Analysis of Barnsley's 1-1 draw with Cambridge United on Saturday. Jonathan Lewis levelled for the Reds in injury-time.

CHANCE FOR RARE WIN MISSED

Cambridge have played the Christmas tree formation, 4-3-2-1, this season and they should have been a gift-wrapped opponent for Barnsley and their interim boss Conor Hourihane.

The Us arrived second-bottom, 13 points off safety, having lost the last four games and with the worst away record in the division plus a far worse injury crisis than the Reds’.

It was a huge chance to generate some much-needed positivity with a win under a popular new boss who was welcomed onto the pitch by warm applause while the atmosphere in general seemed more supportive than under Darrell Clarke if still flat overall.

Hourihane had started his spell in charge with a game at the worst form team in the division, Mansfield, then faced a side who look certain to be relegated. It could not have been more favourable but one point from two games is a disappointing return.

Hourihane faced Nigel Clough, who had managed in more than 1,000 games, in his first match as a manager and then his second was against Neil Harris who is approaching 500 fixtures in the dugout across more than a decade, and was seconds away from a sixth straight win over Barnsley.

It has not been a glowing audition so far but Hourihane is trying to pick up the pieces from a failed promotion bid which has clearly drained morale while also building for the future by blooding youngsters. His changes made a difference and the late comeback at least stopped the losing run extending to four games while it gave him something positive to focus on and build on.

NO SIDE HAS CONCEDED MORE AT HOME

Barnsley have won five of 19 home games this season, with only Burton Albion winning fewer in League One.

The only other 46-game seasons in which they won just five home games in their history were the last three relegations from the Championship in 2021/22, 2017/18 and 2013/14.

They have four home matches left against Exeter, Bolton, Peterborough and Shrewsbury from which surely need at least a couple of wins to placate their long-suffering fans.

No side has conceded more on their own turf in League One this season than Barnsley with 30 - only Plymouth shipping more in the EFL - while just the bottom four have fewer home points.

Home and away, they have taken just 11 points from their last 13 games and slipped down a place to 11th - with promotion no longer even talked about.

REDS START SLOW BUT DESERVE LEVELLER

Barnsley had 74 per cent possession, 17 shots to Cambridge’s four and 400 more of both touches and passes than their visitors.

But they did not really impress for most of the game, looking laborious on the ball and disjointed in general especially for the first hour. The weather was grim and the football was not much better. There was even a rare foul throw by the otherwise solid Conor McCarthy.

They had had a full week to prepare under Hourihane but lacked urgency and creativity in the first half and the start of the second.

They were better when they changed to a back four and brought on wide players willing to run at defenders - which Hourihane hinted was how he would like to see this team play in the long-term.

They applied significant pressure in the final half an hour, showed character to keep going until the end and deserved to level.

A lot of their mainstay players underperformed as has happened frequently this season. Many look shadows of their former selves as they come to terms with missing out on the play-offs.

Max Watters at least set up two big chances with clever headers, from searching passes by Mael de Gevigney.

Davis Keillor-Dunn lacked his usual magic in attack, missing a huge chance, but saved his side from going 2-0 down with a sliding interception during a goalmouth scramble then hit the bar late on. Midfielder Kelechi Nwakali came in for Jon Russell and was hit and miss with his passing, while Luca Connell struggled again in a more advanced role.

AMERICANS CRUCIAL TO BOTH GOALS

Americans playing for Barnsley played key roles in both goals.

For Cambridge’s opener, a long ball should have been dealt with by Donovan Pines but he headed straight to Dom Ballard who played through James Brophy to put the ball through Kieren Flavell‘s legs. That seemed to deflate Barnsley and allowed Cambridge to drop deep and defend for 1-0 which very nearly worked. It was midfielder Brophy’s first goal in 160 league games across more than three years.

Pines - back from injury in place of the concussed Marc Roberts - looked suspect when attackers ran with him one-on-one and, although he won nearly every header, he sent them in strange directions like when he nodded a corner across the face of his own goal.

Jonathan Lewis levelled in injury-time, turning home a few yards out at the back post after meeting a right-wing cross from Fabio Jalo.

It was a good run and finish by the American on his third substitute appearance after signing as a free agent last month then missing games through injury. They have conceded far too many late goals this season so to score one was a refreshing change.

YOUNG TRIO IMPRESS

Three young academy graduates were the main positives for Barnsley with Hourihane hinting afterwards that he would play them in the final games over their underperforming older colleagues.

Fabio Jalo came off the bench for his first appearance in almost four months since a loss at Wrexham on December 3, following surgery on a shoulder problem which dogged him throughout what had looked set to be his breakthrough season.

There was no rust from his spell on the sidelines as he immediately changed Barnsley’s attacking threat, beating defenders with his direct running and skill while he could have won a penalty before ultimately assisting the leveller. He caused the most problems for a defence including Michael Morrison who made his professional debut for Cambridge before Jalo was born.

The 19-year-old certainly made a strong case to make the first league start of his career at Wigan next weekend, having made 31 substitute appearances off the bench without starting which is a club record.

In goal was Kieren Flavell who made his first league start after impressing off the bench a week before. The 21-year-old did not look nervous as his first touch saw him play a fine crossfield pass out to the wing. He was not tested much but made a good save from Elias Kachunga not long before the equaliser.

Jonathan Bland, 19, despite being a central midfielder by trade, put in a good shift at right wing-back and impressed with his passing, engine as well as battling qualities.

Bland came on after 20 minutes for Josh Benson who suffered the latest in a series of injuries which have ruined his Barnsley career. He had just returned to the starting 11 for the first time in a season and a half, scoring last week, but now might spend the remaining few weeks of his contract in the physio room.