More away day blues for the Reds.

IPSWICH TOWN 5 (Roberts 2, O'Callaghan 43, Haynes 83, Jeffers 86, Walters 90)
BARNSLEY 1 (Nardiello)

BARNSLEY'S fight to stay in the Coca Cola Championship suddenly looks a lot harder after another away day disaster as IpswichTown cantered to victory at Portman Road.

Reds boss Simon Davey made four changes to the side that slipped to defeat against Derby County last time out with Nick Colgan, Ritchie Jones, Lewin Nyatanga and Paul Hayes coming into the starting eleven. David Lucas, Antony Kay, Grant McCann and Peter Rajczi missed out. It was a day to remember for Manchester United starlet Jones, who made his full debut.

Town included former Reds loan striker Jon Walters in their starting eleven as they looked to avenge November's narrow defeat at Oakwell.

Barnsley were caught out with just two minutes on the clock as from a Reds' corner Ipswich broke quickly with Jamie Peters running the visitors defence ragged. Peters cross fell nicely to Roberts who miscued his shot past Colgan and into the back of the net.

Ipswich were content to play on the break and almost got it right again on eight minutes as Roberts sent Walters into space but the striker could only lash the ball wide of the target from 20 yards.

It was Brian Howard who finally kick started a Barnsley revival on ten minutes as his cross found Istvan Ferenczi in the area but the big Hungarian headed wide.

Howard almost picked out the perfect pass again on 17 minutes as he chipped the ball into the danger area but just in front of Ferenczi, who would have had a tap in.

A flowing move involving Kyel Reid and Sam Togwell then split Ipswich wide open on 19 minutes although the ball did bounce fortuitously through to Howard but the midfielder shot high over the bar.

Ipswich were in the ascendancy throughout the first half and Peters forced Colgan into a smart save on 20 minutes as he managed to get his head to Owen Garvan's corner but the Reds keeper was in the right place to grab the ball.

At the other end Howard's acrobatic over head kick flew a yard wide a minute later after Kyel Reid had crossed well from the left. Hayes' cross then had the Town defence at sixes and sevens on 23 minutes and Lewis Price had to be at his very best to deny Jones, who sent a fine low shot in on goal from 25 yards.

Walters showed great awareness on 27 minutes as his quick thinking gave Alan Lee a clean run in on goal and the striker beat Colgan but saw his rising effort clip the top of the bar. Lee got in again six minutes later as he found an opening on the edge of the area but his shot was straight at Colgan.

Colgan then had to be at his very, very best to deny Ipswich a second goal on 36 minutes after the home side had benefited when Paul Reid's clearance had struck the referee. The ball eventually fell to Garvan in the area, who tricked his way past one challenge before smashing in a shot from eight yards but Colgan somehow managed to claw it away.

Barnsley again responded with Kyel Reid's pass finding Ferenczi but the striker could not beat Price with an ambitious shot from 25 yards.

Lee again tested Colgan on 38 minutes after cutting in from the left touchline but his shot was easy for the Reds keeper to hold.

A bad 45 minutes suddenly got a lot worse on 43 minutes as Ipswich grabbed a second completely out of the blue. The ball fell to George O'Callaghan on the edge of the area and the midfielder's shot beat Colgan, who dove in vain.

Ipswich started the second half in the same vein with Roberts volleying well wide of the mark on 49 minutes after a flowing break down the right.

It took until the hour mark for the Reds to finally get in on Price and it was Kyel Reid who finally looked like getting a goal back as he pounced on a loose ball in the area before bringing a save from the Ipswich keeper.

Francis Jeffers was an inch from capping a perfect afternoon for Town on 74 minutes as he turned Peters' low cross an inch wide of Colgan's post with the keeper stranded.

The Reds had a lifeline on 80 minutes after Howard had been cynically tripped by Garvan. Daniel Nardiello strode up confidently and hit a brilliant free kick into the top corner from 30 yards.

Barnsley were almost caught cold a minute later as Town substitute Danny Haynes managed to get free and brought a fine save from Colgan.

Haynes got his goal on 83 minutes after Bobby Hassell had thrown everything in front of Jeffers shot. The ball bounced free to Haynes in the area and the youngster planted his shot past Colgan from 12 yards.

The Reds' Portman Road nightmare got even worse on 86 minutes as Walters managed to find an absolute acre of space in behind a stretched Barnsley defence and picked out an easy pass to give Jeffers a tap in from seven yards out.

At least substitute Rajczi showed some fight in the closing stages as he squared up with Ipswich Town defender Jason De Vos after taking exception to a late challenge after play had stopped. Both were cautioned.

Walters almost capped a fine display with a deserved goal on 90 minutes as he easily turned past Hassell but found Colgan again in fine form.

The embarrassment was completed deep in stoppage time as Walters, who had been outstanding for the home side, hammered the loose ball home after Jeffers' shot had struck the bar.

IPSWICH TOWN: Price, Wilnis, De Vos, Bruce, Garvan, Peters, Lee (Jeffers 45), Walters, Wright, O'Callaghan, Roberts (Haynes 71).
Subs: Supple, Williams, Miller.

BARNSLEY: Colgan, Hassell, Heckingbottom (Rajczi 75), P. Reid (Kay 45), Nyatanga, Togwell, Hayes (Nardiello 63), Ferenczi, Jones, Howard, K. Reid.
Subs: McCann, Letheren.