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Town 1-1 Barnsley
Friday, 1st Nov 2013 21:53

Barnsley sub Jim O’Brien’s 70th minute equaliser claimed his side’s first away point of the season at Portman Road. Daryl Murphy headed the Blues in front in the 41st minute with Town on top, but the visitors were the better side after the break. Aaron Cresswell was sent off after the final whistle for foul and abusive language after Town were denied a late penalty when Frank Nouble appeared to be brought down.

On Mick McCarthy’s first anniversary as Blues boss, Town were unchanged for a seventh successive match for the first time since a club record 12-game run in the 1991/92 Second Division Championship-winning campaign.

Striker Paul Taylor, who was recalled from his loan at Peterborough on Wednesday, was on the bench, while former Blue Jason Scotland was amongst the Tykes’ subs.

Neither side managed a shot on goal in an uneventful opening 10 minutes. On 12 Tommy Smith required treatment for a head wound after an aerial clash with Chris O’Grady, the centre-half returning to the fray sporting a bandage.

The game gradually started to come to life. Luke Chambers lost out to Tykes’ skipper Martin Crainie from a Paul Anderson cross from the right in the 17th minute, then Dean Gerken claimed a through ball ahead of Marcus Pedersen. A minute later, Daryl Murphy diverted a Ryan Tunnicliffe cross well wide.

On 23 Aaron Cresswell wasted a freekick on the right by hitting a shot into the Barnsley wall when he should have crossed. The ball looped up to Luke Hyam, who headed the ball into the area, Smith nodded it on ahead of Tykes’ keeper Jack Butland, but over the bar.

At the other end, Gerken came out to clear ahead of Pedersen with his feet. He ball fell to Paddy McCourt who shot towards the open goal but Cresswell blocked and the Town keeper claimed. Almost immediately, play switched to the other end and Anderson scraped a shot over.

Town were starting to get on top and in the 27th minute Cresswell’s cross from the left deflected off Cranie to Butland, the keeper, who was at Portman Road with the England U21s last month, reacting well to save.

Just before the half hour David McGoldrick lashed wildly off target with former Barnsley loanee Tunnicliffe better placed to his left.

Town were dominating possession and on 33 Chambers found McGoldrick with a pass over the top from deep but the frontman lost his footing when well placed. The Blues quickly regained possession, however, and Cresswell smashed a cross shot which flew only narrowly wide of Butland’s left post. Two minutes later Chambers headed over from a corner.


The Blues got the goal their pressure deserved in the 41st minute. Cresswell sent over a corner from the left and Murphy rose highest to head the ball down and into the net for his fourth goal of the season.

Town looking to increase their lead over the Tykes, who lost Jacob Mellis to an injury two minutes before the break, Anderson hitting a low shot through to Butland.

The Blues were worthy of their lead at the break. After the game had begun in a very understated manner, Town got on top and had threatened a number of occasions before Murphy’s goal. Barnsley, defeated in all six of their away games so far this season, had rarely threatened Gerken’s goal.

Murphy hit a weak shot to Butland early in the second half, then on 50 O’Grady forced Gerken to save well to his right with a 25-yard shot after Pedersen’s knockdown.

Tunnicliffe sent a low ball across the face of Barnsley’s goal in the 51st minute, before Tykes sub Jim O’Brien shot over.

On 54 Chambers almost played McGoldrick in with a superb ball over the Barnsley backline from inside his own half. However, Butland came off his line quickly to claim ahead of the Town striker.

Barnsley started to get the upper hand, keeping hold of the ball better than the Blues with the home crowd beginning to get frustrated. However, other than a blocked O’Grady effort they’d failed to create a significant opportunity.

Cole Skuse volleyed wide on 63 but it was still mainly Barnsley, Pedersen throwing himself unsuccessfully at a 66th minute cross from the left. The Norwegian had an even better opportunity two minutes later but curled a shot over when in space on the edge of the Town box.

Moments later, the Blues switched Anderson, who had drifted out of the game in the second half, for Jay Tabb, Tunnicliffe moving to the right.

The visitors netted the goal that their second half performance had deserved in the 70th minute. After Town had failed to deal with a cross from the right, McCourt chipped back into the box, Smith and O’Grady challenged in the air and the loose ball fell to O’Brien, whose low shot beat Gerken to his right.

O’Brien hit another effort not far over soon after his goal, then Murphy headed a Cresswell corner over. Ex-Blue Scotland came on for the final 16 minutes for Pedersen.

Two minutes after coming on the Trinidad and Tobago international, who had received warm applause from his old fans, was nodded in on goal by O’Grady, but Christophe Berra got back to challenge as he looked to shoot.

Skuse teed up Chambers just outside the area in the 77th minute, the right-back lashing a shot which Butland failed to hold on to with Tabb unlucky that the loose ball didn’t fall to him.

Blues boss Mick McCarthy swapped Frank Nouble and Paul Taylor for Tunnicliffe and McGoldrick with the Town top scorer’s departure met with boos.

