Analysis of Barnsley's 3-1 win at Peterborough United on Sunday. The Reds went 2-0 up early in the second half through Donovan Pines and Davis Keillor-Dunn then, after the hosts scored a penalty but had a man sent off, Jon Russell sealed the win.
FANTASTIC RESPONSE IN POST-CHRISTMAS GAMES
A WEEK before this game, the idea of Barnsley winning at Bolton and Peterborough would have been almost laughable.
But the Reds’ response to their 4-0 capitulation at home to Leyton Orient has been excellent. Head coach Darrell Clarke brought the players in the next day to clear the air but then focused on staying positive, giving them Christmas Day off as usual with the hope they would pay him back. They certainly did with two wins - making the Orient performance look like the anomaly.
Clarke has shown great leadership and, along with his players and stuff, a huge amount of character. If they achieve something this season, this week might be seen as the turning point.
The win at London Road was their eighth on the road this season - on course to beat last season’s club record of 12 - and meant they had 25 away points compared to 11 at Oakwell, where they simply need to improve starting with a huge New Year's Day game with Wrexham.
DESERVED WIN OVER STRUGGLING POSH
Barnsley deserved this win as they were on top for much of the game. They had 15 shots to Peterborough’s three and seven of the eight corners.
They were the better side for the first 29 minutes, regularly on the attack – with Max Watters missing a big chance – while the hosts could barely get forward. But, from the moment Donovan Pines gifted the hosts a huge opportunity and was bailed out by his goalkeeper, the Reds lost their way and became sloppy on the ball with Posh finishing the half the stronger.
Then Barnsley scored twice during an excellent start to the second half but had another poor spell, including a penalty conceded by Conor McCarthy for a push on Emmanuel Fernandez after the Reds failed to clear a series of set pieces. A red card nine minutes later for substitute Harley Mills for a wild tackle on Corey O’Keeffe killed any Peterborough momentum then a superb third away goal finished the hosts off.
This result left Posh 13 points off the top six in 18th position, with 12 losses.
They are struggling far more than Barnsley after they both lost in play-off semi-finals in May. Posh sold star men like Harrison Burrows, Ronnie Edwards and Ephron Mason-Clark to Championship clubs while Kwame Poku, who has ten goals and five assists, is out for three months with an injury. They have the youngest squad in the division, averaging just 22.
THREE DIFFERENT BUT HIGH-QUALITY GOALS
Barnsley scored three impressive goals in different ways.
Although it was against the side who had conceded the most goals in the division this season, the Reds showed quality.
If anyone not at that game heard Donovan Pines had opened the scoring, they may have assumed it was a towering header from the huge centre-back.
But, after a scramble in the box from a long throw, it was actually a clever finish from a tight angle on the right of the box, curling into the bottom left corner.
‘Where’s the big fella got that from?’ said a chuckling Clarke at full-time.
It was the American’s fifth goal for the club while the win meant the Reds had taken 30 points from 15 league games when he has started, compared to 23 in 23 when he hasn’t, since his debut.
The second goal saw Corey O’Keeffe play a low left-wing corner to Davis Keillor-Dunn who had run around the back of the crowd of players in the box to the front post where he was unmarked and could fire into the bottom right corner. It was the in-form striker’s third goal in four games and Barnsley’s 12th set piece goal of the season which followed their clever free-kick winner at Bolton. Darrell Clarke said afterwards that coach Conor Hourihane and analyst Ed Davies had looked at Posh’s defending from corners at half-time and instructed the players to carry out that routine.
The third goal was more a case of individual genius as Jon Russell smashed in a superb 25-yard shot after a good run. It was a goal of the season contender by Russell who won the ball just inside the Posh half.
GOOD PERFORMANCES THROUGHOUT
There were many other good performances.
Ben Killip had had a tough week but made a crucial point blank save from Malik Mothersille at 0-0 following a mistake by Pines.
O’Keeffe registered his fifth league assist of the season, which is the third most in the division, while he also has two in cups.
Barry Cotter made his first start in the league since the loss at Huddersfield almost three months earlier, after which Clarke made a series of changes to training, formations and personnel including sidelining the Irishman who was barely getting on the bench before some positive recent cameos earned him a start.
He came in for Georgie Gent - who was rested during a busy spell - and played as a right-footed left wing-back, producing a solid performance.
Luca Connell was the best player on the pitch in the first half an hour, which the Reds dominated, as he played some excellent passes to set up chances. Clarke’s decision not to start Kelechi Nwakali was justified.
Mael de Gevigney completed an entire calendar year in which he played every league minute. Going further back, he has done so in 60 games across 15 months.
EXCELLENT END TO MIXED YEAR
2024 has not been the easiest year for Barnsley. Other clubs may be envious of their play-off campaign last season and their position now.
But they collected 70 points across the year compared to 88 in 2023, while their six wins at Oakwell in the league – two since February – is a shameful statistic.
They have also sacked another head coach and lost a series of proven players at this level, with their replacements having mixed success.
Their halfway tally of 36 points is down on the 42 and 40 they had in the last two seasons. But they will look to get stronger as the campaign progresses and certainly avoid the collapse at the end of last season.
With some key injuries, tough-looking games and signings needed in January, December needed to be a month of damage limitation - and their three wins in the final four games kept them within a point and place of the top six. The two wins this week will certainly build confidence that they can compete for promotion.
