Wayne Routledge’s 57th-minute goal saw Swansea City to a 1-0 victory over the Blues at Portman Road, ending a run of seven successive defeats on the road. Routledge followed-up after Town keeper Dean Gerken had pushed a Daniel James strike on to the post.

Boss Paul Lambert made seven changes from the team which lost 4-0 at Preston on Good Friday with Gerken, Will Keane, Trevoh Chalobah, Gwion Edwards, Andre Dozzell, Callum Elder and James Bree all in the XI.

Gerken returned in goal for Bartosz Bialkowski, who dropped to the bench, with Bree, one of four loan players, at right-back and Elder at left-back with Josh Emmanuel and Myles Kenlock both left out of the squad.

Chalobah and Dozzell joined Flynn Downes in central midfield with Cole Skuse and Teddy Bishop among the subs.

Up front, Keane made his first start following his hamstring injury down the centre with Alan Judge on the left and former Swans youngster Edwards on the right, although the two would swap flanks frequently once the game got under way.

For Swansea, George Byers came into the side for Barrie McKay, who dropped to the bench.

Ex-Blues loanee Cameron Carter-Vickers started for the Swans but another former Town loan player, Bersant Celina, missed out having been injured and ill over the last week.

At a warm and sunny Portman Road, with the pitch looking in tip-top condition, Swansea should have taken the lead in the fifth minute via the first chance of the game.

Toto Nsiala failed to deal with Swans keeper Kris Norfeldt’s long kick, allowing James a free run in on goal. However, as Gerken advanced, the Wales international put the ball wide of the Blues’ keeper’s left post when he really should have scored.

On six, Edwards shot well over from distance but with the Blues so far unable to create a more obvious opening.

Swansea were looking a threat when breaking via the pace of James in particular. On 17 they claimed a penalty when Byers went to ground after taking the ball past Gerken at an angle to the right of the keeper’s goal but the Swans midfielder looked to have fallen under his own steam having lost control and was yellow-carded by referee Darren England for diving.

Three minutes later, Jay Fulton joined his team-mate in the book for a foul on Downes just inside the Swansea half. In the 25th minute the midfielder hit a low shot from the edge of the box which Gerken saved with ease down to his right.

The Swans were dominating possession but without being able to carve out a clear-cut opportunity, while the Blues had been unable to put together a passage of play since the early stages. On 29 Nsiala was booked for shoving over James as he broke on the right.

Swansea went close on the half-hour when Fulton curled an effort from the 18-yard line towards the corner of the net only for Routledge to divert it over the bar from the edge of the six-yard box.

Town began to see more of the ball, although all too often giving it away cheaply on halfway, but in the 39th minute Downes made a strong run down the right but saw his cross diverted behind by a defender.

From the resulting corner the Blues went close to going in front. The ball on from the right eventually fell to Keane at the far post from where the on-loan Hull City man hit a shot which struck the post. The ball bounced out and Chalobah hit another effort from the edge of the box which flew wide.

Swansea were next to threaten in the 42nd minute, Routledge finding Connor Roberts breaking forward in space on their right but Gerken got down to his right to save the Wales international’s low shot.

A minute later, Downes cut in from the left and hit a shot which deflected over, then from Judge’s subsequent corner Nsiala rose highest but nodded back over the bar.

In injury time Byers turned a Routledge cross from the right wide at the near post before referee England ended the half.

The Blues could count themselves fortunate not to have been behind in the early stages when James went through one-on-one and the Swans continued to have most of the half’s opportunities.

While the Swans dominated possession for long spells, the Blues had put together decent interchanges at times and had got themselves more in the game as the break approached with chances starting to come, Keane having been unlucky not to mark an impressive return to the XI with a goal.

Six minutes after the restart Keane curled a shot goalwards which Nordveldt tipped over but with the linesman’s flag having been raised.

Swansea went close in the 52nd minute, Gerken doing well to get across to his left to palm James’s low shot across the area wide and just beyond the sliding Roberts.

The visitors had started the second half strongly and were dominating, and in the 57th minute they went in front.

After Chalobah had given the ball away to Fulton midway inside the Town half, Gerken tipped James’s low shot on to his right post but Routledge ran in to follow-up and slam into the roof of the net, the former England U21 international’s fourth goal of the season.

Bree was booked for a foul on James, an almost constant threat down the Swans left, just after the hour mark as Swansea went looking for their second of the afternoon.

In the 66th minute the Blues swapped Dozzell and Keane, who was tiring in the heat after his spell on the sidelines, for Collin Quaner and Kayden Jackson, who played on the right of the front three with Judge moving into the centre.

