Boss Mick McCarthy admitted that Barnsley were the better side and deserved a point after the Blues drew 1-1 with the Tykes at Portman Road.

McCarthy felt his team failed to deal with Tom Kennedy’s 88th minute corner from which sub Danny Rose headed the equaliser but that the South Yorkshiremen were worthy of at least a point: “We didn’t defend the corner properly.

“But they deserved a point, not that I’m happy about it, I’m very unhappy they got a point, but they deserved it overall on their performance, so I’ll take the point.”

The Blues have now drawn 1-1 at home to all the bottom three — as well registering the same result at Oakwell earlier in the season — and the Town manager says it can be hard to beat teams you’re expected to defeat: “It just is. I think there’s the weight of expectation, I think Cardiff felt that last week when we went there and should have turned them over and it was a great point.

“This week, was it a great point? They could have beaten us, they were the better side, to be fair to them.

“We would have nicked it and if we had nicked the three points, I’d have been delighted. If you are going to progress, if you are the inferior side and you get in front, that’s the day you grind it out and take the points but we just didn’t manage to do it.

“We were better in the second half, the game was a bit more open, but we didn’t have the quality to get the second goal unfortunately.”

McCarthy says he’s not sure why his team’s performances and results aren’t matched by those at home: “I thought Barnsley took the game to us, to be fair. I didn’t think they sat back and tried to catch us on the break.

“It’s one of those imponderables, I don’t know the answer. I’m not going to offer reasons for it, sometimes it happens.

“Then you think about Millwall, Nottingham Forest, those games when we’ve played really well. Maybe it is the fact that it’s the opposition around us, maybe it does make you a bit more nervy.

“I can offer all reasons for it, and do you know what? Maybe Barnsley played well, because I think they did.”

The Blues boss was pleased to see Luke Chambers get on the scoresheet but other than that felt it was a below-par performance: “Nowhere near the standard of last week across the board.

“We’ve got a centre-half who scored a goal, that’s a positive. Take the point, put it in your pocket and make sure we keep picking up more.”

McCarthy, who says there have been no developments on the transfer front, will be happy if Barnsley join Town in securing a place in the Championship for next season: “I’ve got a job to do here, but of course I want Barnsley to stay in the league.”

Tykes boss David Flitcroft was delighted with his team’s performance and thought they could have been celebrating a win: “The Championship is just a brilliant league. It’s been a really intense week’s work to get a point and earn that point. And we did earn that point.

“I think in the first half, I wouldn’t be embarrassed sitting here with Marlon Harewood with the matchball. I think he’s had three great opportunities, one on ones, and just made the wrong decision at the last minute.

“I’d be sat here worrying if we weren’t making those opportunities and Jacob Mellis’s quality to put him in was outstanding. We’ll get back on the training ground and try and find that goalscoring form.”

He says scorer Danny Rose, 19, isn’t ready to start games but feels that he’s presents a threat coming off the bench: “You can’t take Danny Rose for granted, you’ve got to pick him up in the box because the kid’s a ghost, he gets in between players, he’s always making runs away from the ball to come in. I’m absolutely delighted for the kid.”

Photo: Action Images

TooleyBlue added 18:38 - Jan 19 Awful games - no link up from midfield. Edwards and Martin were shocking. Like the look of McLean though. Really lucky to get a draw.
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Mark added 18:39 - Jan 19 A depressing performance which reminded us just how far we have to go. Sadly none of the new signings impressed, and we had a real lack of creativity with two defensive midfielders in the centre and two very ineffective wingers. Our midfield to not create enough or score goals, that was the biggest problem today. There were poor performances all over the pitch today though, Cresswell having a stinker for example.

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MattinLondon added 18:46 - Jan 19 We do have a very long way to go but we have also come a long way as well. We need that elusive creative central midfielder and two out-and-out wingers to ensure that crosses goes in for the strikers
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muhrensleftfoot added 18:51 - Jan 19 A truly awful performance . There is a long way to go before we are challenging for promotion . Hard working but no spark, no class. Maybe it was because I was freezing cold but I felt quite depressed watching that today. Barnsley were the better side, that's how bad we were.
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Juanforthemoney added 18:55 - Jan 19 Worst I have seen at home under MM. Agree with other postings that we lacked any creativity in midfield. That is where we were at our worst with nobody having a stand out game in that dept. Thought the centre backs were ok but we sadly lacked a cutting edge and penetration. Oh for some competition for Martin who once again runs around like a chicken with his head chopped off! Time to move him on for a fee in January?

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h32 added 18:57 - Jan 19 .... honest appraisal of the game - as you would expect from MM. We hardly deserved the point - and couldn't have complained had we lost by 2/3 clear goals. Dire home performance.
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NoelTheDub added 19:02 - Jan 19 No matter who we have up front we dont create enough for them only scraps.Creativity is what we lack in MFand on the wing martin and edwards are not the answer.
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Pip50 added 19:03 - Jan 19 Yep looks a good the DJ decision
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Bluetone added 19:04 - Jan 19 I'm sure MM knows the size of the task facing him. This was a very poor performance. Is it lack of ability or lack of confidence? Only time will tell.
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megamoth added 19:21 - Jan 19 Agree with many on here. Sorely missing in midfield. 15 years now since Paul Mason. How we could we do with him right now
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Keaneish added 19:25 - Jan 19 Tooleyblue - re McLean - really!? I thought he was woeful. His anticipation was abysmal, hold up play poor, rarely ran the channels, lacked a simple pass and very flat footed for me. Even if you're having a stinker you have to put the work in and get the back 4s heads down and be within 15 or 20 yards of Mcgouldrick. He never got to grips with the game from the first whistle for me. His movement at times was fairly decent with no-one in midfield to pick a pass but definitely deserved to be subbed. Maybe not match fit or maybe too much time shopping!