With four minutes remaining former Blue Scotland had a chance to seal it for the visitors. A freekick from deep on the left reached the 34-year-old, but he slammed his shot into the sidenetting.

The visitors were looking the more likely winners and a goalmouth scramble following a corner eventually saw Berra clear Crane’s effort from inside the six-yard box. O’Brien again went close in the 88th minute but could only divert a ball over the top into Gerken’s arms.

Town began to put on the pressure as scheduled time ran down, Tabb’s shot from Chambers’s cross from the right deflecting wide with Nouble making a despairing lunge at the far post. Tabb’s corner hit the first man.

The Blues had what looked to be a good shout for a penalty in injury time when Nouble turned past Jean Yves M’voto and looked to be tripped by the defender, albeit coupled with a fair amount of shirt pulling on both parts, but despite vehement protests from the Town players referee Andy D’Urso waved away the complaints.

The arguments continued as the players left the field and Cresswell was red-carded after the whistle had gone for foul and abusive language.

On the balance of what was a poor game overall, Barnsley were worth their point. While the Blues had been the better of two disappointing sides before the break, the South Yorkshiremen were on top for most of the second half with Town as poor as they’ve been at home for some time.

Mick McCarthy will be disappointed that his team failed to claim all three points having been ahead on home turf and also with Cresswell’s needless late, late dismissal.

Town: Gerken, Chambers, Smith, Berra, Cresswell, Anderson (Tabb 69), Hyam, Skuse, Tunnicliffe (Taylor 82), Murphy, McGoldrick (Nouble 82). Unused: Loach, Hewitt, Mings, Edwards.

Barnsley: Butland, Kennedy, Cranie, O'Grady, Perkins, Wiseman, Pedersen (Scotland 74), Mellis (O'Brien 43), M'voto, Fox, McCourt (Etuhu 81). Unused: Hassell, Dibble, Cywka, Jennings. Referee: Andy D’Urso (Billericay). Att: 18,361 (Barnsley: 175).


Photo: Action Images



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sereneblue added 21:56 - Nov 1
Now I remember why I didn't renew my season ticket. What dross,long ball no heart.
McCarthy there's a nice little boat trip from Holyhead , please get on it.
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Mr_Jingles added 21:59 - Nov 1
All hugely frustrating at the moment..... Especially as its an established unchanged side. Boy do we need an away win.!
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Liastro added 22:01 - Nov 1
What a shame. Expected us to kick on in the second half after scoring just before HT. We made Barnsley look like world beaters in the second half; Mick was too stubborn to change the system and counteract it.

As for Cresswell, it's incredibly disappointing to lose such a talismanic player in such an idiotic way.
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ITFCsince67 added 22:01 - Nov 1
Long ball, one paced rubbish
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lintonblue added 22:02 - Nov 1
Very Simple - Will start attending matches again when we win!
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TimmyH added 22:03 - Nov 1
Oh dear!...anybody see a pattern forming? another poor second half and a team if not club this season that has a poor mind set when they take the lead. You could see Barnsley equalizing a mile away the way or should I say the lack of the way we were playing in the second half, only a 10-15 minute spell in the first half saw us play any reasonable football.
Will this game finally get Mick to start experimenting more especially with the midfield? unfortunately he keeps playing the same starting 11 which is fine if they are playing well but clearly they are not! Also does our club have a team psychologist? we came out after half time and basically looked inept with nothing to play for. No wonder attendances are getting smaller and smaller.
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IvorFeeling added 22:03 - Nov 1
The 2nd half was utter garbage and we lacked any ambition. Worringly Mick is being outmanaged after the break.
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Michael11 added 22:04 - Nov 1
Not many positives to take from that, if any. We made a very poor Barnsley team look good. Haven't felt this dejected since Mick took over, Maybe we haven't come such a long way in a year as we all thought.
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northernblues added 22:04 - Nov 1
I was hopeful after the first half, as the half went on we got better, but as for the second half, that was utter garbage we let them into the game and they looked like the only winners. I saw hyam name on the team sheet but that was all he contributed, our midfield needs a make over, big dissapointment tonight.
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eastcoastblue added 22:05 - Nov 1
Wtf does MM say in his half time team talk?! Steady first half good possession and nice football on the ground with the odd one touch and even a 1-2! Then after half half time sit back and play hoof ball! Please can someone realise that the best form of defence is attack and sitting back is asking for trouble. I do think we will be ok but no higher that where we are now I'm afraid to say. Shame as I could have seen a very comfortable win tonight.
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LankHenners added 22:05 - Nov 1
We just don't know what to do when we go 1-0 up. We neither took the game to them nor defended solidly - they had the chances to get 2 or 3 goals. O' Brien caused havoc on their right and stopped Cressy from going forwards, thus taking our only creative threat out of the game. They pushed onto us, rather than us onto them, and as soon as I could see that they were coming on the offensive, I thought "they'll score in a minute", and score they did. We were poor (and that's putting it nicely) in the second half and just resorted to a hopeful punt upfield. I don't think anyone played well for us second half apart from maybe Skuse when he tried to get the passing going. Great header from Murphy for the goal and good blocking by Berra to create the space. A decent performance 1st half but an atrocious one 2nd half. Will feel like a 1-1 win to them, and a massive 1-1 loss to us.
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wewerefamous added 22:06 - Nov 1
Watched the game on TV tonight as I couldn't make the game. Hugely disappointing to give such a soft goal away but still confident we will get a good run. Not sure what the attendance was tonight but loads of spare seats. Those muppets in charge have to do something to get bums on seats.
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ShropshireBluenago09 added 22:09 - Nov 1
Not bad 1st half but second half couldnt match Barnsleys will to get something out of the game. Their goal came just after the Tunni/Tabb substitution and Tabb was still asleep.
Our midfield was exposed 2nd half , too lightweight - Skuse is a good passer and intelligent, Hyam is promising in the same mould, but both are lightweight and lack guile. Look at the top of the league- QPR have Barton, although hes a tw*t, he puts a foot in and can control a game.
We need a decent midfielder to take control of the game when it becomes a battle, just like tonight, if we have ant ambition of carving out narrow wins and top 6.
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Keaneish added 22:10 - Nov 1
Pulling no punches, that was a hideous team performance as exacerbated by Aaron Cresswell's shift. That's the worst i've seen him play by a distance. He alone was guilty of over half the long balls played into Murphy tonight. Arguably at fault for the goal and never picked up any of O'Brien's runs. Then to get sent off in the tunnel is utterly abysmal! Leighton Baines-esq???? Don't believe the hype on that performance!

