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Barnsley 1-1 Ipswich Town - Match Report
Saturday, 11th Mar 2017 17:15

Tom Lawrence netted a dramatic injury-time equaliser as Town grabbed a 1-1 draw at Barnsley. Marley Watkins’s 58th minute goal looked to have won it for the Tykes until Lawrence met substitute Brett Pitman’s cross deep in time added on to claim a point for the Blues, who have now drawn six on the trot.

Emyr Huws returned in midfield after his hamstring problem while manager Mick McCarthy, back at his hometown club where he started his career, recalled wing-backs Jordan Spence and Myles Kenlock.

Grant Ward dropped to the bench, as did Tommy Smith - with Jonas Knudsen moving back to the left of the three-man central defence - while Josh Emmanuel missed out on a place in the 18.

Watkins, who the Blues made an offer for last summer and McCarthy hasn’t ruled out moving for again, started on the right of midfield for the Tykes.

Spence won a corner in the opening minute which Tom Lawrence whipped in and Christophe Berra nodded wide at the near post.

Barnsley struck their first shot of the game in the sixth minute, Tom Bradshaw's pass breaking to Adam Armstrong, who hit a shot which was too close to Bartosz Bialkowski and the keeper claimed.

In the ninth minute Tykes skipper Marc Roberts turned Huws’s left-wing cross over the bar with the on-loan Cardiff man having made a bright start following his absence.

A minute later at the other end, Watkins crossed deep from the right but was unable to find a red shirt and Bialkowski and skipper Luke Chambers allowed the ball to run out.

Barnsley should have taken the lead in the 12th minute when Armstrong spurned a golden chance.

Adam Hammill was sent away in space on the Barnsley left and sent over a deep cross which Matty James volleyed into the ground at the far post, the ball bouncing up to the unmarked on-loan Newcastle striker, who nodded over from the edge of the six-yard box.

Three minutes later, a freekick was played short to Andy Yiadom not far outside the area but the full-back shot over.

It was Town’s turn to go close in the 17th minute. First, Chambers flicked Lawrence’s corner from the right well wide. Then David McGoldrick picked up the loose ball on the left and brought it round and back to the edge of the box before hitting a powerful strike which Tykes keeper Adam Davies did well to get down to block but couldn’t hold on to.

Cole Skuse was first to the loose ball but somehow Davies kept out his rebound, the midfielder having gone close to netting his second goal for the Blues for the second Saturday in succession.

As the game reached the 20-minute mark, Armstrong hit a low 25-yard effort which was easy for Bialkowski, then three minutes later Josh Scowen nodded a Hammill freekick over.


On 32 Armstrong hit a powerful strike from 30 yards which flew wide of the untroubled Bialkowski’s left post, then two minutes later Lawrence was spoken to by referee Stephen Martin after a late challenge on Yiadom but avoided a yellow card.

Soon after, Huws was also fortunate to avoid a caution for pulling back the former Barnet man as he counter-attacked having dispossessed Lawrence as he broke.

Scowen shot over for the Tykes in the 37th minute having been teed up by Hammill, then on 41 James hooked over from inside the area following a corner.

Town weren’t too far away from going in front a minute later when McGoldrick tricked his way to the byline on the left of the area and cut the ball back towards Lawrence but Angus MacDonald turned it behind, going close to netting an own goal as he did so.

Just prior to the half going into one minute of injury time Skuse picked up the game’s first yellow card for a foul on Hammill, although the Blues midfielder had appeared to be pulled back by the former Wolves man as he dispossessed him.

Barnsley had edged the first half having had more of the ball and most of the chances - although largely half-chances - even if Bialkowski was still to be seriously challenged.

Both sides had had one really good opportunity, Armstrong’s header over for the Tykes and McGoldrick’s shot and Skuse’s follow-up for the Blues, while MacDonald hadn’t been too far away from breaking the deadlock at the wrong end from McGoldrick’s cut-back.

