A preview of Friday night's South Yorkshire derby from 7.15pm at Oakwell.
INJURY NEWS
Barnsley: Doubts: Sam Cosgrove (back), Barry Cotter.
Rotherham: Out: Jamie McCart (calf). Doubts: Mallik Wilks (hamstring), Jonson Clarke-Harris (hamstring).
OPPOSITION VIEW
Paul Davis, Rotherham Advertiser
It’s a huge game for Rotherham who are in need of a win to calm the unease caused by a disappointing League One start and the manner of the home loss to League Two Cheltenham Town in the first round of the FA Cup last weekend.
At their best, the Millers are a match for any side, other than Birmingham City, in the third tier, but they’ve shown their top form only in flashes.
Their aim is to get to the January window in touch with the play-off places.
REFEREE
Thomas Kirk
The referee is also chief executive of Yorkshire-based estate agent Preston Baker.
Kirk’s only Barnsley games were both at Oakwell last season.
He oversaw the EFL Cup game against Tranmere, which they lost on penalties, then the league defeat to Exeter City – with no real focus on the official either time.
KEY BATTLES
DAVIS KEILLOR-DUNN V CAMERON DAWSON
Goalkeeper Dawson thwarted Barnsley at Wembley last year, making several important saves in Sheffield Wednesday’s play-off final win. He made an error for Cheltenham’s opener on Saturday.
With Jamie McCart – who spent last season at Oakwell on loan from Rotherham – out injured, the Millers’ centre-backs are likely to be Cameron Humphreys and Zak Jules, although Sean Raggett is also an option.
Keillor-Dunn has netted three goals in his last four games and is looking confident and dangerous. He started on the left of a front three in a 3-4-3 in the previous two games but has been better when used in a front two with Stephen Humphrys.
LUCA CONNELL V HAKEEM ODOFFIN
Barnsley are expected to return to a midfield three, which the Millers have been using all season.
Odoffin is in the top five in the division this season for most tackles and has captained the side recently. He was considered one of Rotherham’s better players in their recent Championship spell but his form has dipped recently. He has been playing alongside Ivorian Christ Tiehi and Joe Powell who impressed previously against the Reds for Burton Albion.
Their other options include 34-year-olds Liam Kelly and Alex MacDonald.
Connell – who has had the most shots out of the box in the division – has been more attacking this year, with two goals and four assists along with some of most chances created in the league. He has played alongside in-form Jon Russell in a midfield two recently but they may be joined by fit-again top-scorer Adam Phillips in a central three, with Connell back to playing the anchor role.
JOSH EARL V JOE HUNGBO
Ex-Red Mallik Wilks, pictured, who has four goals for the Millers this season, is likely to miss the match due to an injury.
That means that former Crystal Palace and Watford winger Hungbo, who is on loan from Nurnberg in Germany, could line up on the right of a front three and take on Earl who is set to return to the left of Barnsley’s league defence following his ban against Shrewsbury.
Earl has a lot of impressive attributes defensively and on the ball but has made errors including one at Port Vale on Saturday.
He is set to be joined in a back three by Marc Roberts – who scored the last time fans watched this fixture live in 2016 and Barnsley won 4-0 – and Mael de Gevigney who has played every minute of the Reds’ last 51 league matches.
BEN KILLIP V SAM NOMBE
Striker Nombe excelled for Exeter against Barnsley who wanted to sign him last year but he joined then Championship Rotherham for around £1milllion. He has just six league goals in 55 games, half of which have come this season along with two assists.
Odoffin and Nombe are in the top ten for the players with a poor goals record relative to their xG. In other words, they have missed some big chances.
Nombe has been caught offside more than any other player in the division while Rotherham as a team have by far the most offsides this season.
Prolific League One striker Jonson Clarke-Harris, who rejoined Rotherham this summer, has been out injured but is thought to have a chance of returning to the bench. They also have Jordan Hugill who has never scored in 11 meetings with Barnsley.
Killip made a fine save at Port Vale on Saturday but this could be his toughest test since taking over as number one goalkeeper.
PREVIOUS MEETINGS
Reds 0, Millers 1 – March 21, 1969
Rotherham’s last win at Oakwell in the league. The home side were without Eric Winstanley for this Friday night fixture then his usual defensive partner Pat Howard was forced off with an injury. Lee Brogden got the goal after a defensive error. United also won at Oakwell in 1952 and 1953 plus in the League Cup in 1970.
Reds 1, Millers 0 – April 28, 1981
Norman Hunter’s Barnsley secured promotion to the second tier with this win over their local rivals. The team featured Mick McCarthy, Derrick Parker, Trevor Aylott, Stewart Barraclough and Ronnie Glavin who scored the first half goal which sent the hosts up with a game to spare.
Reds 1, Millers 0 – April 24, 2021
The behind-closed-doors win that secured a place in the Championship play-offs for Barnsley. It was decided by a controversial opener in the second minute when Carlton Morris headed in from close-range while his elbow made contact with goalkeeper Viktor Johansson’s face and the stopper had to be taken off. Rotherham, who would be relegated that season, were playing their sixth game in 14 days due to Covid-related postponements earlier in the season but were the better side. Valerien Ismael said his team were ‘really, really poor’ as they had to rely on their goalkeeper Brad Collins making several good saves. But Swansea’s draw with Reading the following day secured a place in the second tier play-offs.
It was their last win under Ismael and they only managed six in the league the following season as they were relegated.
The Reds had also won 2-1 at the New York Stadium earlier that season in the final game of 2020.