Matt Grimes shot over from distance for the visitors before goalscorer Routledge was replaced by Nathan Dyer.

The Swans were looking comfortable as the game entered its final 20 minutes and were looking the more likely scorers of the game’s second goal. On 73 top scorer Oli McBurnie flicked a header over at the near post from another James ball in from the left.

However, the Blues weren’t far away from an equaliser in the 77th minute when Downes sent Quaner away down the left. The on-loan Huddersfield striker brought the ball in and hit a low effort which Nordfeldt palmed across the face and wide. Quaner suffered a knock as he struck his effort but after treatment was able to continue. Moments later, Bishop took over from Chalobah.

Fulton hooked an acrobatic effort wide in the 84th minute before the Swans switched the midfielder for Leroy Fer.

In the 88th minute Quaner was again denied by Nordfeldt when through but this time having strayed offside.

Swansea replaced danger man James with Joe Rodon with the game already in six minutes of injury time.

Late on Judge shot wide from distant but a Town comeback in added-on time never really looked likely. Moments before the whistle keeper Gerken went up for a corner which came to nothing.

Once they’d got the lead they probably should have secured in the first half, Swansea professionally saw the game out for the most part with the Blues’ big opportunity Quaner’s effort which was well saved by Nordveldt.

Other than that, the Swans keeper was largely untested with Gerken the busier of the two keepers, although not forced into action as much as Swans boss Graham Potter would have wanted.

Following the final whistle the players and staff took part in the annual lap of appreciation, while those fans that remained in the Sir Bobby Robson Stand made plenty of noise despite another disappointing afternoon. The squad, some of whom were joined by their children, stopped to pay tribute as they made their way around the pitch.

The Blues are next in action at Sheffield United next Saturday in a live Sky game which kicks off at 5.15pm, with their only remaining home game is the final day match at home to Leeds on Sunday 5th May (KO 12.30pm).

Town: Gerken, Bree, Chambers (c), Nsiala, Elder, Chalobah (Bishop 79), Downes, Dozzell (Quaner 66), Edwards, Judge, Keane (Jackson 66). Unused: Bialkowski, Skuse, Nydam, Ndaba.

Swansea: Nordfeldt, Roberts, Van der Hoorn (c), Carter-Vickers, Naughton, Fulton (Fer 84), Grimes, Routledge (Dyer 70), Byers, James (Rodon 90), McBurnie. Unused: Benda, McKay, John, Baker-Richardson. Referee: Darren England (South Yorkshire). Att: 17,247 (Swansea: 557)

Photo: TWTD

blueboy1981 added 10:04 - Apr 23 NSV ...... you're absolutely right. My guess is Evans can't wait to see the back of the Club, and relieve him of his reported six million loss per year. We need not have been careful what we wished for with McCarthy. but many could be with Evans - every Manager has been most complimentary about their relationship with him, which says something about the man.In their own admittance he has given them full backing, on all they've asked. He is a businessman owner (some will never grasp that) and therefore he employs people to run the Club for him, and he pays them extremely well for doing so. He therefore should be able to expect the job to be done properly. The day may well come when the Evans critics rue the day they did so. It's obvious that some people are so short sighted, they blame everything on Evans, and Chambers - they see no further into the equation - What about the rest employed, and responsible for the situation we find ourselves in..... ?? ..... namely incompetent Manages and Players........ !!!

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Northstandveteran added 10:17 - Apr 23 Love him or loathe him, unless a new owner bought him out ( which let's face it, isn't going to happen ) without his financial input, I really do believe the club could disappear.
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blueboy1981 added 10:41 - Apr 23 NSV ....... agreed - to any logical thinking mind, that has to be a genuine concern, and real possibility.
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Razor added 10:51 - Apr 23 First---Swedish Steve, save me one of your badges!! So we play a team who have lost their last seven away games and what do we do----play one up front at home---WHY!! The only time we were in the game was when we were virtually obliged to play 2 up front and only some good saves and dodgy decisions from the lino kept us out. I am going to Sheffield on Saturday and am so glad the game kicks off at 5.15, time for more drinks so by then I may not notice just how bad we are. I am running out of patience a little with the boss---I call him the CANDY FLOSS MANAGER--looks nice and sweet but no substance and no longstanding satisfaction.

