BARNSLEY 4 (Howard 28, 83 P, 86; Macken 49)
IPSWICH TOWN 1 (Counago 20)

BARNSLEY skipper Brian Howard enhanced his growing reputation with all action display capped by a fine Oakwell hat trick.

Cup heroics held no favour with Reds boss Simon Davey as he rang the changes for the clash with Ipswich although the three new faces in the team were more down to injury and fatigue than omission for footballing reasons. An ankle injury kept Dutchman Marciano Van Homoet on the sidelines while Martin Devaney missed out with a broken nose. Istvan Ferenczi, who put in a tremendous shift against Chelsea, dropped to the bench. Back in came Lewin Nyatanga, Diego Leon and Jon Macken.

Although former loan man Richard Naylor started for Town, there was no place for Jon Walters, one of the Championship's best performers this term.

Barnsley were right at it from the first whistle and Jamal Campbell-Ryce and Macken combined well to give Howard a chance on four minutes but the midfielder could only loop his shot straight at Stephen Bywater from 12 yards.

Nyatanga then swung a magnificent cross right in front of Bywater two minutes later but Howard and Kayode Odejayi just missed out on touching the ball into an empty net.

The best Ipswich could offer in the opening stages came on seven minutes when Pablo Counago let fly from all of 40 yards but his effort was high, wide and not very handsome.

Macken then found the right pass through the heart of the Ipswich defence on nine minutes to give Odejayi a clear sight of goal and the big striker beat Bywater but his effort flew a foot wide of the post.

Alan Quinn managed to get a run on his old Sheffield United teammate Rob Kozluk on 16 minutes and took an early shot that skidded away off the soaking turf and flew wide of the post.

At the other end Odejayi got in again a minute later as he raced through onto Macken's flick and knocked the ball over Bywater but it flew over the top of the bar. Howard then flashed a shot wide of the post on 18 minutes after good build up play by Odejayi and Leon.

Barnsley were made to pay for their wayward finishing on 20 minutes as Quinn brought a wonder save from Luke Steele but could do nothing about Counago's follow-up from close range.

It was all too easy on 26 minutes as Ipswich ran rings round the Reds defence to give Velice Sumulikoski a great chance on the six yard line but the midfielder fired into the sidenetting with only Steele to beat.

Just when the Reds looked like heading down a very slippery slope inspirational skipper Howard popped up with a fine leveller on 28 minutes. The midfielder raced through onto Bobby Hassell's pass and slotted the ball under Bywater to haul his side back into a game that appeared to be moving away from them quickly.

Leon the almost grabbed a second just moments later as he cut in from the left before lashing in a shot that Bywater did well to hold. Leon turned provider on 32 minutes as he found Hassell on the edge of the area but the former Mansfield Town man could only drag his shot wide of the post.

The Oakwell crowd turned quickly on Lincolnshire referee Darren Drysdale as the rain fell and fell and the official infuriated the Reds with a string of debateable decisions that kept knocking the home side out of full stride.

Ipswich should have been back in front with just two minutes on the clock in the second half after official Amy Raynor gave a very soft free kick against Dennis Souza on the touchline for a foul on Alan Lee. Owen Garvan swung the free kick into the area but Naylor managed to head over from just four yards. Counago then should have been booked for a gesture to the Reds fans behind Steele's goal before play restarted.

Barnsley got their noses in front on 51 minutes when Bywater made a complete mess of Howard's corner and Macken was there to nod the ball into an empty net from six yards.

The referee presented Ipswich with a chance just a minute later as he failed to give a foul after Howard had been tripped. The ball fell to Quinn, who brought an outstanding save from Steele with a curler from distance as the Reds waited for a free kick.

Referee Drysdale did give a foul moments later after Lee had thrown himself to the ground embarrassingly on the edge of the area but the Reds manage to crowd out Garvan's free kick.

Ipswich had the benefit of the bounce on 58 minutes after Howard's challenge on Quinn saw the ball squirm through to Lee and the striker beat Steele but his shot cannoned back off the bar and away. Seconds later Counago got in down the left but Steele managed to get down quickly to turn the ball away.

Steele was scrambling again on 60 minutes as Quinn's deflected shot threatened to creep in at the far post but the ball just drifted wide on the wet turf.

Nyatanga then had a massive let off on 62 minutes as he took ball and man in a scything challenge through David Norris but the Welshman was let off with a warning from referee Drysdale. The referee then baffled Oakwell by giving a corner to Ipswich after the ball had struck Nyatanga's arm in the area as he tussled with Norris on 66 minutes even though assistant Raynor was just ten yards and waved for nothing.

Ipswich went even closer a minute later as Counago twisted and turned his way into a shooting position in the area before crashing a shot against the bar. Steele got a kick on his head by Lee as he smothered the loose ball.

The referee got it spot on though on 82 minutes when Jamal Campbell-Ryce overran the ball in the area but was then clattered by Alex Bruce. The official pointed to the spot and Howard made no mistake beating Bywater from 12 yards.

There was still time for Howard to complete a memorable hat trick when his late corner bamboozled Bywater and ended up in the back of the net although David Wright may have got the final touch.

BARNSLEY: Steele, Foster, Souza, Nyatanga, Kozluk, Campbell-Ryce, Howard (Butterfield 88), Hassell, Leon (Togwell 66), Macken, Odejayi (Ferenczi 75).
Subs: Nardiello, Coulson.

IPSWICH TOWN: Bywater, De Vos, Naylor, Lee, Sumulikoski (Rhodes 83), Wright, Garvan, Norris, Quinn, Counago, Bruce (Harding 83).
Subs: Colgan, Miller, Haynes.