Daryl Murphy’s 41st minute goal sees Town going in 1-0 ahead of Barnsley at the break.
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 40th 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.
Town: Gerken, Chambers, Smith, Berra, Cresswell, Anderson, Hyam, Skuse, Tunnicliffe, Murphy, McGoldrick. Subs: Loach, Hewitt, Mings, Edwards, Tabb, Taylor, Nouble.
Barnsley: Butland, Kennedy, Cranie, O'Grady, Perkins, Wiseman, Pedersen, Mellis (O'Brien 43), M'voto, Fox, McCourt. Subs: Hassell, Dibble, Scotland, Cywka, Etuhu, Jennings. Referee: Andy D’Urso (Billericay). Att: