Analysis of Barnsley's home draw with Bolton Wanderers. David McGoldrick opened the scoring just after half-time but Vimal Yoganathan was sent off five minutes later. Ex-Red John McAtee levelled on 86 minutes.

REDS KEEP RESPONDING TO ADVERSITY

In the first three league games of this season, Barnsley have responded well to adversity - two red cards not long after half-time and a 2-0 deficit.

They missed out on three wins from three at the start of a season for the first time since 1996 but, after playing with ten men for nearly half the game, they are still unbeaten with seven points from nine. It has been a good platform for the season from a likeable team.

This fixture – which has now been played 12 times in less than three years – used to be a clash of styles with Bolton, under Ian Evatt, being very possession-based and Barnsley more high-energy and counter-attacking. But, under Steven Schumacher, the Trotters have adopted a more direct style this season - clearly looking to expose Barnsley’s patched-up defence with the pace of the wingers Thierry Gale and Amario Cozier-Duberry. The Reds just about kept them contained in an even first half, while creating chances of their own.

Once the Reds gained the lead but lost a man after the break, they went much more compact and deep with Bolton unable to find space on the break.

Barnsley had 62 per cent of the ball in the first half but 44 overall.

For more than half an hour with the man advantage, Bolton barely threatened but they finished strongly and should have scored more than one.

As well as an extra man, the visitors had a more impactful bench with ex-John McAtee levelling while his fellow replacement Ibrahim Cissoko caused real issues on the left wing. Barnsley must deepen their squad in the window.

LEARNING EXPERIENCE FOR VIMAL

Vimal Yoganathan is a raw 19-year-old talent with an combative style who is clearly full of confidence after firing Oldham to promotion then starting Barnsley’s first three league games this season.

But that over-spilled as he was sent off on 52 minutes in a game-changing moment which meant his colleagues had to play for 47 with ten men.

He was clearly annoyed that Mason Burstow had, after the two of them chased the ball to the left corner flag in Bolton’s half, blasted the ball off the pitch and into the Reds player before barging him to the ground. He should have walked away but instead pushed Burstow who pushed him back and they were both booked. Hourihane said he was more frustrated with that yellow card than the second - five minutes after they took the lead - which saw Yoganathan’s boot make contact with the ankle of Josh Dacres-Cogley.

Hourihane said he was not tempted to take him off at the break as he saw the first yellow as an isolated incident.

It was Barnsley’s second red card in the opening three games after Jack Shepherd received two controversial yellows on the opening day at Plymouth.

The highly-rated Yoganathan may now have more than one game out of the team due to the competition in midfield, but must come back stronger and with a cooler head.

SET PIECE EQUALISER FRUSTRATING

Hourihane was close to his first clean sheet as a manager in his 14th game and it would have been a heroic way to get one, playing with ten men against a highly-fancied team.

But they conceded the equaliser, and several other chances, from set pieces - much to their frustration.

Eoin Toal - Bolton’s towering centre-back who had already hit the post from a set piece - was being marked by Adam Phillips who, while decent in the air, is a medium-sized attacker always unlikely to win that battle.

Barnsley did not have many taller options but both centre-backs Jack Shepherd and Josh Earl may have competed better with Toal.

Having said that, neither are totally dominant defenders as shown by Aaron Morley’s right-wing corner going over Shepherd’s head before Toal brought it down for McAtee to tap in two yards out after holding off Nathanael Ogbeta.

Toal was later marked by Neil Farrugia when denied by an outstanding Murphy Cooper save as the Reds looked like losing.

With Mael de Gevigney joining Marc Roberts as an injured centre-back, Earl partnered Shepherd in a left-footed pairing with Jono Bland at right-back. Shepherd, playing on the right of the defence, made some good runs forward and a brilliant clearance off the line but also gifted the visitors a huge chance in the first half.

Ogbeta won some vital headers at left-back, kept Gale fairly quiet and crossed well. Bland again showed he has great potential but he, and his replacement Tennai Watson, were given a tough time by Cozier-Duberry and Cissoko.

There were some good defensive moments overall but it still looks like the weak area - even before the red card.

MCGOLDRICK STRIKES AGAIN

David McGoldrick struggled to make an impact in the first half but, two minutes after a half-time break in which he was told to run in behind the visiting defence more often, he did exactly that and opened the scoring.

He picked the ball up on the left, surged into the box and finished from a tight angle to make it two goals in as many games and hear his name sung from the crowd.

He was taken off 11 minutes later - sacrificed for an extra midfielder in Patrick Kelly as the Reds changed to a 4-4-1 formation following the red card.

The assist for McGoldrick’s goal came from Luca Connell who continued his good start to the season in which he has played a part in several goals while also sweeping up nicely in defensive midfield. It was his first assist in 34 games since October.

Adam Phillips and Caylan Vickers were involved in some of the good football the Reds played early on. Davis Keillor-Dunn also made some nice touches but lost the ball in key defensive areas.

MUCH BETTER START AT OAKWELL

There were 10,020 home fans based on the official crowd minus the away end of just over 3,000.

That is about 2,000 fewer than the opening home game against Burton but a larger attendance overall due to the away crowd.

A drop in the home crowd was expected as season ticket sales are down this year, following prolonged poor form at Oakwell, while – even though the start to the season had been superb – fewer non-season ticket holders may have been enticed without the offers they got on the opening day.

The supporters got behind their team throughout and appreciated the effort, while the three home matches in a week have started to rebuild the connection between fans and team.