Never seen a Town side lose out on so many second balls in the second half. Skuse and Hyam were non-existent. Tabb was at sea a few times when he came on. McGoldrick's touch was unusually poor at times. Anderson was largely invisible.

Thanks the lord for Tommy Smith. Murphy did OK and Taylor looked bright when he came on.

We'll definitely see changes for the next game. Taylor will start, no question.
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Notts_tractor added 22:10 - Nov 1
Right, I've now seen three games this season - Derby and Sheff Wed plus this on TV. The common theme in all of them: abysmal second half performances, complete no-shows. What is going on in that dressing room at half time? Answer - completely the opposite from what is going on in the other team's dressing room, where the first half has obviously been analysed and problems addressed. I do wonder if McCarthy is really inrterested in this job and just saw it as an achievement and job done keeping us up. He seemed completely silent and motionless in that second half - a bit like Keane during the worst points of his reign. I'm not just blaming McCarthy though - some of the players looked utterly disinterested. McGoldrick was as poor as I've seen him, and our midfield was virtually non existent, with every loose ball being picked up by a red shirt. I need to get a life but as someone who has supported this club since the early 70s I am getting so weary of the seemingly endless mediocrity that has characterised Ipswich Town since Joe Royle's penultimate season.
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Hegansheroes added 22:10 - Nov 1
I won't be going to Portman Rd again until this prxck McCarthy goes
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Norwichbeater added 22:11 - Nov 1
We are a disgrace. i will always be thankful to Mick for survival last year. nobody else would have kept us up. However his tactics moving forward are appalling. He is so negative 4 4 2 and defensive midfielders. He has no plan B no idea about tactics. Why would any manager not play all out attack against such a s**t team he is a dinosaur.More importantly he should remember what happened to Harry Redknapp, he played billy big balls when he presumed he got the England job. Messed the whole team up with s**t results(we have only 7 points in 7 games) then got the sack and not the post of the England manager. Move on MM YAwN YAWN YAWN.
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oxfordblue added 22:12 - Nov 1
Why is it that everybody can see what the problem is apart from nick. Mcgoldrick had a howler and should of been replaced by Taylor earlier and hyham should of been replaced by wadsworth. As for noble, will he ever score this season
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Tonyitfc82 added 22:14 - Nov 1
How bad are we. Cant even beat Barnsley at home.
Another year in the championship for sure. Booooring....
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marcus9 added 22:16 - Nov 1
come and get him ireland
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TimmyH added 22:17 - Nov 1
Totally agree @Notts_Tractor - Lucky to escape with a point against a team who'll be battling to escape relegation again, it'll be 13 months again that Sky will be back going by that performance, as I said this season we are going 'backwards'.
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Gogs added 22:18 - Nov 1
I'm no fan of D'urso, but that was never a pen at the end and he got that decision right. Cresswell getting sent off for mouthing off at the end is stupid.
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tallguy6767 added 22:19 - Nov 1
What a load of garbage. We really are going nowhere fast! !
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ChrisMakin2012 added 22:19 - Nov 1
Never a penalty. Taylor won't work at ITFC.
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OldClactonBlue added 22:20 - Nov 1
That was dire.
We are a simply a non footballing team. Only McGoldrick and Cresswell offer anything from an attacking perspective, how can you expect to win games with that set up.
If you offer no threat from open play you are always going to be under pressure.
Just awful, no way will I consider getting my season ticket back while this approach continues.
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