Analysis of Barnsley's 3-0 win at Crawley Town. Donovan Pines' opener and an Adam Phillips brace did the damage in the first half.

REDS EASE MEMORIES OF 2015 THRASHING

ZED FC, based in Giza, lost the Egypt Cup final on Friday.

One of their staff, Mark Burton, may have been cheered up the following day when he saw that his hometown club Barnsley had annihilated the side who beat them 5-1 on Valentine’s Day 2015 when he was in caretaker charge.

That loss almost a decade ago, on the Reds’ only previous trip to the Sussex club, was one of the worst defeats in their recent history but this game was surely one of their more dominant wins.

The away end – 847-strong which is more than double the number who were given apology refunds in 2015 – had a great day out, chanting the name of Darrell Clarke and being noisy throughout.

The result took Barnsley above Crawley in the early table with seven points from four matches - a reasonable return despite the opening day loss then the collapse against Northampton.

Barnsley have won the first two away games of a league season for the first time since 2018/19 while they kept back to back clean sheets for the first time since October.

The win capped a good few days for the Reds after beating Sheffield United in the cup and bringing in forwards on deadline day.

Clarke has now won his last seven league meetings with Crawley.

PASSING SIDE DESTROYED BY BARNSLEY’S PRESSING

Before the game, against a newly-promoted side who stick rigidly to a possession-based style and were inexperienced at this level, it seemed like one the Reds could have a field day in, with their pressing, if they got it right.

So it proved with a very impressive Barnsley side dispossessing their naive hosts countless times in the first half including for both Adam Phillips’ goals and various chances.

Crawley’s team had barely any experience above League One while seven of them had not played at that level before this season.

Their matchday squad contained players signed from non-league clubs Wealdstone, Cheshunt, Brackley, Cray Valley Paper Mills and St Albans City.

Perhaps in their promotion from League Two and their decent start to this season they have not encountered a side with the power, pressing ability and swift counter attacks this Barnsley team possess.

It was shocking that Crawley kept playing out from the back, and losing the ball, until going slightly more direct in a more sedate second half after the first was one of the most one-sided contests imaginable.

Barnsley could have won by double the eventual scoreline.

The rampant Reds hit the post twice with home goalkeeper Jojo Wollacott – the only Crawley man to come out with much credit – making a series of good saves to keep the score down.

Crawley barely attacked for the first hour then only had a shot on target in the 90th minute.

Most teams will not be as bad as Crawley who play into Barnsley’s hands as much but it is a positive day for the team and an impressive performance.

PINES CONTINUES IMPRESSIVE GOALS RECORD

As well as being pressed into oblivion, Crawley were also bullied at set pieces.

Donovan Pines opened the scoring with a towering header from Corey O’Keeffe’s left-wing corner.

Pines now has four goals in just seven starts for the Reds, a record most strikers would be proud of.

Pines came back into the back three, as Marc Roberts was dropped to the bench, showing how strong Barnsley’s options are.

O’Keeffe made his first league start since the opening day of the season, as a right-footed left wing-back with Georgie Gent benched. He took his opportunity with some excellent set piece deliveries while he was involved in some of the pressing and counter-attacks, popping up all over the pitch.

The Reds look a real threat from set pieces this season, having already scored several goals from them. Player/coach Conor Hourihane, who played in the 2015 loss at Crawley, has been working on the attacking set pieces, with great success.

PHILLIPS STARS WITH BRILLIANT BRACE

Phillips and Luca Connell staying at Barnsley beyond the summer window is as good news as any striker signing, even though the club insisted all along it would be the case.

They were part of a midfield, along with the fit-again Matty Craig, who were far too strong, fast, organised and skilful for the home side.

Phillips netted the second and third goal, taking him to three by the end of August after he had waited until at least November to open his account in his previous two Reds campaigns. Phillips said afterwards that he felt fitter than at the start of other seasons while he is being given freedom by playing in front of two more defensive-minded players.

He also won the corner for the opener then hit the post before scoring.

Given that he is also taking penalties this season, he is potentially an outside bet to be the top-scorer in the division if he remains on this form and stays fit.

His first goal was at the end of a good team move. Aiden Marsh won the ball off the hosts – who were then totally out of position – following a throw-in near halfway then Craig played it to Phillips who swapped passes with Connell and was clean though. He beat the goalkeeper with a cool finish into the bottom right corner.

The second goal saw him intercept Panutche Camara’s terrible pass and jink past a tackle into the box before being tripped by Joy Mukena, then he put his penalty straight down the middle.

REDS RUN RIOT WITHOUT MOST OF THEIR STRIKERS

One of the things that made this win most impressive was that Barnsley did it without almost all the players who look set to be their main strikers for this season.

The idea a few months ago that Barnsley would start with a strike force of Max Watters and Kyran Lofthouse would have baffled many, as would finishing with Vimal Yoganathan up front.

But that was the case with new signings Davis Keillor-Dunn and Stephen Humphries unavailable and Sam Cosgrove injured, soon to be joined by Watters who limped off with a foot problem nine minutes into his return to the club where he made his name.

Marsh came on for Watters and put in another tireless, gutsy display – including playing a part in the second goal – then being singled out for praise by Clarke afterwards.

While Marsh – who has never started in League One – could not take the couple of half chances he had, he has done enough recently to stay as part of the senior forwards group going forward.

Kyran Lofthouse, a right wing-back who played up front on his first league start for the club, made some good runs and won the ball back.

He was replaced by teenage midfielder Yoganathan who made his league debut. The Wales youth international won some headers and was involved in decent moves, while hearing his name sung from the away end.

The Reds will be delighted to give Keillor-Dunn and Humphrys their debuts while hoping Cosgrove and Watters are not out for long, with Fabio Jalo also to come back. But those who filled in did a good job and showed promise.