Barnsley’s U18s grabbed an unlikely 3-3 draw with Town via a stoppage-time leveller at a cool and windy afternoon at Playford Road, the goal coming as a result of a free-kick which probably should have been given to the Blues.
The home team started the match badly gifting away the first goal with a poor pass in defence which saw Feyi Afuape set up Luke Alker to score in the second minute.
However, the hosts responded very quickly and on six it was skipper Revin Domi finding support from Jamie Mauge on the right and he scored with a cross shot in off the far post.
From an Owen Warburton free-kick Kieran Graham saw his shot blocked for Barnsley. Then Town had a free-kick but played it backwards and were immediately under pressure but Leon Elliot won the goal kick off of Afuape.
Ipswich then took the lead on the quarter-hour with a sensational goal as when the ball was cleared by the visitors it ran out to Luke Towler (pictured), who thumped it into the net from 25 yards.
https://x.com/LukeTowler6/status/1830714010787848319
At the other end, when Alker got in down the right he found Afuape who totally mishit his shot well off target.
On 20 minutes, Mauge was found by a long ball from the back but hooked his shot high and wide.
Five minutes later, after a foul, there was a big melee on the far side of the pitch and a likely booking for a player from each team.
Straight after that, Tom Senior was booked for a poor challenge. Then Afuape set up left-back Robson Woodcock but he fired straight at the Town keeper Alan Fleischer. A chipped cross from the right by Alker saw the header Afuape on the stretch go off target. After a poor lunge in on Domi by Graham, he was spoken to by the referee.
The home team got a third goal a minute before half-time, Mauge heading in a left-wing cross.
Despite his treatment for his earlier injury, Domi then had to go off and was replaced by sub Usisya Longwe.
In the final action of the half, Barnsley’s Geoffrey Lundoloki sent his left-footer in, but Fleischer was down to save.
Into the second half and Will Unadike found Mauge, who was denied by keeper Aston Wilson, who made a very good save down to his left.
Home keeper Fleischer did well to save at the feet of Graham but the visitors made it 3-2 in the 51st minute as Malachai Mbogba got in on the right to net.
Then Charlie Crompton set up Unadike who got a shot away despite having his shirt held but a deflection took the attempt wide.
Just after the hour, both sides made changes as Jackson Nsfor replaced Unadike and Artey Kay was on for Senior. A cross from the left was somehow missed by Afuape in the centre.
A shot by home left-back Josh Lewis took a big deflection and went wide. From the resulting corner by Lewis, the back post header by Elliot was held by the keeper.
A poor pass in midfield saw right-back Kallum Reid but Alker dragged his shot wide of the far post.
When a cross came in from the left, Fleischer did well to block as Mbogba tried to scramble the ball in.
Bobby Sains was replaced by Nelson Eze on 73 minutes and a minute later he set up Mauge who curled a shot just wide of the far post.
A further change for the away side saw Chrysolite Ogbu replace Woodcock. Just before that Eze found Lewis and from his cross the home player found himself over running the pass.
From a free-kick by Lundoloki, the ball was headed back across goal for Will Thompson to net with a header but he was ruled offside. After good team work Nsfor was in on goal but somehow shot wide of the goal.
Right-back Darragh McGann was booked then the away keeper was bravely out at the feet of Nsfor.
Then, five minutes into time added on, the controversial moment of the game as it seemed that Afuape committed the foul but the referee gave the free-kick to Barnsley.
Although the free-kick was headed clear, it ran out to Owen Warburton, who sent in a swerving shot which gave the home keeper no chance as it flew into the net.
Town: Fleischer, McCann, Elliot, Frith, Lewis, Unadike (Nsfor 62), Towler, Sains (Eze 73), Mauge, Compton, Domi (Longwe 44). Unused: Bentley, Chenery
Barnsley: Wilson, Reid, Senior (Kay 62), Lundoloki, Woodcock (Ogbu 62), Mbogba, Warburton, Afuape, Graham, Alker. Unused: Price,Rayner, Daniels.