Analysis of Barnsley's 2-1 loss at Huddersfield Town. David McGoldrick put the Reds ahead but the hosts scored twice in the second half.
HOURIHANE REACHES 50 GAMES WITH LOSS
RYAN Hardie’s 74th-minute goal not only settled this all-Yorkshire contest but was the 100th conceded by Barnsley under Conor Hourihane in his 50 games.
The head coach’s record in all competitions stands at 17 wins, 12 draws and 21 losses while the Reds have scored 84 goals under him, keeping three clean sheets. They were tenth in League One when he took over last March and finished this game 15th with games in hand on most teams.
There are some mitigating circumstances – clearly the club is no longer the third tier ‘powerhouse’ it once was in terms of budget, spending very little money on transfers and selling star man Davis Keillor-Dunn, while Hourihane is attempting to bring through a new generation of talents.
This game summed up his reign. The Reds played some good football at times - usually through individual brilliance - but could not put two good halves together, or hold onto a lead, or keep a clean sheet.
He is yet to prove he can create a solid defence but he was also let down by a lack of further recruitment in the recent transfer window.
This result seemed to confirm, if it really needed it, mid-table as the most likely finishing place for the Reds this season.
The Terriers were sixth, in the lowest play-off place, eight points clear of Barnsley who have four games in hand on them and a couple on most of the other teams around them. A win would have at least put the Reds in contention for taking that final play-off place but instead the gap is 11 points which feels unassailable.
They finished the weekend seven points clear of the relegation zone and should have enough to stay away from trouble.
REDS FADE AFTER STRONG FIRST HALF
The Terriers had lost 1-0 at both Stevenage and Doncaster in the previous week but were unbeaten in nine league games at home, winning five, since mid-October. Huddersfield - although they only had 15 goals in their starting 11 - were the third top-scorers in the division and Barnsley the fourth. Jon Stead, who was in the Reds coaching staff with Hourihane last season, is new Town boss Liam Manning’s assistant.
Inspired by David McGoldrick, Barnsley were the better side first half, much more lively and penetrative than their toothless hosts.
The Reds could easily have had a penalty at 0-0 when Patrick Kelly had his heels clipped on the left of the box, in a near identical incident to Corey O’Keeffe at Cardiff last month which also wasn’t given.
The home fans ironically cheered a shot on target then booed the hosts off at the break.
But, after settling in the second half, Huddersfield played with much more intensity and quality which seemed to totally overwhelm Barnsley who could have lost by a few more.
Hourihane said his team finished as the better side. They did not create any clear chances after 50 minutes.
Huddersfield are thought to have one of the biggest budgets in the third tier, which has allowed them to stuff their squad with proven performers at this level. It showed when they could bring on experienced striker Hardie to net a goal assisted by fellow replacement Cameron Ashia.
In contrast, Barnsley’s substitute striker Tom Bradshaw only had four touches - with the lack of firepower after January stark. Hourihane chose to drop Charlie Lennon off the bench and could only bring on Jono Bland for the quiet Scott Banks, switching back to a back three which he openly dislikes. It was Bland’s 50th appearance but a defensive midfielder with no career goals was always unlikely to drag Barnsley back into the game.
NEXT SIX AWAY OPPONENTS ALL BELOW THEM
Barnsley are winless in eight away league games and have only won one in 13 since August. They have lost their last three on the road and, although Huddersfield did not put them to the sword like Cardiff and Bolton, they are not as good a team as those top three outfits.
The Reds’ next six away games - starting at Leyton Orient on Saturday - are against teams currently below them in the table, including four of the bottom five.
That feels like a chance to arrest the poor form on their travels but could also mean that, if they slip any closer to the drop zone, some may became high-pressure tests of character at sides fighting for their lives.
More than 2,000 away fans made the short trip to West Yorkshire and watched Barnsley lose there for the fifth time in a row at Huddersfield.
MCGOLDRICK TREMENDOUS AGAIN
David McGoldrick was outstanding again, capping an all-action display with a superb curling strike into the top right corner from the left of the box to open the scoring on 42 minutes.
He has seven goals in his last nine games and 12 for the season, with a good chance of beating the sold Keillor-Dunn’s tally of 16 and finishing as top-scorer.
There were doubts that the 38-year-old could cope with this relentless end to Barnsley’s season but, so far, he has been outstanding.
He only made 18 touches, and three passes, in 67 minutes but scored a sensational goal, after having one ruled out for offside, nearly netted another and made some excellent defensive tackles and clearances. Other than a Jack Shepherd header, he was the only player to have any real chances for the Reds.
Patrick Kelly was superb at blocking shots and winning the ball back, but also lost it in dangerous areas and his surging runs forward lacked end product as he appeared to run out of steam. The 21-year-old is not used to a schedule like this.
Luca Connell gifted Hardie a big chance for 3-1, blemishing a solid performance which saw him sit in front of the back four and generally sweep up well while also creating chances further forward. Adam Phillips was quiet as was Reyes Cleary.
TWO MORE POOR GOALS CONCEDED
Hourihane is the fastest Barnsley boss to concede 100 goals since his fellow Irishman John Commins did so in one game fewer in 1927. The scoring rate under Conor is very similar to previous managers to reach 50 games, Neill Collins, Daniel Stendel and Michael Duff. The attacking numbers are promising, as are many of the players in those positions but – rightly or wrongly – that is seen by many as pretty much par for the course when Barnsley are in the third tier. What is not expected, and rightly so, is to have the worst defence in League One. They have kept by far the fewest clean sheets in the division - also the fewest in the top four English leagues after West Ham’s 0-0 - and, although next hosts Orient have let in one more goal, they have played two extra games.
What is just as worrying as the stats are the manner of the goals - with Barnsley often finding new and strange ways to concede. This time, the equaliser saw their veteran striker McGoldrick chase midfielder Ryan Ledson from near halfway into the six-yard box before he headed home. There is surely something structurally wrong when the only striker is having to track midfield runners into the goalmouth with no one taking over from him.
O’Keeffe did not close down Bali Mumba’s cross while goalkeeper Owen Goodman was caught in no man’s land as he came off his line.
For the second goal, good interplay by the hosts dragged Cleary and Kelly away from two players who were totally unmarked on the right wing so Ashia could find Hardie who got between Tennai Watson and Shepherd to turn a shot into the bottom right corner via a touch by Goodman. The goalkeeper, booed at his old club, landed on his neck after being fouled at 1-1 and was down for about eight minutes. He then a missed corner and pushed Radinio Balker’s effort into his own face and towards goal but Kelly headed off the line.
Left-back Georgie Gent looked way off the pace early on, struggling to deal with long balls and being beaten regularly, while he was booked in the sixth minute for fouling Ledson who robbed him of the ball. Huddersfield should have put Gent under more pressure but he did improve throughout the game then was replaced by Watson.
Shepherd - on his 50th appearance - made ten clearances, blocked three shots and won the most headers in a better display than recent games, while Eoghan O’Connell was solid alongside him.
