The Blues were back in the fray this afternoon and their team showed two changes from the side that won so handsomely in the Palace game a fortnight ago.

Kieron Dyer had torn his hamstring muscle on England Under 21 duty against Bulgaria and he was missing today. Into his place came the on loan from Arsenal Paolo Vernazza.

The 19-year-old Islington born player said before the game "I'm really enjoying it at Ipswich and it would be nice to possibly be part of their ambitious plans for the future."

Also back in action for Town today was club captain and centre-half Tony Mowbray.

Mowbray, who has been getting back to full fitness after an abdominal strain, took the place of Frenchman Manuel Thetis at the heart of the defence. Thetis was serving a one game suspension for getting five bookings in a short space of time following his move from Seville.

Back on the substitutes bench for Town was striker Richard Naylor. He came in following the transfer of Alex Mathie to Dundee United.

Swindon came to Portman Road desperate to continue their improved form under new manager Jimmy Quinn.

Nine days ago the west country outfit had beaten League leaders Huddersfield 3-0 at the County Ground.

Blow by blow

The game kicked off with Town in their blue and white up against visitors in all red. Both sides were operating with a 4-4-2 formation.

After just two minutes Swindon's Australian keeper Talia had to come to the rescue of his side. Stockwell put Johnson away and the England B international in the number nine shirt went racing for goal.

Talia came out bravely to slide at the Town man and save the day, injuring his ankle in doing so.

Talia was seeing plenty of the action. He caught a long throw pumped into the danger zone by Johnson and then, in the fourth minute, he was out of his goal to head away after Mowbray had pumped a long ball forward.

Debutant Vernazza got his first touch by playing a neat ball out to Clapham and then there was applause for him when he dropped his shoulder cleverly to evade two Swindon players and make a neat pass to Holland.

Taricco fed Stockwell and from his cross Holland got in a diving header. Then, after nine minutes, Holland was getting in a shot that posed no problem for the visiting keeper.

It had been a lively start by Town but former England wingman Walters then excited visiting fans. He went passed Clapham with a clever piece of skill down the right and the cross caused Town problems before they were able to clear.

Robinson tried to pick out Ndah with a long ball pumped forward. But experienced Town central defender Venus wade in with a good clearance header.

After 17 minutes Talia did well to catch a cross from Petta and two minutes later Petta was brought down by Leitch.

Leitch became the first booking of the game. From the free-kick Venus floated the ball in with his left foot and Johnson moved ahead of a pose of Swindon defenders to get in a diving header that caused Talia no problems.

Vernazza had looked smooth and accomplished at times, but he showed some aggression when launching himself into the air to win a header and send Holland into space. Holland, who lost the captaincy today with Mowbray coming back, then went forward and played a good through pass to Johnson. Borrows reacted quickly and swept up for Swindon.

Stockwell should have done better when he was put through down the right by Taricco. It was a cracking ball by the Argentinian right-back, and Stockwell, who is nearing his 550th appearance for Town, hurried his shot and saw it fly into the side netting.

Taricco pumped in a good ball aimed for the head of Scowcroft, the big Town target man in the number 10 shirt went for it but Talia, who had seen so much action in the Swindon goal, came out and caught hold of it well.

It was mainly Ipswich but Swindon broke forward and their eight goal top scorer, Onoura went in bravely onto a bouncing ball. Wright came out and there was a collision. Onoura was able to continue after a bit of treatment.

After the dull start weather wise the sun came out at Portman Road and with it came the Town's opening goal through JOHNSON in the 31st minute.

Wright pumped forward a massive goal kick and it was headed on by Scowcroft. Johnson latched on to it in a flash and buried the ball into the back of the net with a stunning low shot.

Johnson's goal took him to the seven mark for the season and level with his strike partner Scowcroft.

Town were well in command and Venus did well to cover for Town as he got ahead of Ndah. In the 35th minute Taricco was again trying to set up Stockwell. He pumped forward and Stockwell raced towards the ball. But Talia raced out well to get the better of the situation.

Good play by Johnson set up Clapham to go wide with a left foot shot and then Vernazza sent a nice pass forward with his right foot this time that almost created something for Scowcroft. Vernazza drew applause again when he took a pass from Clapham to almost set up Stockwell with a neat piece of skill.

Swindon were struggling to break out of defence and they were finding Johnson so hard to handle. With five minutes to go to the interval Clapham crossed and Holland was not far off target with a header.

Then Onuora got the better of Venus but the Swindon striker could not capitalise on it.

Scowcroft almost got on the end of a Petta cross and then Robinson was booked for a foul on Petta.

