If at first you don't succeed try and try again. Just ask Ipswich - it works.
After four seasons of being the bridesmaids in the First Division play-offs
the Suffolk side were finally led into the Premiership after a thriller at
Wembley.
They almost threw it all away after a spirited final 13 minutes from Barnsley
who let an early lead slip to trail 3-1 before Craig Hignett added to his sixth
minute wonder goal from the spot to set up a tense finish.
But any fears Town boss George Burley might have had as the clock ran down
evaporated when substitute Martijn Reuser strode away in the final minute of
normal time to make it 4-2 and end any comeback hopes.
The game had it all with Barnsley left to rue a penalty miss from Darren
Barnard that would have given them a 2-1 lead at the break - but on the day
Ipswich deserved to be joining the elite next season.
Within seconds of the kick-off the blue half of the stadium were on their feet
looking for a penalty as David Johnson collided with Barnsley keeper Kevin
Miller but referee Terry Heilbron awarded a goal-kick.
Ipswich looked to be the more positive of the two as the Tykes held back
cautiously - mindful of their two defeats already at Town's hands this season -
but almost struck gold on their first foray forward.
Semi-final hero Bruce Dyer worked his way behind the Ipswich defence and to
the by-line and managed to cut the ball back to striker partner Neil Shipperley,
who was only thwarted by a timely block.
If that was a half chance then they hit the jackpot moments later when who
else but Hignett stunned the Suffolk side with a goal that deserved to be scored
on such a stage as Wembley.
Picking the ball up just inside the Ipswich half, the former Middlesbrough man
took a couple of touches to steady himself before unleashing a ferocious,
dipping strike that flew over keeper Richard Wright's head, hitting the bar and
going in of the hapless England hopeful's back.
All credit to Hignett for having the vision and sheer audacity to attempt such
a stunt.
The goal settled Barnsley into their game with Dyer and Shipperley working
tirelessly in attack and Hignett probing behind them but Ipswich looked fluent
in their passing and were always a danger.
Jamie Clapham fired their first real chance tamely wide and it looked like
Barnsley who would take advantage with Shipperley and Hignett not too far away
with curling efforts from the edge of the box. The omens looked even worse for
Ipswich boss George Burley when he was forced into a reshuffle when Johnson came
off injured on 22 minutes, Richard Naylor replacing him.
But the footballing gods had reserved a smile for the Scotsman five minutes
later when Clapham picked up a loose clearance from Jim Magilton's corner before
handing his colleague a second chance at a cross.
Magilton wasn't going to waste his second bite at the cherry and delivered a
teasing centre onto which old warhorse Tony Mowbray rose like a man half his age
to power a header past Miller.
Now it was game on as Ipswich upped the tempo and restricted Barnsley to
defending deep inside their own half.
They almost paid the price after another scything move from Burley's side cut
through their rearguard.
Naylor intelligently fed Marcus Stewart with a tidy square ball and Stewart in
turn teed up skipper Matt Holland for the shot which Miller parried.
Stewart was first to the rebound and was again thwarted by a combination of
Miller and defender Keith Brown who was quickest to react and scoop the ball
away from Naylor who was coiled like a cobra and ready to strike.
The drama continued to come thick and fast and just a minute before the break
referee Heilbron had Town fans up in arms after awarding the Tykes a spot-kick,
adjudging that Wright had brought down Hignett.
In truth Hignett looked to have gone to ground without any help from the
keeper after touching the ball past the Portman Road number one.
Justice looked to have been done however when Welsh international Barnard
stepped up from the spot but shot tamely at Wright who went down to his right
and pushed the ball to safety.
As south Yorkshire agonised at the other end Heilbron, officiating his last
match, signalled the end of 45 frenetic minutes.
The second half had a lot to live up to but didn't disappoint with Holland
firing narrowly wide after Eric Tinkler's half-hearted clearance and Dyer
causing yet more problems for the Ipswich defence but not connecting fully with
his volley 10 yards out.
Like two boxers slugging it out toe-to-toe Ipswich went straight back up the
other end and when Stewart flicked on the long ball Naylor had stolen a yard on
the static Tykes' defence and flicked the ball over a despairing Miller for the
lead and maybe a foot in the Premiership door.
It could have been three when Jermaine Wright stole in ahead of Brown and was
unlucky to see his shot go the wrong side of the post.
It was only a stay of execution for Dave Bassett's men as more poor defending
looked to have put an end to their promotion hopes.
Naylor, inspirational since his introduction, brought down a long punt forward
and released Clapham who crossed first time for £2.75million record signing
Stewart who again got ahead of Brown and steered a glancing header into the
net.
Mowbray almost added a second as the red shirts looked to have given up the
ghost when he was again up the highest only to head wide and go down clutching
his knee in the process.
Bassett's hopes of a record eighth promotion looked to have evaporated as he
replaced Tinkler with Geoff Thomas and Dyer with Macedonian striker Georgi
Hristov with 27 minutes remaining.
Barnard looked to make amends for his failure from 12 yards with a trademark
rocket from double that distance that had Wright worrying at his near post.
Shipperley looked to reduce the arrears with a low strike but it was too close
to Wright who was down early save and Ipswich looked home and dry.
But football isn't like that, life on the pitch is never that simple so it may
have been out of the blue but in the tradition of this fixture it was no
surprise when another twist occurred.
Thomas turned in the area and lifted the ball over the head of Mowbray who
left his leg in and caught the Barnsley man and Heilbron had an easier decision
to make this time in pointing to the spot.
Hignett duly stepped up and took the lifeline with both hands, smashing the
ball past Wright to set up a frantic final 13 minutes.
It was time to throw the kitchen sink at Ipswich for Barnsley and when Nicky
Eaden whipped in his cross Hristov connected with power on his header to bring
out a brilliant reaction save from Wright.
Ipswich were hanging on for dear life but mustered one last surge of
inspiration when Naylor recovered his footing to release Reuser just inside the
Barnsley half and the Dutchman kept his composure to hammer the ball into the
net and settle the game.
All that was left was for Ipswich skipper Holland to climb the famous Wembley
steps for the last time in a domestic fixture in the shadows of the famous Twin
Towers and kick-start the celebrations.
Teams:
Barnsley: Miller, Curtis (Eaden 71), Morgan, Chettle, Brown,
Barnard, Tinkler (Thomas 60), Hignett, Appleby,
Dyer (Hristov 64), Shipperley.
Subs Not Used: Sheron, Jones.
Booked: Appleby.
Goals: R. Wright 6 og, Hignett 78 pen.
Ipswich: R. Wright, Croft, McGreal, Mowbray, Venus, Clapham,
Holland, Magilton, J. Wright (Wilnis 90), Johnson (Naylor 22),
Stewart (Reuser 83).
Subs Not Used: Brown, Branagan.
Booked: Naylor.
Goals: Mowbray 28, Naylor 52, Stewart 58, Reuser 90.
Att: 73,427
Ref: T Heilbron (Newton Aycliffe).
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