Chris O’Grady’s 12th minute goal sees Town trailing 1-0 to Barnsley at Oakwell at half-time.
Mick McCarthy named an unchanged side with new signing Paul Green amongst the subs. Striker Paul Taylor made the trip but was sent home by the physio prior to the match as he is suffering with an abscess.
In a strong, swirling wind, the game’s first chance fell to the home side in the sixth minute. Stephen Hunt was caught in possession not far outside the Town area by Stephen Dawson, who found Chris O’Grady behind the Blues backline but onside inside the box. The ex-Rochdale man stabbed well wide and will feel he at least should have tested Dean Gerken in the Blues goal.
David McGoldrick struck Town’s first shot through to Barnsley keeper Luke Steele from 25 yards in the 10th minute but he claimed comfortably.
With the match still to settle into a pattern, the wind and difficult surface made mistakes common place, the home side took the lead in the 12th minute.
Town had failed to clear an earlier threat and O’Grady twisted and turned on the edge of the box before hitting a low shot across the motionless Gerken and into the corner of the net.
The Blues were within inches of getting back on terms in the 18th minute from a freekick 25 yards out after Dawson had fouled Hunt. Aaron Cresswell — who scored a freekick in last year’s corresponding fixture — slammed his strike beyond Steele to his left but off his post. Town subsequently won two corners but were unable to create an opening.
McCarthy’s men were starting to get on top and in the 23rd minute threatened again when Hunt sent in a cross from the right but neither Daryl Murphy nor Frank Nouble was able to add the final touch in the six-yard box.
Jim O’Brien saw a shot blocked at the other end, before Gerken was unceremoniously clattered as he punched a cross away from goal. On the half hour, McGoldrick scuffed a shot well wide from the edge of the box.
There was a big scare for the Blues in the 35th minute when Jack Hunt sent in a dangerous low cross from the right but O’Grady and strike partner Nick Proschwitz were unable to get in clean shots at goal.
On 39 Nouble won the ball from O’Grady midway inside the Barnsley half but scuffed a weak 25-yard shot to Steele, who was yet to be troubled, aside from Cresswell’s freekick.
But the Blues were looking the more dangerous side as the half moved into its closing stages, Murphy just being crowded out on the edge of the six-yard box having been found by Hunt.
Then, shortly before the whistle, from the second of two corners, Tommy Smith headed powerfully down but wide when he will believe he should have hit the target.
Town could have few complaints at the scoreline at the break with the visitors having played the better football and created the game’s two best two chances in open play. The Blues were perhaps fortunate that O’Grady had spurned his first opportunity, while the goal was one which looked very preventable.
Other than Cresswell’s excellent freekick, the Blues had failed to test Tykes’ keeper Steele, despite having a fair amount of the ball in the final third.
Barnsley: Steele, Hunt, Ramage, Cranie, Dawason, O’Brien, Jennings, Shea, O’Grady, Proschwitz. Subs: Turner, Nyatanga, McCourt, Lawrence, Cywka, Pedersen, Woods.
Town: Gerken, Chambers, Berra, Smith, Cresswell, Tabb, Skuse, Hunt, Nouble, McGoldrick, Murphy. Subs: Loach, Mings, Richardson, Edwards, Wordsworth, Green, Anderson. Referee: Darren Bond (Lancashire).