Analysis of Barnsley's 2-1 home win over Peterborough United on Tuesday. The visitors took the lead but goals by Luca Connell and Reyes Cleary won it for the hosts.
BIG RESULT TAKES REDS INTO MID-TABLE
THIS strange game ended in strange fashion when Peterborough’s Cian Hayes’ last-gasp corner hit the outside of the near post and went out of play.
That was immediately followed by the final whistle which confirmed Barnsley had taken three precious points having shown character to come from behind and score two nice goals.
The muted reaction of many of the home players, routine high fives and hugs with fairly blank expressions on their faces, hid the fact that this was a big result for the Reds.
It took them onto 41 points with 17 games left, nearly an impossible position from which to be sucked into a relegation fight even for this unpredictable side whose flaws are as glaring as their many talents.
They are eight points clear of the relegation zone and the same distance away from the top six, while they have four games in hand on sixth-placed Huddersfield who they visit at the weekend.
If they were to follow up their midweek win with a derby success then excitement about an unlikely play-off push may start to grow, but they would have to overcome their chronic inconsistency and dreadful away form.
Only the top two and Saturday’s hosts Huddersfield have scored more goals than Barnsley in the third tier this season, but only Leyton Orient have let in more.
SOLID SECOND HALF SECURES WIN
The standard in this league certainly feels worse than previous seasons, with a succession of sides – including some in the top ten – coming to Oakwell and producing error-strewn, chaotic performances.
The game almost had an end of season feel at times, with a fairly flat atmosphere for large spells. There were some ridiculously scrappy spells in which both sides gifted the ball to the other several times within a few seconds, with the bobbly pitch not helping.
Posh were eighth, five points off the play-offs while no side had won more away games in the division this season. Their run of 11 wins from 19 under new boss Luke Williams had taken them up from bottom in October and shows the Reds what can be done with good form in a tight league.
But they were without injured veteran defender Tom Lees, who has been vital for them, so all of their players were 27 or under, with eight of the starters 23 or below while their substitutes ranged from 17 to 22. Peter Kioso, who replaced Lees at centre-back but is usually a full-back, made mistakes in the lead-up to both home goals.
Peterborough were the better side in the first half and should have scored at least three but were wasteful then, after the break against more stubborn defending, they still got into a series of promising positions but constantly failed to execute relatively simple passes which would have led to major chances. Peterborough bizarrely played short corners every time until the very end, sometimes ending up with the ball back on the halfway line.
The Barnsley back four, which saw Eoghan O’Connell replace Marc Roberts, all had sloppy moments but collectively, along with the rest of the team, were a bit better defensively than some previous displays.
That said, Posh top-scorer Harry Leonard’s movement was too much for the Reds centre-backs who lost him repeatedly in the first half but he missed a hat-trick of big chances.
Posh’s opener was the 50th goal Barnsley conceded in the league this season and meant their clean sheet total would stay at two, with all other clubs in the division keeping at least six.
But only Cardiff and Stevenage have taken more points this season in League One after falling behind than Barnsley with 14.
In contrast, on the 19 occasions when Peterborough have gone a goal down in a game, they have lost 17 and drawn two.
REDS HAVE MORE HOME POINTS THAN LAST SEASON
Barnsley are unbeaten in five home league games at the start of 2026.
It is the first time they have done that in the last two years.
This win meant they already have more points than they achieved at home last season, with eight games left.
Barnsley were losing at home to Wimbledon on Saturday, after a collapse from 2-0 up, then to Peterborough on Tuesday.
But they showed fight to level at the weekend then to win in midweek, taking four points from two home games like they did a fortnight earlier when Stevenage and Northampton visited.
The last four league attendances at Oakwell – all between eight and ten thousand – have been the lowest of the season, and some of the lowest in years with the 8,806 against Northampton the smallest official league crowd in more than a decade.
That is partly due to small visiting followings and cold weather but also an apathy or sadness in sections of the fanbase over the direction of the club, with the large gaps in the stands suggesting the actual crowd is far lower than announced as some season ticket holders stay away.
But those who have attended have been supportive of the team and, if the good home form continues, the crowds will start to rise again.
After two away games to end this month, March starts with five home fixtures out of six, within 18 days, as Wycombe, Exeter, Cardiff, Wigan and Doncaster all visit.
CAPTAIN STEPS UP THEN REYES WINS IT
Barnsley’s goals were both fine finishes at important times.
When they were trailing and struggling in the first half, the Reds needed someone to drag them back into the game and their captain stepped up with a fine equaliser.
Luca Connell has had a tough 2026 with a red card and some well-publicised mistakes but he capped a few better displays with a lovely strike into the bottom left corner from 18 yards.
It was Connell’s second goal in three games, and fourth of the season, having netted two, then one, then two in his first three campaigns with the club.
He also made the most interceptions in the game but, on another day with another referee, might have conceded an early penalty as he made no attempt to play the ball when he shoved Jimmy-Jay Morgan over in the box.
The second goal came from Reyes Cleary who moved onto six for the season with his first in nine games since Boxing Day against Mansfield. His latest goal came days after he registered his ninth and tenth assists of the season against Wimbledon, with only Manchester United’s Bruno Fernandes recording more in the English leagues this season. Cleary was not quite at the same level in midweek but came up with the crucial winning moment to cap a bright start to the second half by the hosts.
SOME OTHER PROMISING PERFORMANCES
Georgie Gent made his first league appearance in almost a year since injuring his Achilles on March 1, 2025. His previous start was also against Peterborough, in the FA Cup in December, where he picked up another injury before working his way back to full fitness in the under 21s. He came in for Tennai Watson so Barnsley had a left-footed left-back.
Gent was not quite at full pace and found it tough at times against Posh’s impressive right-winger Declan Frith then tired in the second half, but he made the most tackles of any Barnsley player in a whole-hearted display.
On the other side of the back four, Corey O’Keeffe had a good night as he made his 100th appearance for the club and assisted both goals.
David McGoldrick has started every league game in 2026, other than the loss in Cardiff when he had a minor injury. The 38-year-old has had to take on more minutes after the sale of Davis Keillor-Dunn and is putting in a remarkable shift for his team.
He did look leggy at times on Tuesday, and missed a couple of chances to build on his run of seven goals in as many games, but he still lasted 77 minutes and played a part in the equaliser.
McGoldrick was on his own up front after Tom Bradshaw dropped to the bench with Adam Phillips starting for the first time in four games as the Reds changed to a 4-5-1 formation.
Phillips had a decent game as did Patrick Kelly and they flanked Connell in a midfield which gained more control as the game went on.
In goal, Owen Goodman might be slightly disappointed with the opener but made some good saves.