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warktheline added 12:02 - Apr 23 The club already is disappearing under the ownership of Evans! @blueboy, what a load of twaddle! Of course all the previous managers have been complementary towards Evans, no pressure applied from above and wages picked up each month! You've said so yourself many times in regards to McCarthy! Continually contradicting yourself!
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RegencyBlue added 12:35 - Apr 23 Evans is slowly killing the club. Don't take my word for it, look where we will be playing our football next season! Look at the lack of quality in the squad where players have been sold and replaced with cheaper, inferior ones. This wasn't just under Hurst, it's been happening under Evans for years. What he is doing has not worked, is not working, and will not work in the future. People on here keep saying “where would we be without him”. It's where we are going with him that worries me!

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blueboy1981 added 13:52 - Apr 23 RegencyBlue - Question:- Would we have a Club without him, right now ? If we did, give me a logical alternative to Ownership - otherwise, you and others, save your 'hollow' words.
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blueboy1981 added 14:02 - Apr 23 ......... 'cloud cuckoo land' is NOT reality. Reality is where we are, the past has gone, so don't keep harping on about it, and not doing anything other than criticise - that WILL NOT get us out of this current situation. Backing the Club, albeit with all our concerns, by buying / renewing a Season Ticket will at the very least be a step in the right direction - that being FORWARD. Hope it's not too difficult to understand - if so, my apologies for thankfully NOT living in 'cloud cuckoo land'. We will return, don't know when, don't know how - BUT WE WILL.

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blueboy1981 added 14:06 - Apr 23 ....... I know, let's blame Chambers - now that has to be a 'first' surely ...... !!! HaHaHa.
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warktheline added 15:10 - Apr 23 @blueboy, a total hypocrite! A per Evans and Chambers are blameless, but everything and everyone else is answerable to the state the club is in! How you had the nerve to continually slaughter McCarthy, who you blamed for everything, in comparison to your dynamic duo is nowt short of embarrassing! Evans and Chambers are undoubtedly having a good giggle at your expense...keep sleepwalking into oblivion!

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blueboy1981 added 16:55 - Apr 23 warktheline - more pathetic, and blinkered, with every post. I'd give up if I were you. Incidentally, I take NOTHING back that I have previously said about McCarthy, meant EVERY word, and STILL do. Dig deep, you'll need to.
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BeattiesBackPocket added 17:09 - Apr 23 Blueboy1981 he wasn't the only owner looking at buying the club he HAS overseen the demise of the club anyway! Just because you're happy being a league one club some of us aren't. Why shouldn't he know how we feel if you're gonna accept broken promises of five point plans etc and you see no fault in the guy that's your opinion it doesn't mean everyone who doesn't agree with you is wrong! Answer me WHY is he so successful at everything else he touches accept here and why is he here? He's not a fan he's one of the richest owners in the championship and I'm not even asking him to plough 20 or 30 million into the team but at least give us a wage budget where we can go out and compete if he had we wouldn't be losing another 9 million minimum next season! And he's a successful businessman

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blueboy1981 added 17:42 - Apr 23 ........ let the other potential buyers step forward then - the Club is FOR SALE. Where are they ? Let's be having you ....... !!! Or will the excuse be - they were there, but not now ....... ??
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blueboy1981 added 18:00 - Apr 23 BeattiesBackPocket - I'll answer your question for your benefit, but I have already stated the answer many, many times. Here it is := He has made appointments / recruited in line with what the majority of you were happy with at the time of doing so - REMEMBER ? BUT, he has been let down by highly paid, overrated people, who haven't come up with the goods and virtually laughed all the way to the Bank. It has cost him a fortune, these so called Managers. One could say it was poor recruitment - yes it was, including McCarthy - but I remind you all again, MOST people agreed with the appointments at the time, and agreed as being right for the Club the time. One mistake he has to hold his hand up to is moving Jim Magilton out - but some of you were advocating that at the time - REMEMBER ?? I didn't agree with Jewell and McCarthy appointments, Hurst I had serious doubts about - but I seem to remember extremely well that most of you agreed with them. Or many certainly did. Many agreed with Lambert, again seen as a good move ........... !! - time will tell, yet again, on that. If I was Evans, I'd sell the Club for a pound, and get the hell away from the criticism, and get on with my life. Without Evans currently - make NO MISTAKE - there is no Ipswich Town FC. - that's the REALITY of it all. And to correct you - I AM NOT HAPPY WITH LEAGUE 1 - and never will be, but the way some of you are going, we'll have no Club. GET BEHIND IT - WHILST WE STILL HAVE IT.

