Town are still looking for their first league win of the season as Swansea left Portman Road having claimed a 1-1 draw. Craig Beattie put the visitors ahead on six, but Pablo Couñago equalised eight minutes later, while Jon Walters and Connor Wickham both missed good chances to end the winless run in the second half.

Manager Roy Keane gave new loan signing Asmir Begovic his debut with Richard Wright left out of the 18 as Arran Lee-Barrett continued bench duty. Jaime Peters switched to right midfield for Carlos Edwards, who only returned from Trinidad yesterday, as David Wright came back into the side at left-back. Pablo Couñago took over from Tamás Priskin up front. Alex Bruce was included as a sub with Jon Walters again captain.

The Blues had enjoyed the better of the opening minutes of the game, but as so often this season succumbed to a defensive error. Gareth McAuley and Tommy Smith failed to deal with a ball over the top and Smith allowed Craig Beattie to run on behind him. The Scottish striker checked inside in the area and hit a shot from a tight angle past Begovic. Both central defenders complained that Beattie was offside, but to no avail.

It was another very poor goal from Town’s perspective and worse might have followed three minutes later when a rushed thrown-in from McAuley put Smith and then Trotter under pressure inside their own half shortly after a Town corner. Mark Gower took the ball down the Swansea left, crossed but fortunately for the Blues Beattie scuffed his effort through to Begovic.

Despite the defensive chaos, Town were still enjoying the better of the overall game. On 13 Tommy Smith’s header from a Grant Leadbitter corner was pawed away from under the bar by Swans keeper Dorus De Vries.

A minute later, the Blues were back on terms. Jaime Peters and Pablo Couñago exchanged passes on the right of the area, the Canadian teeing up the Spaniard, who struck a shot across the keeper and into the net for his first goal of the season. That Couñago was probably not missed by the Welsh side’s supporters.

Town continued to dominate with Asmir Begovic a virtual spectator, but chance-wise the Blues could only manage a couple of blocked Gareth McAuley headers from corners.

On 44 Jaime Peters sent in a dangerous cross from the right, which a defender put out of play just ahead of Couñago, referee Kevin Wright, who put in an erratic and over-fussy performance throughout, signalled for a goalkick.

Just before the break, a Liam Rosenoir half-clearance fell to Mark Gower but he scuffed his effort wide.

Town deserved to be a couple of goals in front on the balance of the first half with Swansea rarely showing anything in the Blues half of the field. Again, Town created themselves problems on the goal and the subsequent chance missed by Craig Beattie, both amongst the poorer pieces of defending of even this season.

Liam Rosenior crossed into the sidenetting on 47 as the Blues started the second half brightly.

On 48 Pablo Couñago was sent through on goal by a long ball flicking off a Swansea head, only for the linesman to raise his flag. Although the Spaniard was probably in an offside position when the ball caught the opposition player, he was almost certainly not when the original pass was made and should have been allowed to continue his run.

Leadbitter saw a 25-yard strike saved, then Couñago went close when he hit McAuley’s knockdown from Begovic’s freekick goalwards, only for De Vries to get an arm across to save.

Town were looking the more likely to score despite the visitors keeping the ball for long periods but having failed to force Begovic into action. On 57 Alan Quinn broke away on the left and sent in a cross which Jon Walters hit wide of goal from six yards when arriving at pace. It was a good chance and one which really should have been taken.

Connor Wickham replaced Quinn for the final half hour, Walters moving to left midfield. The 16-year-old was quickly into the action, blocking an Ashley Williams clearance on the edge of the area, the ball falling fortunately to De Vries.

Swansea created their first chance of the half moments later, Walters failing to stay with Nathan Dyer as the former Southampton man reached a cross from the left at the far post but sending the ball well wide of Begovic’s goal when he ought to have hit the target.

Wright shot wide from 20 yards, before Lee Martin replaced the tiring Jaime Peters, Walters moving to the right to accommodate the summer signing from Manchester United on the left.

Tommy Smith headed a Leadbitter corner just wide as the Blues continued to look the more likely to score but without ever putting the Swansea defence under severe pressure.

Angel Rangel picked up the game’s only booking for a foul on Martin in the 77th minute, Leadbitter’s freekick flying across the six-yard box narrowly ahead of several Town players.

Connor Wickham showed previously unseen prowess at taking long throws on 79, the ball bouncing out to Leadbitter, whose header was too close to De Vries.

The youngster was given a golden opportunity to win the game for his side four minutes later when he was sent away behind the Swansea defence on the Town left by Liam Trotter. The striker waited for a flag but was onside and ran in on De Vries but the keeper stopped his low shot with his feet.

Moments later there was a lengthy stoppage while referee Kevin Wright was swapped for fourth official Glenn Hambling, having presumably picked up an injury. Given the length of the time it took to change the officials, it was a surprise that only four minutes were added on.

Town might have won it during that period when a loose ball fell to Liam Trotter inside the area but the midfielder sliced his shot over. Moments later, Trotter was replaced by Jack Colback, but the final whistle went before the loanee from Sunderland could have any involvement in the game.

The draw was hardly a reflection on the game overall, which Town probably should have won comfortably. Once more the Blues were made to pay for a defensive error, while at the other end very good chances were spurned by Walters and Wickham.

Once the scores were back level Town never really looked in any serious danger of losing, although there was the ever-present fear that the suicidal defensive tendency could potentially rear its head once more.

New keeper Begovic could hardly have had a quieter debut, aside from the goal he didn’t have a shot to save and he couldn’t be blamed for not stopping Beattie’s well-struck effort from close in.

On recent performances, despite the ongoing defensive problems, the first victory can only be a matter of time with the focus now moving to the Watford game on Tuesday.

Town: Begovic, Rosenior, D Wright, McAuley, Smith, Leadbitter, Trotter (Colback 90), Peters (Martin 72), Quinn (Wickham 60), Walters, Couñago. Unused: Lee-Barrett, Bruce, Balkestein, Priskin. Att: 19,667.

Photo: Action Images

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