LIVE FROM PORTMAN ROAD
IPSWICH TOWN 1 (D. Murphy 5)
BARNSLEY 0
BARNSLEY will travel back to Oakwell bitterly disappointed after bossing the second half at Portman Road without finding that killer touch in front of goal to take at least a deserved point.
With injury ruling out Adam Hammill for the next week or so, Reds boss Mark Robins reluctantly changed a winning side following Tuesday's fine home win against Nottingham Forest. Emil Hallfredsson came into the starting eleven. Reuben Noble-Lazarus, who made his historic Barnsley debut at this very stadium in 2008, was on the bench.
Ipswich came into the game with manager Roy Keane breathing fire following the midweek defeat at Watford. Keane kept his players locked in the dressing room for 90 minutes following the reverse against the Hornets and will be looking for a big reaction from his side. Former Oakwell loanee Jon Walters started the game for Town.
Ipswich looked nervy with Jack Colback and Carlos Edwards squandering early possession by hitting the ball needlessly out of play. Edwards had the chance to make amends on three minutes as he took on Walters' pass but blasted a speculative effort high over the bar from 25 yards out.
Walters again found the right pass seconds later as his through ball split the Barnsley defence to send Daryl Murphy in on goal. The striker was denied by Ryan Shotton's outstanding last-gasp challenge.
Ipswich did snatch a highly controversial goal on five minutes when Luke Steele's decision to come and clear the danger from the near touchline ultimately cost him as Pablo Counago nipped to rob the ball and shoot towards an open goal. The ball cannoned back off the upright to give Murphy the simplest of tap ins although there was a massive shout for the ball being out of play and offside with Steele being caught way out of his goal and up the pitch.
Edwards again had Steele scrambling on seven minutes as he let fly from the edge of the box again but his low drive skipped away wide of the post.
Barnsley struggled to get going in Ipswich territory. A swinging left-footed cross from Hallfredsson that bounced away from Jon Macken on ten minutes was the closest the away side came to threatening Brian Murphy's goal. It just wasn't happening for the Reds and a neat interchange of passing between Macken, Hallfredsson and Filipe Teixeira ended with a pass straight to a defender on 14 minutes.
Ipswich threatened again moments later as Walters and Daryl Murphy combined to give Pablo Counago a chance 14 yards out but the striker dragged his shot well wide of the target. The Reds had Steele to thank on 16 minutes as a scramble in the area ended with Walters powering a header towards the bottom corner but the Barnsley keeper was quickly down to make a very smart save.
A stunning cross-field pass by Colback gave Walters the chance to run in at Bobby Hassell on 23 minutes but the Reds full back did just enough to ensure his shot flew wide of the target.
Colback then should have seen red on 26 minutes for a ridiculously over the top challenge on Hassell that left the Barnsley defender in agony. The young midfielder was shown a yellow when he really should have been heading for an early shower.
The Reds were definitely growing in confidence getting a foothold in the game. Hassell's deep free kick on the half hour had Ipswich scrambling after Shotton had nodded the ball down but Gareth McAuley was able to make an important interception before Daniel Bogdanovic could pounce.
Steele again showed great strength on 37 minutes to claw McAuley's rocketed cross away from goal under pressure as Ipswich pressed again.
Shotton picked up a soft booking on the stroke of half time after an aerial challenge with Counago although the card was probably more to do with the amount of rolling around the Ipswich striker did rather than any contact.
Counago got his own back seconds later by barging down Shotton in the area to pick up his own caution.
Barnsley were on the front foot in the opening exchanges of the second half. Teixeira smashed a shot into the crowd on 46 minutes before a sustained spell of pressure in the Ipswich area ended with Nathan Doyle hitting one high over the top three minutes later.
Barnsley finally got through Ipswich on 50 minutes as Macken and Hugo Colace combined well on the edge of the area to put Stephen Foster in but the Reds skipper blazed over from a tight angle.
Bogdanovic then time his run well on 52 minutes to get in behind Ipswich at the back stick and cross but Teixeira missed his kick eight yards out and another half chance went begging. Good play by Teixeira had Ipswich's defence scrambling again two minutes later as his run ended up with the ball dropping to Colace but the Argentine saw a well-struck shot deflect away over the bar.
There was more joy for Barnsley on 55 minutes as Foster nicked the ball through to Teixeira again in the right channel but the midfielder hammered a shot wildly over the bar. It was just not dropping for the Reds.
Ipswich substitute Jamie Peters almost had an instant impact on the game as he raced in at Luke Potter on 58 minutes before drilling a shot past Steele to give Daryl Murphy a tap in. The goal was rightly chalked off by the assistant's flag.
Shotton almost got his head to Teixeira's corner a minute later as the Reds continued to batter down on the Ipswich defence in the second half although the home side always looked dangerous on the counter attack.
Emil Hallfredsson then should have done better on 62 minutes after breaking purposefully through the Ipswich midfield and in on goal but the midfielder checked back onto his left foot and the chance went begging. The Reds were almost caught out at the other end seconds later as David Norris let fly but Steele was in the right place to make a comfortable save.
McAuley had to be at his very, very best on 64 minutes to deny Macken a tap in at the near post as the pair went for Bogdanovic's fine cross. Hallfredsson again had the chance to run at Ipswich on 70 minutes but the Icelander dragged his shot wide from the edge of the box.
It was Hallfredsson's last real action of the game as he made way for youngster Noble-Lazarus on 73 minutes.
It rather petered out after then. Shotton did well at the near post to deny Walters on 77 minutes while Teixeira almost put Hume clear seconds later but the striker scuffed a low shot into a defence. Noble-Lazarus then could not get a low drive goalward on the rebound.
Barnsley's afternoon was summed up in the space of two minutes as Hume, who is normally so reliable from set pieces, sliced a free kick high into the stands before Hassell found himself in acres of space in the area to shoot on 85 minutes but swung and missed his kick. It was just one of those days in the opposition area.
Bogdanovic almost levelled things on 88 minutes after great work down the left by Noble-Lazarus and Potter gave Jacob Butterfield the chance to cross. Bogdanovic attacked the ball in the air but his header flew high over the top.
Ipswich got lucky again on 90 minutes as Teixeira flashed a cross just over the head of Bogdanovic and Noble-Lazarus. Bogdanovic was in again in stoppage time as he burst through a couple of challenges on the edge of the box but was put off by Norris at the final moment as he looked to apply a finish.
The final chance of the game fell to Butterfield, who curled one goalward from 30 yards in the closing seconds but Brian Murphy was well placed to save.
IPSWICH TOWN: Murphy, Wright, Delaney, McAuley, Counago (Wickham 55), Norris, Colback, Walters, D. Murphy (Leadbitter 80), Edwards (Peters 55), O'Connor.
Subs: Lee-Barratt, Garvan, Healy, Smith.
BARNSLEY: Steele, Hassell, Foster, Shotton, Potter, Teixeira, Colace, Doyle (Butterfield 80), Hallfredsson (Noble-Lazarus 73), Bogdanovic, Macken (Hume 70).
Subs: Preece, Moore, Anderson, Gray.
REFEREE
Neil Swarbrick (Lancashire)
ASSISTANT REFEREES
Cary Berry (Surrey) and David Rock (Hertfordshire)
FOURTH OFFICIAL
Glenn Hambling (Norfolk)
Attendance - 20,558
Match Report by Rob Knowles.
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©WWW.BARNSLEYFC.CO.UK 2010 RNK
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