A closer look at today's derby as Barnsley visit Doncaster Rovers.
LIKELY LINE-UPS
Barnsley (4-2-3-1): Cooper; Watson, Roberts, Shepherd, Ogbeta; Bland, Connell; Vickers, Kelly, Cleary; Keillor-Dunn.
Doncaster (4-2-3-1): Lo-Tutala; Grehan, Pearson, O'Riordan, Maxwell; Bailey, Broadbent; Molyneux, Clifton, Gibson; Sharp.
TEAM NEWS
Barnsley: Out injured: Fabio Jalo. Injury doubts: Adam Phillips, Mael de Gevigney.
Doncaster: Out injured: Jamie Sterry (shoulder).
OPPOSITION VIEW
Ricky Charlesworth, Doncaster Free Press
It’s been an odd season since Rovers returned to the third tier.
They started like a house on fire, winning eight of their first ten games in all competitions.
The home victory over Bradford on September 6 saw them remarkably go joint-top of the table.
But there’s been a massive fall-off since then with just two wins in the next batch of ten – and those were in the EFL Trophy and the FA Cup respectively.
Recent weeks have seen performances improve though, and a derby win here would be just the tonic as they look to finally and belatedly follow up that aforementioned victory over the Bantams two months ago.
REFEREE
Darren Drysdale, Lincolnshire
Drysdale has taken charge of three League One games this season, dishing out three red cards and nine yellows.
The veteran official last took charge of a Barnsley game in January when he gave a penalty against them at Wycombe and sent off Marc Roberts.
He also took charge of the meeting of the same two clubs at Oakwell the previous year and allowed Barnsley’s late goal when Max Stryjek dropped the ball after slight contact with Sam Cosgrove who tapped in.
He sent off Liam Lindsay on the day Barnsley celebrated their last promotion at Bristol Rovers in 2019 and awarded a penalty against them in Peterborough that season which was taken by Ivan Toney and saved by Adam Davies.
He has done 16 Barnsley games and refereed Doncaster on 23 occasions.
KEY BATTLES
MATTY PEARSON V DAVIS KEILLOR-DUNN
Pearson has started almost as many games against Barnsley since leaving them in 2018 as he did during that one-season spell with the Reds in the Championship.
Now 32, the former centre-back partner of Marc Roberts at Halifax Town moved across Yorkshire from Huddersfield Town for this season and has been a regular starter for Rovers. Pearson is likely to partner Blackburn loanee Connor O’Riordan in defence.
Keillor-Dunn will look to be a lot more involved than in the last two league games as he only had one touch in Rotherham’s box and three in Bradford’s.
But he scored twice in the FA Cup, taking his tally to nine in all competitions this season – well on course to surpass last season’s 19.
Barnsley may need a moment of magic from their star striker, or winger Reyes Cleary who will likely be up against a centre-back playing at right-back in Sean Grehan.
OWEN BAILEY V LUCA CONNELL
Bailey has been a defensive midfielder for much of his career but has seven goals already this season.
He has started every league game since signing for Donny in 2023. He is in the league’s top three for winning headers and will have to be closely marshalled by Connell and whoever joins him in midfield – likely to be Jonathan Bland.
Connell has created the most chances from corners of any player in League One, and one for the cup winner on Saturday, while his passing stats are among the best in the division.
But he is still yet to return to the dominant midfield force of three seasons ago, admittedly with less quality around him, so could do with a statement performance in this derby.
He will have to do so without Adam Phillips whose quality has been missed during his spell out with injury.
LUKE MOLYNEUX V NATHANAEL OGBETA
Winger Molyneux was Donny’s star player during their promotion last season with 16 League Two goals and 12 assists.
He has not been quite so prolific in the third tier but is statistically one of the best dribblers in the division and assisted both goals in the cup win on Saturday.
He will still be a tough test for left-back Ogbeta if he keeps his place having been taken off early on Saturday after just coming back from illness, but has now trained this week.
Ogbeta is in the top ten in the division for blocking crosses but Barnsley in general have been poor at that – stopping the 22nd most in the league while Doncaster have blocked the most.
BILLY SHARP V DAVID MCGOLDRICK
The two veteran strikers forged a formidable strikeforce for Sheffield United, helping them to promotion to the Premier League in 2019. While McGoldrick turns 38 later this month, Sharp is 40 in February.
Sharp has 130 Championship goals and 107 in League One but has only scored twice in 18 games against Barnsley since first meeting them in 2005, both in 1-0 wins for Sheffield United.
Sharp – who is the most fouled player in the division this season – has four goals, including two in the last two games.
McGoldrick – who has not scored in the league in eight games across almost three months – has six goals and five assists against Donny in 12 meetings, winning nine.
He could start on the bench.
