THE expected rout took a long time coming yesterday, too long in fact for the various punters who had put money on Ipswich winning by 3-0, 4-0 or even 5-0. The bets were undone by a thundering goal from Giuliano Grazioli which gave Swindon a shock lead.

If anything, Ipswich should have improved on last season's 6-0 win at the County Ground. After that, of course, George Burley's side experienced their annual misery in the play-offs.

Knowing their vulnerability in the post-season scramble for promotion, Burley has insisted on them gaining an automatic place this time, preferably as champions.

That could explain Ipswich's flying start, which has taken them to the top on goal difference. "It's nice to get a good start because usually we don't do that," said Burley, who must, nevertheless, have winced at the opportunities that went begging before Grazioli hammered Swindon ahead off the underside of the bar in the 16th minute.

Swindon, seemingly incapable of stopping Mark Venus's surges down the left, were already grateful to defender Craig Taylor for denying Richard Naylor a clear header and then for hacking a scrambled Manuel Thetis shot off the line. David Johnson, Naylor and Thetis all screwed subsequent efforts past the uprights before Bobby Howe almost added to Grazioli's goal for Swindon with a mazy run that bamboozled Ipswich defenders and eventually himself.

The Ipswich equaliser was thus delayed almost until the interval. Then Naylor put Johnson through to shoot past the advancing Frank Talia.

Ipswich had reshuffled following the overnight virus that laid James Scowcroft low but they dominated the second half as Mick Stockwell flicked on Jamie Clapham's cross for Naylor to give them a 55th-minute lead.

James Williams, a 17-year-old apprentice, presented Naylor with his second goal after stumbling on to a throw-out from Talia. Then Jermaine Wright, a shrewd buy from Crewe, released Fabian Wilnis for a shot that Talia parried. Johnson squeezed in the loose ball.

Swindon, lucky to escape further humiliation, look relegation fodder whatever the optimism expressed by manager Jimmy Quinn, who said: "On the credit side we matched them for 45 minutes." Talk about myopia.

Daily Telegraph