Barnsley’s five-game unbeaten start to 2026 came to an end with a 1-0 loss at home to Wycombe Wanderers on Tuesday evening.
The visitors were easily the better team against a very disappointing Reds side who did not have a shot on target.
They remain 13th in League One, nine points behind sixth-placed Wycombe and eight clear of the relegation zone.
Conor Hourihane made two changes from the side that won at Leyton Orient on Saturday. The injured Patrick Kelly was replaced by Scott Banks, while Nathanael Ogbeta came in for Corey O’Keeffe.
The start to the game was dull then Wycombe thought they had scored on 17 minutes when Nathan Lowe tapped in after a scramble in the box but it was ruled out for a foul by Lowe on Mael de Gevigney.
Caolan Boyd-Munce’s shot from the left of the box was easily saved by Owen Goodman then, at the other end, David McGoldrick curled wide of the top right corner from 20 yards.
Aaron Morley shot wide of the bottom left corner from 22 yards after Ogbeta lost the ball. Morley then put Fred Onyedinma through on the left of the box for the best chance of the half but his low shot was pushed wide by Goodman.
Wycombe thought they should have had a penalty just before half-time when Luca Connell wrestled Luke Harris to the ground but referee Ollie Yates did not give it.
The Reds had been poor in the first half, offering almost nothing in attack and being opened up a few times, especially on their right wing.
Wycombe appealed for another penalty just after the break when Ogbeta made contact with Lowe at the back post from a left wing cross but again the referee gave nothing.
The opener arrived on 59 minutes when a pass was played down the left to Daniel Harvie amid calls for offside and his low cross was miskicked by Harris but fell to Morley to smash a fine strike into the top right corner from the edge of the area.
A poor Jono Bland pass led to a chance for ex-Red Cauley Woodrow but his weak shot was easily saved by Goodman who then made a much better one-on-one stop from Harris who was inexplicably given the ball by Tennai Watson.
Substitute Tom Bradshaw scuffed an effort well after Reyes Cleary beat a man and crossed low from the left. Watson then headed a corner wide in injury-time.
Barnsley (4-2-3-1): Goodman; Watson, O’Connell, de Gevigney, Ogbeta (O’Keeffe 60); Connell, Bland, Phillips (Yoganathan 77), Banks (Bradshaw 64), Cleary, McGoldrick.
Unused: Flavell, Shepherd Gent, Lennon.
Yellow cards: O’Connell, Yoganathan, Connell.
Wycombe (4-2-3-1): Norris, Grimmer, Casey, Allen, Harvie; Morley (Taylor 85mins), Boyd-Munce; Quitirna (Woodrow 60), Harris, Onyedinma (Leahy 85); Lowe (Mullins 66).
Unused: Van Sas, Vidigal, Taylor, Henderson.
Yellow cards: Casey, Norris, Mullins.
Goals: Morley 59.
