Reds denied much deserved victory by Tom Lawrence's last gasp goal.
Ipswich Town striker Tom Lawrence's stoppage time effort denied Barnsley victory, as both sides shared the spoils in a 1-1 draw at Oakwell.
The Reds were the better of the two sides on balance, creating the clearer first half chances with Adam Armstrong twice going close and Josh Scowen fizzing an effort just wide.
Marley Watkins edged the Reds ahead just before the hour, poking home Matty James’ through ball and it could have been 2-0, head Adam Hammill’s curling effort not been clawed away by Bartosz Bialkowski.
In the final minute of added time, substitute Brett Pitman's cross evaded everyone except Lawrence, who bundled the ball home at the far post to earn the Tractor Boys a point.
Mick McCarthy’s side had the first chance of the game when Christophe Berra headed Tom Lawrence’s corner into the side netting, but the Reds responded with the first shot on goal.
Adam Armstrong fired straight at Town stopper Bartosz Bialkowski and went close again on 12 minutes, heading Matty James’ knockdown just over the top from close range.
Andy Yiadom scooped an Adam Hammill pull back just over the crossbar before a fine double save from Adam Davies kept the game goalless.
First, he pushed David McGoldrick’s vicious drive away and on the follow up, got down well to deny Cole Skuse’s close range attempt.
Armstrong tried his luck again from the edge of the area, with Bialkowski equal to his attempt, with Josh Scowen heading over and Hammill firing wide as the Reds stepped up their search for the opener.
Scowen unleashed a rasping drive that drifted just over from a corner but it was the Tractor Boys who almost edged ahead at the end of the half, McGoldrick’s pull back deflected just behind off Angus MacDonald.
HALF TIME: Barnsley 0-0 Ipswich Town.
James fired the first warning shot of the second half, a venomous volley that Bialkowski got down well to save, and the midfielder played his part in the next Reds move.
His incisive through ball was latched onto by Marley Watkins, who ran the best part of 40 yards and tucked past the Polish ‘keeper, despite his best efforts.
Scowen tried his luck again with a cheeky chip from the edge of the area, only to find Bialkowski equal to his attempt, with James blazing just wide from 25 yards with another venomous strike.
Ten minutes from time, Hammill tried to bend the ball around Bialkowski from a narrow angle, only for the stopper to parry his effort away, a save which proved crucial.
In the final minute of stoppage time, substitute Brett Pitman’s cross dropped at the feet of Lawrence, who scrambled the ball over the line, despite the best efforts of Yiadom and Davies.
Attendance: 11,836 (Away: 742).
Reds: Davies (GK), Yiadom, Roberts (c), MacDonald, Jones, Watkins, James, Scowen, Hammill, Armstrong (Williams, 79’ ), Bradshaw.
Subs: Townsend (GK), Moncur, A. Jackson, Mowatt, Hedges, Kent.
Ipswich Town: Bialkowski (GK), Spence, Chambers (c), Berra, Knudsen, Skuse, Diagouraga (Ward, 52’ ), Huws (Pitman, 84’ ), Kenlock (Sears, 63’ ), Lawrence, McGoldrick.
Subs: Gerken (GK), Smith, Bru, Moore.
