BARNSLEY 1 (McCann 90)
IPSWICH TOWN 0
NEW boy Grant McCann had a debut to remember with the winning goal to give caretaker boss Simon Davey a dream start at Oakwell.
Davey rang the changes for his first game in charge with new boys Ronnie Wallwork, Leon Knight and McCann making their Oakwell debuts. Paul Hayes also started the game with Kyel Reid joining Brian Howard and Marc Richards on the bench. Tommy Wright and Michael McIndoe were also missing after leaving the club on loan on Thursday afternoon.
Barnsley started strongly with Sam Togwell's third minute cross causing problems in the Ipswich Town defence. The ball eventually fell to Wallwork on the edge of the area and the midfielder brought a save from Lewis Price with his right-foot volley.
Wallwork then turned provider on eleven minutes as he took advantage of McCann's fine play to break free down the left and cross but Knight just could not get his head to the ball in the six yard box.
Again McCann found the right delivery on 27 minutes, this time from a corner and the ball came out to Wallwork but the midfielder dragged his shot against a defender and away from danger.
Ipswich striker Alan Lee then blew his top on 29 minutes as he was pulled back by Antony Kay as he looked to break free but won nothing from either the referee or assistant despite his animated protests.
Knight almost got in on 31 minutes as he raced onto a woeful Jason De Vos back pass only to be pulled back by the defender and tripped by the goalkeeper before crossing. The referee again gave nothing as another chance went begging.
Although Jon Macken and Lee were always a threat, Ipswich offered very little in the opening stages although Simon Walton went close from distance as he volleyed Gary Roberts' pass high over the bar on 33 minutes.
Antony Kay's simmering battle with Lee boiled over on 37 minutes with the Reds defender arriving late to the ball and earning a booking after sending the Irishman sprawling.
Barnsley came out flying after the break with Hayes causing havoc in the Town area on 47 minutes with a fine cross that Price somehow managed to punch clear before Knight could pounce. At the other end Lee had Nick Colgan scrambling a minute later as he reached Matthew Bates' cross but the Reds keeper did well to grab the ball before Ipswich could react.
Ipswich managed to create the first real clear chance of the game on 50 minutes as De Vos rose highest to get his head to Matt Richards' free kick but the ball flew inches wide of the far post with Colgan stranded.
Lee managed to turn onto Dan Harding's pass on 53 minutes to open a yard of space in the area but his shot cannoned away off a defender and out for a corner.
Great play by Daniel Nardiello found Knight in the penalty area on 54 minutes and the striker had another good appeal for a penalty waved away as his cross struck De Vos on the arm before the ball was cleared.
Barnsley came again a minute later as McCann showed great tenacity and determination to charge down De Vos' clearance in the area before lashing a shot inches over the bar.
Ipswich managed to break away on 56 minutes as Macken found Lee but the striker could not beat Colgan with his low shot after turning well into the area.
The game was soured somewhat on 64 minutes when Ipswich Town defender Bates left the field in agony on a stretcher after falling badly in the Reds area. The youngster, on loan from Middlesbrough, was in some discomfort and hopefully the injury is nothing serious.
Gavin Williams almost caught out Colgan with a chip from the edge of the area on 76 minutes after Lee had conned a free kick from McCann. Williams' effort was decent but never really troubled the Barnsley number one, who palmed his shot over the bar.
Hayes then tried something a little different on 78 minutes as his shot from the touchline had Price scrambling backwards but the Town keeper managed to save.
Barnsley came on strong in the closing stages with Wallwork flashing a header just over the bar on 81 minutes as he reached McCann's corner before the Town defence.
The goal finally came deep in stoppage time as Kyel Reid's cross was only half cleared by the Ipswich defence. The ball fell to McCann, who rifled it into the bottom corner to mark his debut with a fine strike.
BARNSLEY: Colgan, Hassell (Austin 73), Heckingbottom, Reid, Wallwork, Togwell, Hayes (K. Reid 81), Knight, Kay, Nardiello (Richards 63), McCann.
Subs: Howard, Letheren.
IPSWICH TOWN: Price, Bates (Garvan 64), De Vos, Bruce, Harding, Richards, Walton, Legwinski, Roberts (Williams 73), Macken (Haynes 58), Lee.
Subs: Naylor, Supple.
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