Barnsley are due to travel to Bolton Wanderers on Boxing Day – a date on which they have not lost for a decade. Here we look back on their games since that last defeat on December 26 at Preston North End in 2014.
Reds 2, Blackburn 0. 2016
Barnsley’s Boxing Day game at Bury was called off in 2015 but, the following year, they had been promoted and won at home in the Championship.
Sam Winnall headed home a cross by Conor Hourihane – with both players set to be sold the following month.
Darragh Lenihan was sent off for a foul on Sam Morsy before Marley Watkins secured the win late on for the Reds who were just below the play-offs.
Reds 0, Preston 0. 2017
Paul Heckingbottom’s Barnsley were nine games into a ten-match winless run. It was a fourth successive home game in which the Reds failed to score. Harvey Barnes and Stevie Mallan came close late on.
Reds 2, Peterborough 0. 2018
Daniel Stendel’s Barnsley were at the start of a 20-game unbeaten run which would help them get promotion from League One and midway through an unbeaten home season. Alex Mowatt opened the scoring after fine work by Dimitri Cavare then, on the stroke of half-time, Cauley Woodrow netted a magnificent 30-yard strike. The Reds leapfrogged their visitors into fifth.
Reds 1, West Bromwich Albion 1. 2019
Aapo Halme scored a 90th-minute leveller for Gerhard Struber’s side against the Championship leaders. Sami Radlinger had gifted the visitors a goal in the fifth minute when his poor clearance went straight to Filip Krovinovic who lobbed the goalkeeper.
Reds 2, Huddersfield 1. 2020
Barnsley were on excellent form under Valerien Ismael, who would eventually take them into the Championship play-offs. This was the latest in a series of 2-1 wins after falling behind. Rarmani Edmonds-Green scored early but Michal Helik levelled almost immediately then the Polish defender – who now plays for the Terriers – found a 94th-minute winner. Barnsley’s Boxing Day game at home to Stoke City in 2021 was postponed due to Covid-19 cases in the Potters’ camp.
Accrington Stanley 1, Reds 1. 2022
Barnsley’s first away game on Boxing Day for eight years.
Michael Duff’s side, looking for a sixth straight league win, took the lead on eight minutes through James Norwood. But referee Rebecca Welch controversially awarded a penalty against Liam Kitching for handball and turned down some spot-kick shouts for the visitors.
Port Vale 2, Reds 3. 2023
Barnsley raced into a 3-0 lead before half-time with all the goals coming in a 20-minute period. Adam Phillips headed in the opener then John McAtee – who is due to face Barnsley this Boxing Day with Bolton – scored a brace, with the second a magnificent long-range lob.
But the hosts, who would be relegated, were much-improved in the second half and pulled two back against a rocking Barnsley side.
