Analysis of Barnsley's 2-1 home defeat to Exeter City on Tuesday. After Stephen Humphrys cancelled out an early away goal, the visitors were gifted the victory by a late Mael de Gevigney error.
ANOTHER TOUGH NIGHT AT OAKWELL
‘WE JUST want the season to finish now’ was the general mood of the disconsolate Barnsley fans who filed past the press box after another night of misery at Oakwell ended with a disastrous late winner for the visitors.
They Reds have taken just 12 points from 15 games, and are winless in six – with no side collecting fewer points from their last six than Barnsley’s two – while their prospects are looking bleak for a victory in the next few fixtures as they face leaders Birmingham then promotion-chasing Bolton and Leyton Orient.
If they do not win any of those three, they will be on a longer winless run than the eight straight defeats suffered in 2015 when current interim head coach Conor Hourihane was a player.
The lowest finish in the Football League since 2003 – 13th, two places below where they are now – is looking increasingly possible.
They are now looking just as poor away as at home but the numbers at Oakwell really stand out.
The Reds have won five of their 20 home games this season, and taken 26 points from 26 League One games there across 13 months since February last year.
They have conceded the most goals at home in the division this season with 32 while their final goals against tally at Oakwell is likely to be one of the highest in their history, unless they significantly improve against promotion-chasing Bolton, mid-table Peterborough and Shrewsbury, who may be relegated when they visit.
A couple of wins in those fixtures would cheer supporters up before the summer but we are past the point now when a late flourish could mask the fact that this has been one of the most soul-destroying campaigns to be an Oakwell match-goer.
The official attendance on Tuesday was announced as 10,092 but looked far lower with larger than usual gaps in the stands where season ticket holders had stayed away as apathy has clearly taken a real hold of the fanbase for understandable reasons.
Sometimes, the loudest noise was the fast hand-clapping of Hourihane in the dugout every time he wanted to encourage his players to fight to win the ball back. But there is plenty of work to be done until the Reds are worthy of a real round of applause from those in the terraces.
It might also be worth noting that this game took place a year to the day since Barnsley fans in the away end at Burton Albion called for the sacking of Neill Collins when they were fifth and on their way to a club record 12th away win of the season. There were problems then, no doubt, but they have significantly increased since.
EXETER MAKE IT THREE IN A ROW AT BARNSLEY
Two seasons ago, Michael Duff called his side ‘lifeless and limp’ with: ‘no hunger, no energy, no quality’ after they lost at home to Exeter. Last season, following another defeat to the Grecians, Collins said his team were: ‘devoid of energy, enthusiasm and quality’ and ‘off it in every aspect of the game.’
This time, Hourihane was nowhere near as scathing but the Reds suffered a third straight home loss to their bogey side from Devon.
Exeter arrived in 17th, one of a cluster of clubs below the Reds but clear of the relegation zone, and having lost to second-placed Wrexham on Saturday which ended a six-game unbeaten run.
They took the lead, rode their luck at times in the second half then took advantage of a typical late Barnsley implosion.
There was no lack of commitment or attacking intent from the hosts.
Jon Russell played very high up the pitch alongside Davis Keillor-Dunn almost as two ‘number tens’ while centre-backs regularly charged forward out of position to help out in attack. They were trying everything to break down an obdurate opponent who had been given an early lead.
But, for most of the game, Barnsley just did not have enough quality and composure when they had the ball near Exeter’s goal and – even when they enjoyed a really strong spell after they scored – they missed a crucial chance to take the lead.
The Reds were flat and pedestrian in the first half, using a 3-4-1-2 formation, so Hourihane switched to a back four with Conor McCarthy at left-back, substitute Luca Connell holding in midfield plus Fabio Jalo and Stephen Humphrys either side of another half-time sub Max Watters.
It worked to an extent but all the not-so-greatest hits of this season were played again by the Reds – not being fully ruthless when on top, making mistakes at the back and fading late on.
DE GEVIGNEY’S HORRORSHOW WEEK
The Reds were playing well in the second half, looking untroubled defensively and the more likely winners.
But after receiving a right-wing throw-in from Corey O’Keeffe just outside his box in the 81st minute, Mael de Gevigney took a clumsy touch and was robbed by Josh Magennis who went through and beat Kieren Flavell from a tight angle.
It was a second crucial mistake in four days by the French defender, who was involved in a late mix-up for Wigan’s weekend equaliser.
He has generally been a solid performer for the Reds but has cost his team badly this week and there is surely a chance he could be dropped at the weekend. That may depend on whether Josh Earl is fit, which is thought to be unlikely, and if Hourihane wants to start with a back four or play either Donovan Pines or former Birmingham youngster Connor Barratt at his old club.
As a collective, the Reds have made far too many defensive mistakes all season, from nearly every player. It has been a massive problem which suggests a lack of focus and concentration plus, even worse, an absence of the consistent ability to perform at third tier level.
That was the 22nd goal they have conceded after 75 minutes this season, the most in English professional football, and it sucked all the belief out of the players and fans, with the home side never really looking like levelling.
The first goal was also poor as Kelechi Nwakali did not track the run of Ryan Trevitt while
Exeter were unlucky not to go 2-0 up just before half-time as they had a goal harshly ruled out.
IMPROVED HUMPHRYS ENDS GOALLESS RUN
Stephen Humphrys’ performance was the main positive from the evening from Barnsley’s point of view.
The striker – who replaced Watters up front in the only change from Saturday’s draw at Wigan – netted his first goal in 23 games across more than four months since scoring at Cambridge in November.
It was an impressive counter-attack goal and Humphrys could have scored another minutes later.
Humphrys had looked lively all game, the only player to really cause Exeter problems in the dull first half, while he made the most tackles of any Barnsley man.
The other one to catch the eye was goalkeeper Flavell not just for some saves but also his fancy footwork to beat attackers in his own box.
Jonathan Bland and Fabio Jalo, both starting a home league game for the first time, had fairly quiet nights but so did many of their older colleagues as few home players had stinkers – other than de Gevigney – but not enough showed they could step up with match-changing quality.
Russell exemplified that as he was a tireless presence all game, consistently trying to make something happen, but kept getting his final shot or pass wrong.
HOURIHANE TALKS WELL BUT RESULTS NOT THERE
Interim boss Hourihane has been talking a good game. He comes across as a hard-working, deep-thinking and ambitious young coach, who has made a statement by backing youth players and also enforcing discipline around the club including leaving Adam Phillips on the bench for missing a team meeting before patching things up.
The former promotion-winning Reds captain is certainly putting his stamp on the job off the pitch.
But the results are not there.
He started with four winnable games against sides well below the Reds in the table but has taken just two points and, although there have been glimpses of mild improvements in the performances, overall it has not been a significant leap forward from Darrell Clarke’s tenure.
You could see in midweek that Hourihane had worked on various tactics on the training ground and the players were carrying out part of his more expansive and attacking gameplan, but they lacked drive, conviction and end product at key moments.
Ultimately he can only work with what he’s been supplied by the recruitment department, with injuries hindering him, while he is an extremely raw coach getting used to the role.
But, with difficult games ahead and a first win still evading him, this could turn into a real baptism of fire for the rookie manager.
