Half-time sub Grant Ward became the first Town player to score a hat-trick on his debut since Colin Viljoen in March 1967 as the Blues beat Barnsley 4-2 in their opening day game at Portman Road. The 21-year-old netted with his first touch seconds after coming on at the break, made it 2-1 after ex-Blue Conor Hourihane had equalised for the Tykes, then added the fourth to seal it after David McGoldrick had converted a penalty and Marley Watkins had added a second for the South Yorkshiremen.
Boss Mick McCarthy handed Adam Webster his Town debut alongside Christophe Berra at the centre of the defence with Tommy Smith, a regular next to the Scottish international last season, dropping to the bench.
McGoldrick partnered Daryl Murphy up front with Freddie Sears at left midfield and Teddy Bishop in the right and new wide signings Grant Ward and Grant both on the bench. Kevin Bru was alongside Cole Skuse in the centre of midfield.
Paul Digby was on the bench against his old club, while Hourihane, who was with the Blues between 2010 and 2011 without making a senior appearance, skippered the Tykes.
Barnsley were forced into a replacement in only the fourth minute after striker Sam Winnall went down with what looked like a pulled hamstring and immediately indicated he wouldn’t be able to continue. Marley Watkins took over.
A Jonas Knudsen long throw from the left almost fell for Murphy on eight and soon afterwards the Irishman had the first serious chance of the game.
Bru played the Town number nine in on goal behind the Barnsley backline but just as he was about to pull the trigger Marc Roberts got back to stab the ball behind.
The Mauritian international, a scorer of last season’s opening goal in the 2-2 draw at Brentford, scraped wide from the edge of the box on 12 after good work from Murphy on the right.
Town had got themselves on top and threatened again a minute later when Barnsley keeper Adam Davies punched Bru’s left-sided corner to Bishop, but his shot was blocked.
Barnsley had been little threat in the opening minutes but on 19 they might have taken the lead. However, Tom Bradshaw headed sub Watkins’s right-wing cross straight at Bartosz Bialkowski.
Moments later, Teddy Bishop was booked for a foul on Adam Hammill, then on 27, after a spell in which the game had been even but uneventful, Watkins joined the Blues midfielder in the book for pulling Bru back by his shorts.
On 32 Hammill, signed by Town boss McCarthy during his time at Wolves, curled a dangerous strike from distance only just wide. Six minutes later, Bru was booked for a foul on Bradshaw as Barnsley broke.
Town had their best chance of the half in the 39th minute when McGoldrick broke following a Tykes attack and fed Sears but the former Colchester man scuffed to Davies. Had he made a decent contact then the Blues would probably have been in front.
Soon after, the already-booked Bru was spoken to after fouling Ryan Kent, who joined him in the book for a revenge challenge a few minutes later.
Applause rang round the ground on 42 in tribute to Clacton-based fan Wayne Double, who died over the summer.
Barnsley would have been in front in the 43rd minute but for a superb Bialkowski stop. A ball into the box hit Berra and fell to Bradshaw, who seemed certain to score but somehow Town’s Polish keeper, who once had a spell on loan at Oakwell, reacted and diverted it wide.
The Blues looked the more threatening side in the early stages of a scrappy first 45 minutes but with their only serious opportunity Murphy’s chance from Bru’s excellent pass.
Barnsley got more into the game as the half wore on and will feel Bradshaw might have done better with his two chances, while Sears will similarly feel he should have taken his opportunity from McGoldrick’s break.
Overall, it hadn't been a half which would have persuaded many of the 1,000 or so fans who failed to renew their season tickets that they had made a mistake with the Blues’ performance - and style of football - much like many of those last term.
Boss McCarthy was clearly unimpressed and switched Bishop, who had failed to make too much of an impact in his wide right role, and Bru, who was walking a red card tightrope, for debutants Ward and Grant and moved to 4-3-3.
And within seconds, and like 1970s striker Keith Bertschin, Ward scored with his very first touch in a Town shirt.
