Ipswich Town struck twice in the final 10 minutes to rescue a draw at Barnsley this afternoon and move to within three points of the Championship play-off places.

Christophe Berra’s close-range finish and David McGoldrick’s fierce strike came in the 81st and 84th minutes, the Blues fully deserving a share of the spoils after completely dominating the second half.

Chris O’Grady had put the struggling hosts in front after 12 minutes with a fine shot on the turn which left Blues keeper Dean Gerken rooted to the spot.

Aaron Cresswell thumped the post with a free-kick in response, but the hosts were the far more fluent side in the opening 45 minutes and few could argue they did not deserve to be leading 1-0 come the interval.

It was all Ipswich after the restart though, with Jay Tabb firing over at the end of a good move, Cole Skuse sending a half-volley inches wide and the same midfielder firing over after keeper Luke Steele had palmed away a low Stephen Hunt cross.

Town’s chances continued to rack up, with Paul Anderson side-footing just wide following yet another excellent Hunt delivery and Steele making a fine double save from Daryl Murphy and Anderson.

Barnsley’s second goal therefore came completely against the run of play, half-time substitute Tomasz Cywka’s well-hit free-kick from the edge of the box taking a deflection on its way to goal.

Ipswich could have felt sorry for themselves, but instead they fought back.

The deficit was halved in the 81st minute when Berra smashed home from close-range after Jim O’Brien had blocked Tommy Smith’s header on the line. It was substitute Anderson who had delivered the corner.

Hunt flicked a Murphy cross inches wide seconds after the restart, with the Blues piling on the pressure as they attacked towards the 817 travelling fans.

The leveller came in the 84th minute after Martin Cranie climbed on the back of McGoldrick to concede a free-kick on the edge of the box. Aaron Cresswell rolled the dead ball to his right and McGoldrick’s smashed effort took a nick off the wall on the way into the roof of the net.

Town then pushed for a winner with debutant Paul Green – whose 93-day loan switch from Leeds was only completed in the morning – seeing a shot blocked in the area at the death.

A draw reduces Town’s gap to the play-off places to just three points after sixth-place Reading lost 2-0 at home to Sheffield Wednesday. Barnsley remain second-bottom, but have reduced the gap to safety to four points.

- Reaction to follow.

BARNSLEY (4-4-2): Steele; Hunt (Woods 74), Ramage, Cranie (cpt), Kennedy; Jennings, Dawson, O’Brien, Shea (Cywka 46); Proschwitz, O’Grady.

Subs: Turner, Nyatanga, McCourt, Lawrence, Pedersen.

IPSWICH TOWN (4-3-3): Gerken; Chambers (cpt), Berra, Smith, Cresswell; Skuse, Tabb (Green 74), Hunt; Nouble (Anderson 52), McGoldrick, Murphy.

Subs: Loach, Mings, Richardson, Edwards, Wordsworth.

Attendance: 9,929 (817 away)

Referee: Darren Bond