Head coach Michael Duff cut a frustrated figure as he rued key mistakes which he felt cost Swansea City in their 3-2 defeat to Ipswich Town.

The Swans made a bright start at Portman Road, taking a seventh-minute lead through a Jay Fulton header.

But the Tractor Boys hit back with goals in quick succession from Jack Taylor and Conor Chaplin.

A George Hirst penalty extended the home side’s lead, before the Swans had Liam Cullen sent off after receiving a second booking.

The visitors continued to battle, and Jamal Lowe scored a wonderful solo goal to pull one back, with the forward then going close to creating a last-gasp equalisier.

Swans boss Duff was pleased with how his side had kept going and come close to pulling off a late fightback, but felt their own mistakes had played a part in their downfall against their high-flying hosts.

“There is frustration,” he said.

“We started well and we dominated the game until we went 1-0 up.

“Five minutes of madness has cost us and put us on the back foot, which has been unlike us.

“Part of the frustration is the second goal, penalty and red card have all come from set plays, which we have been good at and the players have had the credit and plaudits for that. But, today, there were times when people did not do their jobs.

“They are a good team, but we dominated the ball and they were trying to kill time in the last minutes of the game even though we had 10 men. You could feel the anxiety in the stadium.

“But it’s about finding that balance of having that bravery at the right times. Some elementary mistakes have cost us.

“I am pleased that we kept going as we did, because you could see the character, but the frustration is that it was a performance that deserved something and we’ve come away with nothing.”