Murphy flicked Knudsen’s throw on the left towards McGoldrick but the former Tottenham man burst in behind him to slam a low shot past Davies before celebrating with his new team-mates.
But the Town lead lasted only three minutes. Hammill’s cross from the Barnsley left was cleared to the edge of the area where the bandage-headed Josh Scowen beat Grant in the air, sending the ball into the box and Watkins nodded on to one-time Blue Hourihane, who beat Bialkowski from close range.
Hourihane, perhaps inevitably the goalscorer against his old club, was yellow-carded for a foul, then Webster came close to an astonishing debut goal with a 40-yard return header which caught Davies unawares and only just flew past his left post.
But another goal from a debutant wasn’t too much longer in coming, and again Ward was the man on target. Murphy crossed from the left following good work from Knudsen and, after McGoldrick had challenged in the air, the ball fell to Ward, who took a touch before lashing home off Scowen.
The new signing’s celebration was more muted on this occasion, perhaps due to the deflection or maybe he’s already taking goals at Portman Road in his stride.
Two minutes later, it was 3-1. Murphy broke into the area on the left and was tripped by Roberts. Referee Keith Stroud pointed straight at the spot and there was little argument from the Tykes’ players. McGoldrick rolled the ball into the corner of the net, sending Davies the wrong way.
Barnsley weren’t far from pulling one back when Hourihane’s corner from the right bounced across the six-yard box, but the Blues continued to look the more threatening side.
In the 66th minute McGoldrick was dispossessed just as he looked to pick out Sears, then the scorer of Town’s third goal broke through on the left but shot weakly to Davies.
On 71, after Ward had been sent flying by Scowen, Grant looked to get on the debut goals act with a powerful strike from distance but his effort was too close to the Tykes’ keeper.
Three minutes later, after Barnsley had swapped Kent and Bradshaw for George Moncur and Stefan Payne, the visitors made it 3-2.
Hourihane sent over a freekick from midway inside the Town half on the right and Watkins rose high to flick into the corner of the net.
After a Barnsley appeal for a penalty after Payne and Chambers had tangled as they ran into the box, Brett Pitman replaced McGoldrick for the final nine minutes.
And a minute later, Ward completed his dream debut. A Grant corner from the right was half-cleared to the edge of the area from where Monday’s signing from Tottenham hit a low shot through a crowd of players and the arms of keeper Davies and into the net.
Barnsley again looked to get back in the game, Bialkowski claiming at close range from Payne as the game moved into injury time.
But Town weren’t to be denied an opening day victory - manager McCarthy’s first against his hometown club since taking charge of the Blues - by 4-2, the scoreline they beat the Tykes in the 2000 Wembley play-off final.
The result was also the same the last time a Town player had netted a hat-trick on his debut, Viljoen’s treble having come in a defeat of Portsmouth at Portman Road.
For Ward it was a brilliant Roy of the Rovers-style debut from the moment he smashed in his opening goal seconds after coming on as a sub.
The former Spurs youngster took his opportunities with great confidence and composure and in addition had an excellent all-round game.
After the final whistle, the day’s star man was handed the match ball then applauded all four stands before spending a lengthy spell signing autographs at the front of the East of England Co-op Stand.
The Blues were much better after the break, creating a number of opportunities in addition to the goals, although there will be concerns about the two they conceded.
But Town fans will go home very happy having seen a very special debut and their side, who are second in the first-day Championship table, get their season off to a winning start.
Town: Bialkowski, Chambers (c), Webster, Berra, Knudsen, Bishop (Ward 46), Skuse, Bru (Grant 46), Sears, Murphy, McGoldrick (Pitman 81). Unused: Gerken, Smith, Digby, Douglas.
Barnsley: Davies, White, Roberts, Scowen, Hammill, Hourihane (c), Winnall (Watkins 4), Yiadom, Bradshaw (Moncur 73), Mawson, Kent (Payne 73). Unused: Townsend, Bree, Lee, Nyatanga. Referee: Keith Stroud (Hampshire). Att: 17,370 (Barnsley: 1,117).