A quick-fire brace from Jon Stead was enough to maintain Ipswich's play-off surge and continue Barnsley's steady decline towards the Championship relegation zone.

The former Sheffield United man fired his side in front after just seven minutes with a neat low shot underneath Heinz Muller.

And he doubled their lead two minutes later, taking advantage of a defensive error to bundle the ball home from close range.

Barnsley did improve after the break and were given a lifeline when Daniel Bogdanovic celebrated his first start for the club with a goal two minutes after the break.

But in truth the home side were outplayed for large portions of the match and never really looked like levelling matters.

The Tractor Boys, who remain unbeaten away from home in the league in 2009, will look to this hard-fought victory as proof that they are capable of mounting a strong play-off push.

Ipswich carved open the first chance of the match after two minutes when, after an intelligent knock down from Stead, Alan Quinn sent a volley just wide of the post from the edge of the area.

The hosts failed to take heed of the early warning and they found themselves behind in the seventh minute.

From a seemingly non-threatening situation the Reds defence allowed a cross into the front post and Kevin Lisbie squared the ball for Stead to slide under Heinz Muller.

And things went from bad to worse for Barnsley two minutes later when Stead grabbed his second following a mistake from Dennis Souza.

The Brazilian centre-back took too long to clear the ball allowing Stead to nip in and bundle the ball into the net from six yards.

Barnsley finally woke up after 10 minutes and Jon Macken stung the hands of Richard Wright with a instinctive volley from inside the area.

Diego Leon then tested Wright from long range but chances were too few and far between for the Reds with Town's well-drilled back line holding firm.

Ipswich almost put the match out of sight in the 32nd minute when, after more poor defending, Stead laid the ball to the unmarked David Norris but his curling shot was tipped round the post by Muller.

And the German stopper was again called into action just before the break when he pushed out Tommy Miller's shot.

Davey half-time team talk seemed to pay dividends as they pulled a goal back a minute into the second half through Bogdanovic.

The 28-year-old, who was largely ineffective in the first half, was first to react to a loose ball in the area before calmly side-footing the ball into the bottom corner.

The goal visibly lifted the home side and the Oakwell faithful, who urged their side on at every opportunity with Bobby Hassell going close moments later with a well-struck volley.

But the initial burst of Reds pressure failed to yield a second goal and the visitors quickly regained their composure with Quinn and Miller once again dictating play from the middle of the park.

Bogdanovic had half a chance to test Wright 10 minutes from time but his speculative curling effort sailed just over moments before he was replaced by Kayode Odejayi.

Teams

Barnsley Muller, Hassell, Moore, Guedes, Van Homoet,Campbell-Ryce, Leon (Butterfield 46), De Silva,Devaney (Rigters 77), Macken, Bogdanovic (Odejayi 82).

Subs Not Used: Steele, El Haimour.

Goals: Bogdanovic 47.

Ipswich Richard Wright, David Wright, Balkestein, Bruce,McAuley, Quinn, Norris, Miller, Walters (Counago 79),Lisbie (Haynes 90), Stead (Garvan 84).

Subs Not Used: Supple, Thatcher.

Goals: Stead 8, 10.

Att: 11,183

Ref: Carl Boyeson (E Yorkshire).