Dons last weekend. Christopher Missilou and Rob Hunt came in for Jordon Garrick and Mathieu Baudry, respectively.

And despite Wright suggesting first-year pro Harry Parsons might get a look in at some point across the final two games, the youngster was not included in the match day squad against the Tractor Boys.

The visitors enjoyed the better of the early stages and had a couple of half-chances to settle into the game, but the first shot on target of the game came courtesy of Swindon. Jack Payne nicked the ball back in midfield off Andre Dozell and fed in Brett Pitman down the inside-left channel.

Pitman cut back onto his right and curled goalwards from inside the box, but he didn't move his effort back enough and it flew wide.

Shortly after, the hosts had three shots at goal blocked away by a couple of Tractor Boys. First, Scott Twine saw a low, dipping shot pushed away in front of his right-hand post by David Cornell, before Tyler Smith and Matt Palmer had shots bravely blocked out by Kane Vincent-Young.

As the half an hour mark loomed, Lee Camp made an important save to prevent Ipswich from breaking their duck in front of goal. A ball through the middle was dummied by Norwood and Bishop found himself in on goal. The midfielder steadied himself and curled goalwards, but Camp remained big to deny him.

The Town stopper breathed a sigh of relief minutes later after Armando Dobra missed a golden opportunity to score. Kenlock put another really good low cross into the middle from the left which bobbled all the way through to Dobra at the back post. The winger took a touch to steady himself but snatched at his effort and dragged it wide with the whole goal to aim at.

Moments later, Camp has to be sharp at his near post again to push away Norwood's early shot from the left. And five minutes before the break, Swindon’s stopper made yet another excellent save.

Andre Dozell clipped a cross from the left to the back post, and Kane Vincent-Young ghosted in with the Swindon defence ball-watching to head goalwards. A superb save from Camp with his legs ensured the game remained goalless.

But just before half-time, Ipswich ended their 11-hour goal drought from the penalty spot after Jonathan Grounds went in clumsily on Bishop. The referee didn’t hesitate to point to the spot, and Norwood stepped up and simply blasted his spot-kick straight down the middle as Camp dived away to his right.

A flat first 15 minutes of the second half was then punctuated by a horror mistake from Twine as Ipswich doubled their lead.

The Swindon youngster won the ball back on the edge of his own box, did a 360-degree spin and then played an inch perfect pass through-ball to Norwood who stabbed home past Camp. It appeared as though Twine was trying to calm the situation down by laying off for his goalkeeper to clear, but the pass was woefully under-hit and Norwood was quickest to it.

Yet, a little over 10 minutes later, Swindon gave themselves a glimmer of hope following a really poor mistake from Ipswich goalkeeper, Cornell.

Substitute Jordon Garrick worked some space down the right and pulled a cross back for Pitman to shoot. Pitman scuffed his effort quite badly, but Cornell dropped the ball in at the near post to give Swindon hope.

That hope appeared to have been almost immediately extinguished following another bad mistake. Substitute Taylor Curran wiped Troy Parrott out from the wrong side in the area, and Ipswich were awarded their second penalty of the afternoon.

But unlike the first, Norwood was unable to convert from the spot, instead shanking his penalty well wide of Camp’s left-hand post.

As much as Swindon tried, they were unable to create anything of note late on and Ipswich held on for their first win in seven games.

STFC starting XI: Camp, Grounds, Pitman (C), Smith, Twine, Payne, Missilou, Palmer, Hunt, Thompson, A Grant.

SUBS: Matthews, Caddis, Garrick, J Grant, Curran, Broadbent, Hope.

ITFC starting XI: Cornell, McGuinness, Woolfenden, Edwards, Norwood (C), Bishop, Downes, Dozell, Vincent-Young, Kenlock, Dobra.

SUBS: Holy, Chambers, Bennetts, Nsiala, Hawkins, Harrop, Parrott.