Johnson flashed a shot into the side netting as half-time approach and then, after good play by Stockwell and Johnson, Holland got in a shot that Talia had to block. It was a good chance for Holland but he shot straight at the Australian keeper.

In first half injury time Scowcroft centred from the right for Town and the livewire Johnson dived forward to send a header just wide.

Johnson was booked seconds before the half-time whistle. Venus pumped a ball forward and he went in a bit strong on keeper Talia. Johnson got the yellow card and then shook hands with the Swindon keeper.

Town went off at the interval well deserving their lead and it could well have been a bigger scoreline in their favour.

Half-time: Ipswich 1, Swindon 0

The second half began with Scowcroft going in the book. It looked a rather harsh decision but his arm was a bit high as he jumped up with Willis.

Town skipper Mowbray drew applause as he cleared the ball with a diving header following a cross by Gooden.

Then, in the 49th minute Holland put Johnson away on a chase but Talia came out smartly from the Swindon goal.

Petta went down the left and crossed. Scowcroft went in for the ball, but Willis got it away. Then, from a corner, Petta centred from the right and Scowcroft got in a header that was cleared for another corner by Bullock.

In the 55th minute Swindon came close to an equaliser in a game that should really by now have been out of their reach. Vernazza lost possession on the edge of the Town penalty area. Ndah took the ball on. Mowbray was with him but held himself back so as not to give away a penalty.

The Town captain managed to force Ndah quite wide and his cross flew in front of goal with Onuora just failing to get on the end of it. This was a close shave for Town indeed, it sent a warning note right through the whole team. Vernazza loss of possession could have been so costly.

Walters tried to lift forward a ball for Ndah. But Venus was on station to bring away for Town. Hall tried to get something going down the left and succeeded as Gooden latched on to it and whipped over a cross with his left foot.

Town keeper Wright, back from the two England Under 21 matches, got into the flight of the ball perfectly to make a clean catch.

In the 63rd minute Clapham crossed and after Leitch had half cleared the ball Holland fired just over the bar.

Walters then had a cross cleared as Swindon attacked and there was no doubt that the visitors from Wiltshire were gaining in confidence.

Taricco pulled back Gooden blatantly on the edge of the penalty area and Walters sent a cracking left foot free-kick just over the bar.

After 68 minutes Swindon manager Quinn made a double substitution. On came Davis for Leitch and Hay for Onuora.

The agility of keeper Talia stopped Town making it 2-0 in the 69th minute. Petta centred a corner from the left and Mowbray got in a header that Talia saved brilliantly as he dived to his right.

In the 72nd minute Ipswich made a double substitution with Naylor coming on for Scowcroft and Holster for Petta. Scowcroft had suffered a foot injury in the midweek testimonial at Colchester and had probably come off as a precaution.

Ndah raced down the right on to a ball from Robinson. Mowbray, the vastly experienced defender, won this situation. The Town number five came across and jostled Ndah along to the line allowing the Swindon man to get the last touch and so a goal-kick was the result. Mowbray did not dive in. He used all his experience in what could have been a difficult situation.

Bullock became the fifth booking of the game and the third for Swindon in the 75th minute. He chopped down Vernazza.

In the 77th minute Town substitute Holster crossed well and Stockwell knocked the ball on. It fell to Naylor near the far post and his dipping shot was not far off target.

With 10 minutes to go Town brought on their third and last substitute with Tanner replacing Vernazza. The Blues were going for a three man central defence now with Taricco and Clapham as the wing-backs.

Walters was well wide with a free-kick for Swindon and then, in the 83rd minute brought on their third and last substitute of the game, when Watson came on for Bullock.

Holster became Town's third booking of the match, the Dutchman offence was a foul on Robinson.

Tanner, the Town substitute in the number 14 shirt, came close to making it 2-0 with just over three minutes of the game remaining. Johnson wade in with one of his long throws and what a distance it reached. Tanner was on the end of it and his side-foot effort was saved well by Talia.

Venus knocked forward a long ball for Johnson but Willis patrolled the Town striker well. Then Mowbray did well to run towards the centre circle and beat Ndah in an aerial challenge.

With a minute remaining Holster got forward and tried to take a return pass from Johnson. Town number 13 Holster looked really in the mood to have a crack but Johnson's ball to him was a wayward one.

Swindon had certainly made a battle of this match. The Wiltshire men had fought every inch of the way and over the second half had given Town a few anxious moments.

Had the Blues taken more of their first half chances the result would have been a foregone conclusion after the break. As it was, it was always a concern but they managed to wrest all three points from the match, keep another clean sheet and make it three First Division wins on the trot.

Result: Ipswich 1, Swindon 0

Green 'Un