Paul Heckingbottom is expecting a tough game tomorrow against an experienced Ipswich Town side managed by fellow Barnsley man Mick McCarthy.

McCarthy began his career at his hometown club and was a lifelong friend of Oakwell legend Norman Rimmington then made a speech at his funeral in January.

Heckingbottom said: "It was brilliant and summed up how everyone was feeling at the time. Rimmo's family were over the moon that Mick had spoken and they were touched by what he said. It showed a lot about Mick as a man and his relationship with the town and club. He was a great player for Barnsley.

"Mick is one of many who has been really good with me in my coaching career. He's someone I look up to.  He knows his way around this league better than anyone.

"Ipswich are a tough, strong, well-organised side who haven't lost for a long time, although they have had lots of draws. Their results have picked up since they changed their shape (to 3-5-2).  They have been in this division longer than anyone and they know how to compete and win games."

McCarthy's men beat Heckingbottom's side 4-2 on the opening day of this season with Grant Ward coming off the bench to score a hat-trick on his debut. The Reds boss said: "After that game I said we wouldn't be a pretty team that loses games and that has been our mantra. The players brought that up again after QPR on Tuesday (a 2-1 defeat).  We have honed tiny little details throughout the season against a higher quality of player than in League One."

Ipswich are 16th, six points and five places below the Reds. They are unbeaten in seven matches since January but six of those results have been draws including the last five. Tuesday's 0-0 stalemate at home to McCarthy's former club Wolves ended a run of four successive 1-1 results.

They are the third lowest scorers in the league on their travels with 13 goals in 17 matches on the road while they have only managed a goal per game all season home or away. Barnsley have not won any of their last eight meetings with the Suffolk club, losing three and drawing five.

Their last win over Ipswich was a 3-1 success at Portman Road in 2010 while the last time Town lost at Oakwell was in 2009 when Jon Macken's last-minute winner secured a 2-1 success.

Since then Ipswich have drawn three of their games at Barnsley and won the other 5-3 on Sky in December 2011. They have scored on each of their last seven trips to Oakwell.

Former Barnsley loanee Bartosz Bialkowski has impressed in goal for Ipswich this season but Oakwell academy graduate Paul Digby has been out with injury after making six appearances this campaign.

Barnsley have only won one of their last seven home matches while no Championship side have conceded more goals in their own stadium this season.

This is the first game in an East Anglian double header as Barnsley next visit Ipswich's bitter rivals Norwich City, also managed by a former Reds player in Alex Neil. That is the last game before the two-week international break.