Conor Hourihane was thrilled with Davis Keillor-Dunn’s two-goal performance after a change in position and a professional second half from his Barnsley team in a 3-1 home win over Huddersfield Town on Saturday afternoon.
The Reds took the lead through Keillor-Dunn then, after visiting goalkeeper Owen Goodman was sent off, Luca Connell made it 2-0. Keillor-Dunn added another before a Nathanael Ogbeta mistake let the Terriers pull one back.
Hourihane said: “I am really pleased with the result. In the first half, we were doing OK and went 1-0 up. The red card is a big moment. It was a big point getting second goal before half-time which knocks the wind out of their sails.
"After the break, they came out with nothing to lose. They put us under a little bit of pressure without creating chances.
“I told the lads I wanted a really professional second half, I didn’t want anybody thinking they can nick a couple of goals for themself. I wanted an organised performance and, other than a sloppy goal, they gave me that.”
For the red card, Goodman clattered McGoldrick outside his box. Hourihane said: “I thought ‘he’s in trouble here’ a little bit. He came out recklessly and it’s one of them that goes for you. You don’t want to see anyone get sent off and I‘ve not seen it back but at the time I thought he was in trouble.”
Keillor-Dunn had been moved from left wing up to up front for this game.
Hourihane said: “I spoke to Davo during the week.
“I wasn’t sure if I was getting the best out of him in that left ten position. I swapped him and Didzy (McGoldrick) over and he was much more involved, he was between the sticks for both goals.
“I am delighted for him. He’s been a little bit frustrated and not had the biggest amount of chances on the left. He’s not scored for a few games and, in the last few, he’s not been quite himself. I swapped him to the number nine and it paid off.”
On keeping Keillor-Dunn before Monday’s deadline, Hourihane said: “Fingers crossed. That’s the plan.”
Asked if any signings were close, Conor said: “Not necessarily. There are a lot of things going on in the background, in terms of phone calls and hoping that this or that might happen. Fingers crossed over the next 48 hours we do get the couple that we want.”
Barnsley have 13 points from six games this season.
Hourihane said: “It’s a positive start but, thinking short-term, the biggest positive is we bounced back from last week by winning two Yorkshire derbies. Good squads don’t lose two in a row.”