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Northstandveteran added 18:39 - Apr 23 I don't think Evans was wrong in his appointment of managers. Keane had previously taken Sunderland to the top flight by spending millions, so Evans gave him just that. Jewell had a great record of taking average teams up and keeping them there. McCarthy came in and saved the club from the drop in his 1st season. Hurst was the upcoming young manager to push the club forward. Lambert was seen as the man to break the freefall. I have always thought the above named managers were the right choice at the time. Never once had I thought, " that's a bad choice " I can't explain their failures but sometimes in life things don't work out. I must admit to being in the Mick out corner. Although had posted while he was still in the dugout, perhaps he knows the only way to survive in this division, with his budget, was to play the style he did. Who knows? Certainly not me that's for sure 😂

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brittaniaman added 20:19 - Apr 23 All i can say is the Bookies had us written down for Relegation last August !!!! that speaks volumes
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BeattiesBackPocket added 20:39 - Apr 23 As I say Blueboy Why is he here? Why a successful businessman is buying a club he has no emotional contact with is beyond me UNLESS it was to make money. Forgetting the managers what about Clegg? He's still the owner and should have stepped in and stopped HIS assets like Leadbitter, Norris etc leaving for nothing because between him and clegg they were allowed to leave for b*gger all that IS poor management of a club. I will stay behind this club no matter what division however because I don't agree with you opinions on Evans doesn't make me an idiot or any less a fan than you! I've had a season ticket for approx 30 years now. Bad decisions also was NOT investing when we were top under Mick, letting Jim go having only lost one home game all season in favour of a notoriously great player but poor manager in Keane, more mistakes in talking about a five point plan which has yet to even start! I feel some of the stuff you wrote is spot on but regarding Evans I'd have to wholeheartedly disagree he has ruined us and for those who say if he invested money we could do a derby yes we could but we could've done a Bournemouth, as I say it's not about spending millions but making us competitive with wages so maybe we could've got a championship striker in or kept the ones we had if they saw more ambition from the owner.

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blueboy1981 added 21:44 - Apr 23 BeattiesBackPocket ........... the nature of Evans business interests means he is not an Owner who has the time, or dedication, to spend his time with the Club. Therefore he employs, and obviously expects those people to do the individual jobs for him, which he pays well for them to do. He has every right to expect nothing less. I personally understand that, from experience. He is, and has been, a different kind of Owner to anything our Club has experienced before - nothing wrong with that at all. Some people have expected him to 'live' at the Club almost - it was never going to happen. Some will never see beyond the matchbox vision in front of their eyes whatever, and will always expect 'the same'. Any variation of such will be wrong. With Evans not able (seen wrongly as no interest by some) to be at the Club more than he has, I believe he has placed too much faith in his appointed staff, thus he, and the Club have suffered through individuals failure to produce. Some would relish such freedom, other take advantage of such and under perform .... !! I have questions too about essential parts of our Club:- How active is our Scouting staff ? - I'm not at all convinced to be honest - PUKKI ... !! a freebie looking for a Club- where were we .... ?? What did Clegg do for our Club ? - other than a bit of PR, and join the fans in the stands sometimes. What have the (well paid Managers ) done ? - other than one whom bored us to tears, kept us mid table Championship, but laughed all the way to the Bank. The rest have been a let down - other than JM, who shouldn't have gone - but the focus then was very much on promotion. There are other let downs - but the past is the past - Evans has apologised to everyone, made choices which people approved at the time - What more could he have done ??- other than potentially give his Managers an open cheque book, for even more of his money to be potentially wasted. You do not have to spend mega bucks to be successful, people around here are reluctant to even acknowledge this BUT proof is down the A140 - don't ignore it - it's there, they've spent little, but could have done. Spending doesn't always mean success - it shouldn't be necessary - talent is out there still, for next to nothing. The only talent that's needed is finding it - and it's not that difficult, as other lesser Clubs than ourselves prove often. No names need mentioning ....... !!!

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JohnyJohnson added 22:55 - Apr 23 I'm one of the 400. Started as a fan in 1995 when got relegated, following all games on radio finally moved back to area and now officially a proper supporter now have season ticket– ironically on relegation season again. Lucky enough to see the 5-0 demolition derby and Wembley 2000 on the way. Who knows what next season will bring but looking forward to the ride and making some NOISE!

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JohnyJohnson added 22:56 - Apr 23 Guess who posted on the wrong article?
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blueboy1981 added 13:03 - Apr 24 corfu72 ........... !!!!!!!!!!!
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BeattiesBackPocket added 16:18 - Apr 27 Blueboy1981 as I said I don't think you need millions in spending I do however feel You need to have a competitive wage budget that's all I've asked for not one equivalent to Burton who were relegated under that budget! Also how do you feel about our owner when even Mick has come out and said his remit was to keep us in the league? This goes against everything our owner has said past few years so he has mugged YOU and everyone else off.

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