Conor Hourihane admitted he and the Barnsley players were ‘gutted’ after a sloppy late leveller saw them draw 1-1 at Wigan Athletic on Saturday.
Davis Keillor-Dunn scored a fine opener but a late mix-up allowed the hosts to level. The Reds are winless in five including three matches under interim boss Hourihane.
Hourihane said: “The boys gave me everything that they had again. We pressed well, created chances, played through them at times. While it’s just 1-0 you have a chance of conceding which happened the end.
“We just couldn’t get the second goal to kill it off. There are positives but obviously we want to win."
He added: “We want to win every game in this league, and we will try to. In the last two games there have been elements of what I am trying to do. The lads have been brilliant, took on board all the messages, and they are gutted just as much as me.”
Keillor-Dunn opened the scoring with a superb free-kick from about 30 yards into the top corner. Hourihane said: “It’s a top free-kick. You won’t score from open play every game so set pieces are a big part of it. It was a bit of magic. Credit to Davo for that.”
Keillor-Dunn added: “I have been working on free-kicks in training and doing a bit with the analysis team. I said to the boys I wanted to go under the wall but it was too far out. I just kept my head over it and tried to work the ‘keeper and luckily it curled away from him. It was a good settler with a couple of young lads in the team.”
The leveller came after a mix-up between young goalkeeper Kieren Flavell and defender Mael de Gevigney.
Hourihane said: “It was disappointing. Just deal with the long ball, and don’t let it get as far as it did. Flav made some great saves. He will be a little bit disappointed but it’s just was much Mael’s fault. I think Mael should probably deal with it but he was terrific in the game. You get disappointing moments in football and you have to get on with it.
“After they scored we responded well and had some opportunities which was pleasing.”
Hourihane thought Jason Kerr should have been sent off for taking out Stephen Humphrys who was through on goal at 1-1.
“That was my biggest disappointment from the game. I thought it was a clear red. I know Seb (Stockbridge, the referee) and he’s been good over the years but when he looks back he will probably know he got that wrong. He thought Humphs was too far from goal but he was away and he’s quick. There was a recovering player but he was six or seven yards deeper and never getting back. You get some and don’t get some.”
Flavell continued in goal while fellow academy players Jonathan Bland and Fabio Jalo started in the league for the first time. Hourihane said: “They deserved it and played well. “Fabs has got quality. We got Blandy into the middle of the pitch and he received the ball well. If they turn up on time and train well they will get opportunities. It’s a massive opportunity for them. I looked at how we could freshen it up and who do we have in the academy who is good enough. Those three have done really well.”