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howsey51 added 19:29 - Jan 19 You can get away with 2 defensive midfielders if you have 2 pacey dangerous wingers. We do not.
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TractorBoy666 added 19:48 - Jan 19 Firstly I would just let Martins and Edwards' contracts run down. They are NOT the answer to our ambitions, Edwards is past his best now and Martin just doesn't create enough. A creative midfielder is a MUST if we want to go forward. Poor performance yet again today at home, should of stayed at home too. Not too sure what Loach was doing for their goal when he didn't come to claim, and the resulting corner was a goal. Lots of work to do still, if we don't get them positions sorted this window, we must the next.

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TimmyH added 19:54 - Jan 19 MM says 'the weight of expectation' can go against you, surely that's got to be one of the lamest excuses (or part excuse) I've heard for some time, well since PJ's reign. So when Arsenal don't beat Reading Wenger can use that! simply poor performance Mick with an under creative midfield, our weight of expectation will come next when we play Birmingham at home (that's if their not above us).

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apm_77 added 19:55 - Jan 19 Yup, p*** poor today. Can't do it against teams down around us. I thought the game never got going, both sides looked uncomfortable most of the time and agree that Harewood should have got at least one goal. Time is running out for Martin in my my view. Can't fault his effort but he creates nothing. Hyam and N'daw bossed the midfield without giving the forwards anything to work with, McLean looked poor, McGoldrick never got into the game.Next week is massive now. MM needs to get someone creative in, and quick.

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petermorris added 19:57 - Jan 19 Completely agree with Keanish. I'd like to see Nobble get a run of games. Plus we need two fast wingers and a Jim Magilton/ Matt Holland/ Fran T etc in midfield. Still, at least we're not bottom anymore and have a ten point cushion. A bottom cushion in fact.
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Lower_North added 20:07 - Jan 19 No Midfield at all. Its all well having 90 million strikers on the books but they will need the service. Smith, Edwards, Martin, truly shocking...
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jas0999 added 20:19 - Jan 19 Completely agree with Mick's assessment. I am still amazed that MM has picked up so many points with this group of players. An excellent manager, who has somehow overturned being 6 points from safety to being 6 points clear of relegation. But today was not only a disappointing result, but also performance - which was frankly unacceptable. We do have a long way to go - Mick knows that. His new signings will need time, and I disagree with others - I liked the look of the chap from Wolves and McGoldrick. McClean didn;t impress though. The midfield lacks creativity, that even the best strikers in the world would struggle to score! I have confidence in MM sorting it out - he clearly knows we are not good enough. But he inherited a team bottom of the league - so everyone but the biggest PJ fan knew the team was very poor. It will take time to turn it around - MM has made a good start, but must now push us forward. On the positive side we didn't lose!

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bedsitfc added 20:25 - Jan 19 We need George Boyd
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riley26 added 20:33 - Jan 19 Disappointing but we have to remain level headed, as Mick keeps reminding us not to get carried away, we are still very much in a relegation fight. Our points return under McCarthy has been superb, need to win home games but at least we're not getting beat even when we are dire. The major rebuild will come in summer but would be nice to snap up a few more in January, as many have already said, 'creativity' is what we need!

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Garv added 20:38 - Jan 19 Awful game. Edwards and Martin need to leave, unless we keep Edwards as cover for the full back position. He is NOT a winger.
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Talbs77 added 21:09 - Jan 19 Really poor game quality wise, in fact, the only rare snippets of quality football came from the opposition that outplayed us at times. We were extremely poor, the midfield was completely lacking in ideas with Martin/Edwards simply awful. I think their long term futures at the club look numbered. Edwards especially was awful, he spent half the game seemingly arguing with Orr who was quite rightly pointing out to him he was leaving Orr exposed at the back by not picking men up. Lucky to get a point although useful reminder to everyone that we are still well and truly in the brown stuff.

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Edmunds5 added 22:00 - Jan 19 I think its a positive that we can draw a game when not playing particularly well, we have to take the rough with the smooth especially considering we have had a difficult season. Yes we drew with Peterborough and again today, but if we would have lost those games we would be in a more precarious position. I think @howsey51 makes a good point, Spurs play two holding players and have great pace on the flanks in Lennon and Bale that can turn defence into attack, playing two in front of the back four means you will naturally drop a bit deeper and you need your widemen to be outlets and have some kind of end product which ours dont really provide.

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trunkybuns added 22:39 - Jan 19 ed to say something constructive. What a game fantastic going to go Again brilliant sorry for swearing won't Happen again loved every minute God can you turn the heating down I was Sweating the beer was really nice ,, And I thought midfield excellent , Can't believe moaned sorry won't happen Again xxxx me
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muccletonjoe added 07:15 - Jan 20 It has been a long time since we put in a shift at home , the strikers we have , personally i would not give tuppence for the lot of them , would woves or forrest or hull honestly loan us players who are going to score a hatfull of goals in this league? get that sorted and then say goodbye to martin and edwards and we can start to move up a gear or two
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