Barnsley 1-1 Ipswich: Match Report

11 March 2017 17:34

Ipswich's Tom Lawrence grabs late goal to steal a point at Barnsley

Ipswich struck late to snatch a 1-1 draw at Barnsley in the Sky Bet Championship.

The home side created the better goal-scoring opportunities in the game, and struck first through Marley Watkins after 58 minutes. Ipswich striker Tom Lawrence then managed to score in injury time and rescue a point.

The Blues arrived at Oakwell unbeaten in their last seven matches and Saturday's result extends their current streak to eight, although seven of those have now been draws.

Meanwhile, the Tykes have gone five games without a victory, leaving them 11 points off a play-off place.

The visitors started brightly, with Christophe Berra flashing a header just wide of the front post from an early corner.

Barnsley responded with chances of their own when Adam Armstrong headed over a mis-timed volley from Matty James then Andy Yiadom blasted over a quickly taken free-kick.

The hosts' goalkeeper Adam Davies was called into action shortly after, when David McGoldrick burst into the area. Davies was equal to his first effort then reacted superbly to deny Ipswich the opener again.

Barnsley were unlucky not to break the deadlock several times, as Armstrong, Josh Scowen and Matty James all missed chances to take the lead.

And the visitors nearly punished them, when McGoldrick found a way into the box just before the break, squaring the ball to fellow striker Lawrence, but Angus MacDonald was marking him tightly and managed to poke it behind for a corner.

James nearly opened the second half with a spectacular goal, as he attempted a volley from the edge of the box that flashed just wide.

Barnsley went in front with a brilliant counter-attack. James played in Watkins who held off the Ipswich defenders, before prodding the ball past Bartosz Bialkowski into the bottom right corner.

Hammill almost doubled the home side's lead, when substitute Ryan Williams found him in space inside the box, but his cross-goal shot was saved well by Bialkowski.

The Blues struggled for many clear-cut opportunities, but went close when second-half substitute Freddie Sears crossed for fellow sub Grant Ward. He managed to direct a looping header towards goal that was caught comfortably by a back-peddling Davies.

Ipswich struck when substitute Brad Pitman delivered a teasing ball into the box to find Lawrence , who arrived late at the back-post to slot the ball home and steal a point for the travelling side with almost the last kick of the game.


Source: PA