Analysis from Barnsley's 1-1 draw at Wigan Athletic. Davis Keillor-Dunn's excellent opener was cancelled out after a late mix-up.
MORE KEILLOR-DUNN MAGIC
Wigan defender James Carragher had played against arguably the world’s best striker Robert Lewandowski in a World Cup qualifier against Poland five days before this game. But the Malta international and son of Jamie Carragher came up against Barnsley’s Davis Keillor-Dunn who scored the latest and best in a series of goals this season which any forward in the world would be proud of.
Carragher Senior - the former Liverpool and England defender - was watching from the stands on Saturday and will scarcely have seen a better strike even in his role as a pundit for Sky Sports.
The free-kick, from almost 30 yards, curled away from Wigan’s highly-rated England under 21 goalkeeper Sam Tickle who is a major reason why the Latics had the best defensive record outside the top six.
Barnsley were initially angry with the referee that he gave the free-kick for a foul on Jon Russell when they were pouring forward on the counter-attack. But seconds later they were celebrating in front of their fans after Keillor-Dunn brilliantly found the top left corner.
It was his 15th goal of the season for the Reds, without which they would likely have joined Wigan in hovering just above the relegation zone. With the Reds likely to sell this summer, according to their chairman, he will surely be hard to keep hold of.
The early opener meant that Barnsley have now scored more from set pieces, with 14, than last season. But the regular goals from corners and free-kicks, which Conor Hourihane worked on when one of Darrell Clarke’s coaches, had dried up during the recent poor run and this was the first 13 games.
Barnsley are yet to win in five games in their pink third kit - which was sponsored this time by Matthew's a Friend-In-Me, a charity which supports families dealing with childhood cancer. But the two goals they have scored in it have been arguably the best of the season, with the other being Stephen Humphrys’ run from his own half at Cambridge in November.
MORE POINTS DROPPED DUE TO DREADFUL MIX-UP
If Barnsley’s goal was sublime, the one they conceded was ridiculous, with neither defender Mael de Gevigney or Kieren Flavell claiming a long ball which allowed Asamoah Junior to run towards an open goal and net.
De Gevigney, the more experienced of the pair, could have taken control of the situation by clearing early but it was a bewildering mix-up in which both could have done better.
Wigan, the lowest scorers in the division who began the game in 18th place, had barely threatened in the second half but were gifted a leveller by a Reds side who have struggled to see wins out and keep clean sheets all season.
The goal was the 21st conceded by the Reds after 75 minutes - the most in England - while their 19 points dropped from winning positions is the third most in the division.
Although it was a harrowing moment for Flavell on his second league start, he had a good game overall - making two big early saves and a sensational late stop when Wigan nearly won it.
HOURIHANE MAKING CHANGES BUT NOT WINNING YET
The draw meant the Reds were winless in five and had taken 12 points from their last 14 games.
They have collected seven points from their last eight away games, having previously excelled on the road. The last three away matches of the season look tricky as they visit runaway leaders Birmingham on Saturday then teams who still have a chance of the top six in Leyton Orient and Reading.
Interim boss Hourihane does seem to have brought some positivity back, as a club legend who has made honest decisions and given youngsters a chance. But ultimately his three games - against poor sides in the bottom half of the table - have yielded two points and the performances, although getting slightly better, have not been sparkling.
What he is trying to achieve must be underpinned by some wins soon.
Although they scored early, Barnsley were easily second best for 25 minutes as they - especially the returning Marc Roberts - looked shaky in defence and had to be saved by youngsters Jonathan Bland then Flavell. While they eventually cut out the errors and gained more control, they never took the next step to create chances for 2-0 which is vital for a team that cannot hold slender leads. They just didn’t do enough to win the game overall.
They were unlucky not to have a man advantage late on when Humphrys, who had just come on at his old club, was clearly pulled back by Jason Kerr as he went clean through just inside the Wigan half. But referee Seb Stockbridge - who sent off Charlie Hughes for a much less clear-cut last man challenge in the same fixture last season - only issued a yellow card.
BIG CALL TO DROP CONNELL AND PHILLIPS
Hourihane benched both Luca Connell and Adam Phillips.
It was a big call as both have been almost ever-presents when available across the last three seasons and, at their best, are among the top midfielders in the division.
But they have not been at their best for some time so the interim boss decided to freshen the 11 up.
Phillips was an unused substitute - like Jon Lewis despite scoring in the previous match - while captain Connell came on after 70 minutes and opened Wigan up with good passes.
Playing in a central midfield two were Jon Russell - who returned to the 11 - and Kelechi Nwakali who both had solid games.
Hourihane has tried to bring discipline back to the squad as well as a culture of getting what you deserve from performances and training rather than being a guaranteed pick. Leaving out those two regulars is a big statement, as is his focus on youth.
BLAND AND JALO MAKE FULL LEAGUE DEBUTS
Hourihane handed 19-year-old academy graduates Fabio Jalo and Bland their full league debuts.
Jalo made his first league start for the club, in his 44th appearance overall across two and a half years, having set a Barnsley record for 31 leagues games off the bench without starting. He played up front alongside Max Watters, with Keillor-Dunn just behind them, and was a lively presence without producing his best end product. He will be an annoyance for opposition fans due to his tendency to win free-kicks, usually for genuine fouls, with theatrical falls to the floor. Wigan supporters booed him for that and squaring up to goalkeeper Tickle.
Bland, who is actually a few weeks older than Jalo, played as a right wing-back but was ‘inverted’ as he often drifted into the middle to provide an extra body in midfield rather than flying down the flank. He looks a very tidy footballer, was involved in some fine moves, and made a crucial early tackle to deny the hosts a goal.