Town had kept hold of the ball better than they had against Brentford or Wolves in spells with Huws's return making a difference but without ever really dominating.

Barnsley started the second half very much on the front foot, winning an early freekick not far outside the area, then a corner on the right after Knudsen had nodded a ball into the box wide. On 49 Watkins was fouled 25 yards out but hit his freekick straight at the wall.

Seven minutes after the restart Town switched Diagouraga for Ward, who scored a debut hat-trick against the Tykes having come on as a sub in the Blues’ 4-2 win on the opening day of the season.

A minute later, James smashed a volley from 25 yards which Bialkowski saved down to his right.

The Blues, with the wing-backs starting to get further forward than they had in the first half, started to look more threatening and on 57 Ward hit a low shot from the edge of the box which deflected wide.

From the corner McGoldrick flicked a header across goal and well wide with Chambers behind him feeling it would have reached him. And from the subsequent counter-attack the Tykes took the lead.

Watkins was played in on goal through the middle by James and took the ball into the area and beat Bialkowski as Spence’s despairing challenge came too late. The goal was very much a sucker punch with the Blues having been in their best spell of the half.

Town made their second substitution of the half on 63 with Freddie Sears coming on for Kenlock as the Blues switched to 4-4-2 with Lawrence and Ward in the wide midfield roles.

Four minutes later, Ward crossed from the right after good work from Sears, the ball looping to McGoldrick, who took a touch before smashing a shot against Scowen, who might not have been able to close down a first-time effort.

Barnsley began to put the Blues under pressure as the match moved into its final 20 minutes, James hitting a low shot through a crowd of players and wide.

McGoldrick scraped a shot well over on 76, then a minute later a deflected Lawrence strike looped into the arms of Tykes keeper Davies. The home side switched Armstrong for Ryan Williams for the final 12 minutes.

Barnsley should have made it 2-0 in the 80th minute when sub Williams fed Hammill in space to his left inside the area but Bialkowski stood his ground and saved. Skuse cleared the loose ball.

At the other end Town continued to look for an equaliser, albeit hardly convincingly, but a minute later Ward looped a header into Davies’s hands from a Sears cross from the right.

After another James volley hit powerfully but well over, Pitman replaced Huws, who had tired after the break.

As the match moved into three minutes of injury time, Ward sent Sears away down the right but the ex-Colchester man’s cross deflected into the keeper’s arms with Pitman frustrated at the far post.

Soon after McGoldrick hit a shot which was blocked with the Blues suddenly looking dangerous.

And seconds before the whistle, they grabbed an equaliser. Pitman stood up a cross from the left and Lawrence arrived late at the far post to tap home his 11th goal of the season before celebrating wildly with the Blues support behind the goal, picking up his 11th booking as a result.

There was no time for either side to look for a winner and the game ended 1-1, Town’s sixth successive draw, the second longest run in the club's history behind a seven-game drawing streak in November and December 1990.

The Blues' unbeaten run, which has now stretched to eight games, looked set to end with Barnsley having been the better side having gone in front and looking more likely to add to their lead than Town were to level. Hammill in particular will feel he should have done better with his chance.

But for all its failings, this Blues side never gives up and in the final minutes, with subs Ward, Sears and then crucially Pitman all making an impact, they began to create openings and eventually found the equaliser, scored by Lawrence, who had had another of his quieter afternoons.

The result sees Town, who have won one in 12 in all competitions, remain 16th but not only seven points from the relegation zone ahead of next Saturday’s trip to Cardiff.

Barnsley: Davies, Yiadom, Jones, Roberts (c), MacDonald, Scowen, James, Hammill, Watkins, Bradshaw, Armstrong (Williams 78). Unused: Townsend, Jackson, Mowatt, Hedges, Moncur, Kent.

Town: Bialkowski, Chambers (c), Berra, Knudsen, Spence, Skuse, Huws (Pitman 84), Diagouraga (Ward 52), Kenlock (Sears 63), McGoldrick, Lawrence. Unused: Gerken, T Smith, Pitman, Bru, Moore. Referee: Stephen Martin (Staffordshire). Att: 11,836 (Town: 742).


