Hill plans survival bid for Tykes after latest setback

Ipswich extended their unbeaten home run to eight matches as Daryl Murphy’s second-half strike proved enough.

Paul Jewell’s side were in control for large spells against an off-form Tykes outfit.

When the sides met at Oakwell in December there were goals aplenty as Ipswich fought back from 2-0 down to win 5-3.

There was no sign of a repeat on this occasion as the hosts, despite having most of the possession, were largely restricted to long-range shots before the break.

Barnsley had their moments, though, and Craig Davies, twice, and Frank Nouble forced top-class saves from Arran Lee-Barrett.

When asked if his side deserved a share of the spoils, boss Hill said: “It would have been harsh on the opposition, because of the way they started the second half.

“Ipswich huffed and puffed in the first half and had one or two speculative shots.

“But the way they started the second half, and the way we started, was disappointing for us and encouraging for them.

“Maybe they should have sealed it on the counter-attack, but I can’t be too disappointed with the courage, endeavour and commitment our players showed.

“However, we’re not making the right decisions in the final third, especially away from home.

“When we’re breaking three versus two, I expect the players to make better pass selections and show better quality.”

Barnsley appear safe from relegation but Hill is refusing to rest on his laurels, especially with struggling Coventry climbing out of the bottom three after winning at Hull City.

“We’ve got to survive but we’re looking over our shoulder,” he said.

“Coventry won, there are six games to play and we’re nine points above the bottom three.

“That’s encouraging but we can’t take anything for granted.

“It’s important we survive and then we can try and grow and establish ourselves next season.”

Ipswich started brightly with Jay Emmanuel-Thomas struck an ambitious early effort which Jimmy McNulty bravely blocked behind for a corner.

Andy Drury’s delivery found Damien Delaney but his header drifted wide.

Emmanuel-Thomas was in the thick of the action again moments later when he volleyed Aaron Cresswell’s cross just wide of the target.

The home side continued with their shoot-on-sight policy as Lee Martin, Emmanuel-Thomas and Drury all tried their luck from distance, but David Button was only called into action once.

Midway through the half the lively Emmanuel-Thomas found himself in space from Drury’s corner but Scott Wiseman was alert to block his goal-bound header.

With Barnsley struggling to retain possession, the home side continued to press forward and when Drury’s cross found Murphy the Irishman fired an acrobatic effort just over the bar from the heart of the penalty area.

A rare foray forward for the Tykes ended fruitlessly as David Cotterill failed to work Arran Lee-Barrett with a 20-yard drive.

Hill was forced to make a change before half-time when Matty Done limped off to be replaced by Kallum Higginbotham.

Three minutes after the interval, Jewell’s side claimed a deserved lead. Michael Chopra teed up Murphy and he found the bottom corner with a left-footed strike from the edge of the box.

They almost doubled their advantage before the hour when Emmanuel-Thomas rattled the bar from 35 yards before seeing another long-range strike fly just over.

The beleaguered Tykes initially offered little by way of a response and Davies’s wayward shot never looked likely to threaten.

Better efforts followed in the 76th minute when, in quick succession, Nouble and Davies tested Lee-Barrett but he was more than equal to the challenge on both occasions.

Ipswich comfortably saw out the remainder of the game as their visitors succumbed to their fifth defeat in six matches.

Jewell felt his side were good value for their victory, but accused his players of lacking ruthlessness.

“We fully deserved to win but I was a little disappointed we didn’t kill them off,” said Jewell.

“We should have been out of sight, having missed three or four gilt-edged chances when it was 1-0.

“We had two one-on-ones with the goalkeeper and failed to hit the target.

“We get a little bit cocky when things are going well for us and because of that – our lack of ruthlessness and not being clinical enough – we nearly ended up paying the price.

“Sometimes we can be over-elaborate and complicate the game when there’s no need to.”

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Ipswich Town: Lee-Barrett, Edwards, Delaney, Smith, Cresswell, Emmanuel-Thomas (Stevenson 83), Leadbitter, Drury, Murphy, Martin, Chopra (Scotland 71). Unused substitutes: Wright, Bowyer, Sonko.

Barnsley: Button, Wiseman, Foster, McNulty, Golbourne, Cotterill, Dawson, Smith (O’Brien 78), Done (Higginbotham 37), Davies, Gray (Nouble 66). Unused substitutes: Lidakevicius, Collins.

Referee: P Gibbs (West Midlands).