Counago joins Swans fan club

Two-goal Ipswich saviour Pablo Counago joined the ever-growing Swansea fan club.

The newly-promoted Swans, managed by fellow Spaniard Roberto Martinez, outplayed the home side for much of the game.

"Swansea got the ball down and played excellent football. They try and keep it on the grass and knock it around," said Counago.

"But we like to play like that too and are capable of it."

Counago struck just before half time to send his side in with an undeserving lead.

Ferrie Bodde levelled soon after the restart and Jordi Gomez put the Swansahead20minutes later.

The Welsh club looked capable of going on to win comfortably, but Counago levelled eight minutes from the end.

Spanish defender Angel Rangel said: "We are very, very disappointed not to win after coming from one down to lead 2-1. We played good enough to get three points, but the important thing is that we keep going mentally."

Some Ipswich fans anxiously waiting for their team to really kick-start the season booed the home players off at the end.

Manager Jim Magilton said: "We are not firing on all cylinders."

But Magilton's ploy to encourage striker Counago to get in behind defenders more instead of coming short, paid rich dividends.

It was spectacularly evident on 43 minutes when he fired in a venomous angled drive from the edge of the six-yard box after a ball by Ivan Campo, yet another Spaniard on view.

Bodde levelled in the 49th minute as Ipswich waited for a whistle after a collision.

Swansea's dominance was fully rewarded when Gomez beat ex-England keeper Richard Wright at his near post in the 69th minute.

But in the 82nd minute, substitute Tommy Miller's off-target shot fell kindly to Counago, who turned it in.

Dave Allard (The Mirror)