Photo: TWTD



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blueboy1981 added 17:46 - Mar 11
Great to see Mogga get a point at Carrot Road - could do far worse than have him back here,

His point their has pleased me immensely. Rock on Mogga.
13

cat added 17:47 - Mar 11
Another dull and uninspiring result by all accounts. Despite parking the 380 airbus we still managed to concede to the mighty Barnsley, only difference this time is we came from behind, which does make it that bit sweeter!. It also makes the trip home for the diehard travelling fans that much better as well, RESPECT TO U's. I'm not going to repeat my thoughts on MM again, basically because I can't be arsed!!, so I will keep it simply on this occasion.... DINO OUT PPPLEEEEAAASSSEE
17

couldbebetter added 17:52 - Mar 11
Do we have the worst team and the worst manager in our history ?
9

martin587 added 17:52 - Mar 11
Another long drive home,but once again this was a dire performance,set up for a draw again with eight men across the back.Not pretty to watch.
As somebody said,the squad we have is capable of much better but the way the team is set out leaves a great deal to be desired.
Thank goodness for Tom otherwise we would really be in serious trouble.The question is"The loan players are the ones really trying ,"what does that say for the rest.!!
28

StochesStotasBlewe added 17:57 - Mar 11
We are limping slowly & turgidly towards the magic 52 points & safety. Mick no doubt will be delighted with a last ditch point. Set up for a point. Got one. That is the mind set of the man. With this philosophy, the club will go nowhere fast.
26

surgery added 17:59 - Mar 11
martinn587 well done you for going. In answer to your question, maybe there were trying but are basically no good?
8

geminimustang added 18:03 - Mar 11
"yungblue added 17:15 - Mar 11
We are Ipswich Town, we should be challenging to be in the Premier League, not scrapping to stay out of League 1. "

Challenging to be in the Premier League before or after the £100K was spent on 7 players in January? ITFC are punching above their weight with the meagre funds available to MM.I'm not criticising ME as i wouldn't put £6M every single year into the club knowing i'd never get it back.
-15

VulpineBlue added 18:06 - Mar 11
If you don't play strikers you don't score. If you don't score you don't win. If you don't win you lose 2 or 3 points. Sadly only 7 points off the drop now. It was 10 when we were playing 'badly' in January. Other teams are catching us up. We must set up to win. What has Pitman done to upset MM? Within minutes of coming on he sets up Tom Lawrence. Am I missing something? As for a magic points total surely this doesn't matter if others have more than you.
21

surgery added 18:16 - Mar 11
VulpineBlue......Perhaps it's because as a striker he doesn't put in a good shift at the back. Just a thought!
8

ITFCsince67 added 18:18 - Mar 11
Did anyone else hear Brenner Wally half way through the first half say "goals are not important". Omg they are everything, he has spent too long with MM. shocking statement.
20

Dissboyitfc added 18:23 - Mar 11
Gemini... you say you wouldnt put in 6mill every year, why not? I( assume you go to every game, you never get a penny of that back) i thought you are one of the "real" supporters.

On a basis of peoples wealth i reckon a lot of town supporters put more money into town than Evans does. A single town fan who earns 20 grand a year may well spend over 1000 per season on following town this includes Entrance fee food/ drink merchandise travel etc. Get my point?

Evans is no hero so dont make him out to be one.

We need a massive Muck out!
19

Lightningboy added 18:24 - Mar 11
I'm fairly convinced that our owner hasn't gotten rid simply because it'll be the total embarrassment of admitting that every single one of the 4 major decisions he's made at this club have been completely clueless & utterly wrong.

McCarthy won't walk away..A, he's paid too much and B, he's got to a point where he basically won't give the fans what they want...would not surprise me if he's here for another 3 years just as extra punishment for us who doubt his superior footballing genius.

