Pablo Couñago scored twice as inconsistent Town again allowed a lead to slip. The Spaniard put the Blues in front with a superb strike just before the break but Swansea went ahead via Ferrie Bodde and Jordi Gomez, prior to Couñago's late equaliser.

Town lined-up with Couñago replacing Tommy Miller as the Blues switched to 4-4-2, but otherwise unchanged from the team which started at Charlton a fortnight ago.

Jon Stead struck a fine shot from the edge of the area which whistled past Dorus De Vries's right-hand post within 12 seconds of the start. At the other end, Leon Britton screwed an effort wide from the edge of the box.

David Norris teed up Moritz Volz 20 yards out in the fourth minute and De Vries got down well to his right to save. Moments later, Stead picked up the game's first yellow card for preventing the Swans from taking a quick freekick.

On seven, Richard Wright and Swansea midfielder Darren Pratley collided as they went for the same ball 20 yards out, neither player reaching the ball but both requiring treatment.

Town had dominated the early stages, passing the ball around as well as at any stage this season. The goal they deserved almost came in the eighth minute. Alan Quinn sent over a corner and Gareth McAuley's header looked destined to hit the net until Pablo Couñago tried to flick it on but only succeeded in nodding the ball over.

Pratley shot wide after somewhat blatantly shoving Campo off the ball, prior to the Spaniard finding Stead with a freekick from deep on the right but the former Sheffield United man failed to get enough on the ball and De Vries claimed.

Swansea gradually started to come more into the game and began to control the midfield with the slick passing style which won them promotion last season.

On 20 Naylor was yellow-carded for a foul on Pratley. Five minutes later Quinn shot wide for the Blue, although much of the game was by now being played in the Town half.

The impressive Pratley got away behind the Town defence in the 28th minute but Richard Naylor got back to force him to turn inside. The former Brentford player's strike was saved by Wright but the rebound eventually ran to Jordi Gomez, his effort deflected to Ferrie Bodde, who shot wide.

Quinn saw another shot saved fairly easily by De Vries, then Couñago tamely looped a ball wide on the volley.

On 38 Couñago did brilliantly to control a Richard Naylor ball from the back with his chest and create himself an opening, only for the linesman, who had rarely managed to correctly judge whether or not the ball had gone out of play throughout the half, waved for handball. A sublime piece of footballing skill had been incorrectly penalised by dismal officiating.

The entertainingly-monickered Angel Rangel was booked for a foul on Quinn in the 38th minute, five minutes before Town went in front. Campo played a fantastic pass over the top and Couñago again controlled superbly with his chest. This time there was no flag and the Spaniard lashed the ball into the roof of De Vries's net from five yards.

There was still time for Pratley to shoot wide and Campo to pick up a somewhat harsh booking from overzealous referee Jonathan Moss for a foul on Mark Gower.

The lead flattered the Blues on the balance of the latter 20 minutes or so of the first half. Town had started strongly but the visitors had passed confidently and had had the upper hand after that initial spell, although without creating too much inside the Blues' box.

The Swans got back on terms within three minutes of the start of the second period. Quinn was caught up field as Swansea broke leaving David Wright two on one down the Town left. Quinn eventually got back and fouled Jordi Gomez and was complaining to the referee about the linesman flagging a freekick as play was waved on and Ferrie Bodde struck a low shot which deflected past Richard Wright.

Again it was a poor goal to concede with Quinn not for the first time this season caught talking to the referee while play went on around him.

The Swans continued to have the better of the game with the Blues rarely retaining possession and as so often looking nervous at the back. Richard Wright's kicking wasn't helping matters with the keeper rarely finding Jon Walters with his long balls and failing to complete several shorter passes.

On the hour, Jim Magilton replaced Iván Campo and Jon Stead with Tommy Miller and Owen Garvan, Jon Walters joining Couñago up front. The changes were marked by boos and chants of ‘You don't know what you're doing', but from significantly fewer fans than during the Crystal Palace game.

The substitutions appeared to lift the Blues who prior to that stage were drifting out of a game which early on they had controlled. Couñago headed wide from a Wright cross, then Quinn saw a strike deflect wide. From the corner, McAuley headed just over.

But, as so often this season, Town were made to pay for some woeful defending. A 68th minute corner was cleared to Owen Garvan on the edge of the area. Rather than clearing, the midfielder tried to take the ball away from the Swansea man behind him but failed. The ball ran loose, Volz couldn't make a clean contact to clear and eventually it ended up back with corner-taker Jordi Gomez on the edge of the box, his strike beating Richard Wright to his left.

Pratley was yellow-carded for kicking the ball away at a Town freekick, then Quinn headed over for the Blues, who were huffing and puffing but not really looking likely to get a goal back. Lisbie replaced Quinn for the final 16 minutes with Town switching to 4-3-3 with Couñago behind Lisbie and Walters.

The Blues were taking the game to the visitors and, led by Garvan, were starting to get on top. In the 81st minute got their reward. A corner was cleared to Miller, his shot arrived at Couñago's feet inside the area, the Spaniard stopping the ball and then finding the net for his second goal of the game and fourth of the season. The Swansea players claimed an offside, but referee Moss and his linesman weren't interested.

Town continued to press forward in numbers in the closing stages. Lisbie might have done better with a header from a cross from the right, De Vries getting down to his left to save. McAuley headed Miller's corner over.

Swansea defender Marcos Painter hit a 30-yard strike which moved all over the place, Wright managing to palm it away before pouncing on the loose ball ahead of Swansea sub Jason Scotland.

As the game entered injury time, Garvan lashed only just wide, then Norris went similarly close with an acrobatic overhead kick, but a Town winner wouldn't come.

A draw was probably a fair result with both sides dominating the match for spells. Town again looked a decent side in patches when going forward but were nervous at the back and gave away two more very poor goals.

The Blues seemed to lose their impetus after a good start and Swansea were allowed to control much of the latter part of the first half and the early stages of the second until the introduction of Garvan and Miller brought Town back into it, only for the second Swans goal to knock the Blues out of their stride once again.

That said, Town showed spirit to get back into the game and claim the point when they might have capitulated. In the closing stages, Garvan and Norris in particular were unfortunate not to grab a winner.

All in all though, two more home points lost and another up and down performance with a long way still to go before the side can be considered anything other than mid-table finishers.

Town: R Wright, Volz, D Wright, Naylor, McAuley, Campo (Miller 60), Norris, Quinn (Lisbie 74), Walters, Couñago, Stead (Garvan 60). Unused: Supple, Bruce. Att: 20,026.

Photo: Action Images

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