Analysis of Barnsley's 1-0 win at Peterborough United on Tuesday. Caylan Vickers got the only goal just before half-time.

FIRST CLEAN SHEET IN SIX MONTHS MUCH-NEEDED

IT HAD been 181 days – almost exactly six months – since Barnsley last kept a clean sheet, at near neighbours Rotherham United in a 1-0 win on February 22.

The Reds had played 19 games since then, mostly under Conor Hourihane who recorded his first shut-out as a manager in his 15th attempt in this battling midweek success in Cambridgeshire.

It was a defensive performance more of grit than excellence, as they rode their luck at times against a struggling side who have not scored from open play in the league this season and lost every match so far.

But they got the clean sheet, however it came, and that will be a huge confidence boost as they begin to improve on the areas that haunted them so badly last season.

Arguably the most impressive aspect of the performance was that, after Peterborough had a spell of pressure early in the second half, the Reds had at least half an hour of control as they saw most of the remainder of the game out in a way they were rarely capable of last season.

Barnsley displayed stamina in their third game in six days after winning on penalties in the EFL Cup the previous Wednesday then playing for 47 minutes with ten men against Bolton on Saturday.

They should have added at least one more goal to make it more comfortable, as they hit both posts and had a shot cleared off the line.

BUT DEFENCE CAN STILL GET BETTER

Josh Earl dominated in the air, making ten clearances, and also contributed with some incisive forward passes. It was one of his better displays of an inconsistent Reds career but there were still some errors especially when an exhausted-looking Earl lost Gustaf Lindgren in the 98th minute but the Swedish substitute missed from a few yards out.

Alongside him, Jack Shepherd was caught in possession on multiple occasions, as was midfielder Luca Connell – but they each also had good moments.

Full-backs Tennai Watson – who started on the right then moved to the left on his full league debut – and ex-Posh loanee Nathanael Ogbeta were reasonably solid and helped out going forward.

Murphy Cooper made another vital save, denying Klaidi Lolos from close-range at 0-0 after a throw-in was defended poorly. The goalkeeper also took a big risk in coming out of his box in the second half to challenge for a header with the taller Bradley Ihionvien but timed it well and won the ball.

The Reds clearly need to bring in another defender in the remainder of the transfer window but this was a night when they got the job done.

FASTEST TO TEN POINTS SINCE 2018

This is the fastest Barnsley have reached double figures for points in a season since their most recent promotion campaign in 2018/19.

They have a long way to go until they can be talked about in the same breath as Daniel Stendel’s side who were yet to concede a goal at this point.

But it has certainly been a fantastic start, better than most expected, and it provides a very good platform while also helping to move on quickly from the malaise of last season.

The ten points from the opening four games also mirrors the start to the 2003/04 campaign in the third tier when Gudjon Thordarson’s side went unbeaten through their first six games before they eventually collapsed, he was sacked and they finished 12th.

This time the Reds could stay in contention a lot longer but they need a strong end to the transfer window, with depth added to the squad and no damaging sales, while they must avoid the mistakes that will be punished by better opponents than Peterborough.

VICKERS CONTINUES SUPERB START

The Reds continued their record of scoring in all 15 games under Hourihane with a goal that involved some good fortune but also a lot of skill.

After Earl brought the ball forwards, Caylan Vickers swapped several passes with Watson on the right wing then showed his sublime dribbling ability to cut inside past right-footed left-back Carl Johnston and winger Cian Hayes before shooting from just outside the box.

Vincente Reyes looked likely to save it but defender David Okagbue headed the ball past his goalkeeper and into the net. The shot was on target so it has not been given as an own goal.

The goal came at the end of a first half in which the Reds struggled to click in attack, then should have been added to as they looked much better going forward in the second period.

Vickers has made a fine start to his Barnsley career and looks like one of the best of – on the evidence so far – an impressive crop of new signings made by the much-maligned recruitment department and Hourihane. They currently have several players who can create a moment of magic to break the deadlock in a nothing game.

The right side always looked the likely source of a Reds goal, with Adam Phillips often going close to Vickers and doubling up on defenders.

Phillips played as a number ten as the Reds switched from 4-3-3 to 4-2-3-1, matching the home side’s system.

Patrick Kelly came in for the suspended Vimal Yoganathan – whose energy was missed in a drab first half – and grew into the game on his first league start for the club as he played alongside Connell in a midfield two.

Davis Keillor-Dunn was on the left of the three attacking midfielders and peripheral for the first hour before finding more space during the Reds’ period of dominance in the second half.

David McGoldrick caused the home defence problems and should have scored at least once.

REDS AVOID POSH’S TALENT EXODUS, AND IT SHOWS

The average age of Peterborough’s starting 11 was 22 with captain Archie Collins the oldest at 25, while they had three teenagers on the bench. Reds striker David McGoldrick had made his professional debut before seven of the home squad were born.

Posh finished 18th last season then lost their regular front three, who provided 55 goal contributions, plus captain Hector Kyprianou and star defender Manny Fernandez. That followed the sales of Harrison Burrows, Ronnie Edwards and Ephron Mason-Clark the previous season, with replacements generally underperforming.

It contrasts deeply with the Reds who have managed to tie their best players down to long contracts and have not sold any of them so far this summer. Of course that could change in the final days of the transfer window but they are unlikely to experience the exodus of talent that Posh have had to deal with.

Barnsley are third while Peterborough are last.

But the Reds have their own squad issues, with Jon Russell the only player on the bench – which included five players 21 or younger – who had scored a goal for the club.

Barnsley are unbeaten in their last six games at London Road, winning four.