To think Ranieri got sacked for winning Leicester the title - you couldn't make it up.
25

Pip50 added 18:24 - Mar 11
Sadly I'm happy with the way we played and a point. Not that proud to think we could very well be looking at relegation. See out this seaon Mick retain our Chamionship status and then Fck off.
Marcus smell the roses!
0

airliner added 18:25 - Mar 11
Pitman should have been on from 70 mins. Skuse is just the drawback. Offers nothing. Pitman must think Mick is crazy. Mick to go end of season I hope
19

brittaniaman added 18:30 - Mar 11
I can imagine Dino apologising to Barnsley for robbing them of 2pts. and with the usual gaffe of how good their team was (because of his soft spot for them) you are Ipswich Town Dino ?? for how long no one knows
3

therein61 added 18:42 - Mar 11
Taxi for Mick and Skuse(even Bristol City fans laugh at us for taking him and they are worse off than us!) now!!!! then we can get a new manager in who will stet us up to play to the strengths of our squad who are with confidence instilled be good enough to be damn site higher in the table instead of looking over our shoulders at a possible drop which I fear could happen if we carry on as we are, it to me is more than obvious that the dressing room has been lost as the players body language shows in each game Mick!!!
17

budgieplucker added 18:43 - Mar 11
Only 3 teams in this league have won fewer home games than us this season and only 4 teams have won fewer overall games.

For me if you play 3-5-2, which we don't because it is more like 5-3-2, then you don't need a holding midfielder, which you don't need in either system.

Something has to change........
12

Cakeman added 18:45 - Mar 11
Another hum drum performance hum drum result from a hum drum team hum drum manager and hum drum owner.
Predictable and very very boring.
13

BillBlue added 19:06 - Mar 11
Seven points from the drop, nine matches to go, I think he might just make it!
4

airliner added 19:29 - Mar 11
Tactically inept. Everyone can see Skuse is finished as is Douglas. Why can't mm and Terry see it?
Why not play Brett ahead of Dave. Couldn't hit a barn door! Why so negative every time. Subs so late, and not the right player taken off . Despair !!!!
14

sixtyblue added 19:43 - Mar 11

Come on Marcus pay Mick his contract before you lose at least 2000 plus season ticket holders that must equate to what the rest of his contract is worth.If his contract is worth more than that you get everything you deserve.Get yourself a managing director knows what running a football club is all about, because it looks like from owner to manager the blind are leading the blind.This has to be the worst this club has been run since the latter days of Seepshanks who then lumbered us with you.
11

bubbybiue added 19:45 - Mar 11
I think ME is a NCFC supporter really .
0

ronnyd added 19:48 - Mar 11
How can Pitman be an unused sub when he provided the cross for the goal. Get a grip TWTD.
1

Taricco_Fan added 19:58 - Mar 11
Sounded like same old, same old. Playing not to lose rather than taking the initiative. I can understand playing this way against teams that are clearly 'different class', but against the likes of Barnsley, Wolves and Brentford we should be going for a win in every instance.

Now the gap is only seven points with Wolves and Blackburn having two and one games in hand respectively. We *should* be ok but our home form is terrible and we can't score goals. We can't buy a win right now. It's going to be a nervous couple of months ahead.

More worryingly, if this lack of investment, reliance on loan players and negative tactics carries over into next season then I think we will be relegation candidates right off the bat.
16

runaround added 20:09 - Mar 11
I think that could prove a very important equaliser for club today. Despite many fans thinking the season is over had we lost today we would have been just 6 points above the bottom 3 which with the teams down there starting to pick up wins wouldn't have been an unbridgeable gap. I still feel the current inertia of Mick & Marcus not wanting to blink first over the next steps has left the club drifting rudderless & sleepwalking towards the bottom end of the table. Draws alone may not be good enough & I fear no one at the club realises how easily we could get dragged into a dogfight.
This is damaging the club & we deserve better. They need to decide NOW whether both, neither or just one of them will be here next season & make plans to move the club forward
14


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