A round-up of stories coming out of Barnsley FC from the weekend.
‘WE’RE WAITING FOR TWO OR THREE RESULTS IN A ROW’
Conor Hourihane believes this is an important week for Barnsley and he wants to see his team take ‘big steps forward’ as they visit Lincoln City then host Leyton Orient.
After a stop-start league campaign so far, interrupted by cup ties and international breaks, the Reds play twice this week then five times in 15 days over the festive period.
They are currently tenth, three points off the top six with up to three games in hand on those around them.
Hourihane told the Chronicle: “This week is an important one for the squad. We’re on the cusp of moving in the right direction. We feel we’re slowly getting there but then we get a poor result somewhere.
"You could look at Rotherham (a home loss in October), we were on the right track and got beat. The game at Port Vale (a 5-0 loss in the EFL Trophy last week) was on the back of a good couple of results in the league. Now we’ve won on Saturday but can we take big steps forward rather than being inconsistent? We’re waiting for two or three results in a row to really kick us on to where this squad can get to.”
REDS WAIT FOR THIRD ROUND DRAW
Barnsley will find out their opponents for the third round of the FA Cup this evening.
The draw is due to be made at approximately 6.40pm on TNT Sports.
The Reds have beaten York and Peterborough to reach the third round for the first time since 2023.
Patrick Kelly, who scored the winner on Saturday, told the Chronicle: “We will take anyone. My family would like to go to Anfield so I’d take Liverpool away. There will always be messages straight on the group chat from all the players when the draw comes out.”
MCCANN NETS FOR LOAN CLUB, O’KEEFFE SCORES PENALTY
Barnsley loanee Bayley McCann scored his first Alfreton Town goal on Saturday in their 2-1 loss at Curzon Ashton in National League North.
The left-back, who turns 20 on Monday, beat a man then rifled in from the left of the box.
The other Reds loanees in action were Kacper Lopata and Corey O’Keeffe who came off the bench in FA Cup games for Bristol Rovers and Stockport County respectively, with O’Keeffe netting a penalty in County’s shoot-out loss to Cambridge.
DRAWS FOR U18S AND U21S AHEAD OF LAST GAMES IN 2025
Barnsley under 21s are due to play their final game of 2025 on Tuesday, December 16 when they host Huddersfield Town at 1pm.
They drew 1-1 Coventry City on Friday, with Lewis Gould’s strike cancelled out in injury-time.
Barnsley under 18s drew 0-0 at home to Crewe Alexandra on Saturday.
Their last match of the year is due to be on Friday, December 19 at home to Sheffield Wednesday from 1pm.
