A LAST SECOND equaliser denied Ipswich Town their first four-match league winning sequence since October 2004.

Barnsley 1-1 Ipswich Town

A LAST SECOND equaliser denied Ipswich Town their first four-match league winning sequence since October 2004.

Jason Scotland put the Blues ahead in the 83rd minute in this Championship game at Oakwell on Saturday

The game came to life after the interval and Town looked to have done enough until Barnsley grabbed a so late leveller.

Ipswich were unchanged from the side that beat Sheffield United at Portman Road seven days earlier with Foster returning to the home side after three games out with a gashed shin.

Former Town flying winger Haynes was included in the Barnsley side having moved from Bristol City last month and having scored three goals in his previous five games for the Tykes.

It was sunny and rather pleasant winter’s day in Yorkshire with Drury being the odd man out again of the 19 Town players who travelled north on Friday afternoon.

Haynes was given a good ovation by visiting fans when warming up before kick-off.

Manager Jewell said that he could see similarities between Oakwell and Derby County’s Baseball Ground of old, and the bobbly pitch was certainly not an aid to good football.

There was a blow for Town in the ninth minute when skipper Norris went down in pain after his left ankle was caught by an opponent. After lengthy treatment the Town man gingerly re-entered the field.

Soon afterwards Norris had no option than to limp off to be replaced by Healy with Leadbitter taking the skipper’s armband. In the 18th minutes Barnsley should have taken the lead after Hill headed down a controversial free-kick after a tackle by Leadbitter.

O’Connor had a free shot on goal from 10 yards with his effort too close to Fulop, who somehow blocked the effort on the line.

Bullard’s 24th minute free-kick was sliced by Doyle and the ball looped over Steele to hit the bar and drop to the right of the goal. When it was played back in Priskin headed into the net, but a flag was up to signal a corner as the ball was deemed to have gone out of play.

The pitch had not helped but the first half was pretty dire. In the 50th minute Fulop made an excellent save to push away a deflected Haynes 20 yard shot that carried plenty of venom after Town had failed to take the opportunity to clear their lines.

Shackell then put in a fine last-ditch tackle on Wickham after Leadbitter had played the youngster into space.

When Healy dummied Martin’s left wing cross, Wickham had a free sight of goal from 16 yards but mistimed his 58th minute left foot shot.

Martin and Priskin both had shots saved as Ipswich stepped up a gear

In the 65th minute good play by Wickham released Priskin, and Steele did well to burst out of goal and block the latter’s effort. A minute later Priskin let fly with considerable power from 20 yards with Steele grateful that the shot was straight at him.

It was now a much more open game, and in the 68th Town failed to deal with a corner and Kennedy cleared a close range O’Connor effort off the line.

With 12 minutes remaining, Healy put in a timely tackle on Mellis when Barnsley had two men over in front of goal. From the resultant corner Hassell headed wide when unmarked at the far post.

In the 80th minute Fulop excelled himself with an excellent save after substitute Butterfield let fly from 20 yards with a goal now looking likely at both ends.

It came to Ipswich in the 83rd minute with Scotland’s eighth goal of the season. The substitute was involved on the half-way line in a quick counter attack and after Martin had sped down the left to see his effort rebound off Steele, Scotland was on hand to side-foot home the loose ball.

Deep into the four minutes of stoppage time the home side equalised when a cross from the right was struck by Mellis and the ball entered the net off a defender believed to be Leadbitter.

Teams

Barnsley: Steele; Hassell, Shackell, Foster (Trippier 57), Hill; Nouble, Arismendi (O’Brien 84), Doyle, Mellis; Haynes, O’Connor (Butterfield 75). Substitutes: Preece, Colace, Lovre, Gray.

Ipswich Town: Fulop; Edwards, McAuley, Delaney, Kennedy; Martin, Norris (Healy 15), Leadbitter, Bullard (O’Dea 86), Wickham, Priskin (Scotland 74). Substitutes: Lee-Barrett, Smith, Peters, Civelli.

Referee: Mr D Drysdale (Lincolnshire)

Attendance: 10,904 (816 Ipswich)

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