Analysis of Barnsley's 1-0 home loss to Wycombe Wanderers on Tuesday. The visitors were the better side through and scored in the 59th minute.

LOUD BOOS TOWARDS COACH AFTER AWFUL PERFORMANCE

ONE MANAGER was targeted for boos after this game by the home fans but it was not Michael Duff who left Barnsley in 2023 and has since beaten them in all four reunions.

Instead it was Conor Hourihane who tried to applaud the emptying but angry Ponty End and was met by a loud chorus of boos so soon turned away.

It must have been a harrowing moment for the young coach and legendary former player who had overseen an unbeaten run of five games at home in 2026, with three wins, and enjoyed a rare away victory at Leyton Orient three days earlier. But all of that was outweighed by a dreadful performance, which he admitted was probably the worst of the season.

Being 13th in the third tier - which is apparently the same as in the budget league table - is down to many factors, some of which are beyond the control of Hourihane who is trying to develop young players and play an attractive brand of football. But what infuriates supporters is the defensive record - this made it 18 games without a clean sheet while they have conceded 80 in all competitions - and the fairly frequent capitulation in standards into a total mess like in this miserable match.

This was a game in hand but, rather than adding to the points tally, Barnsley just increased the fatigue levels in the regular starters and the frustrations in the fanbase.

The Reds are nine points off sixth and eight clear of the relegation zone. If they play like they did on Tuesday all season, they may go down, but they are so frustratingly inconsistent that will surely have enough ‘ups’ in the remaining 14 matches to keep them in mid-table.

League One is especially low on quality this year, so the Reds have kept themselves away from trouble with the odd win, but they seemingly falter whenever they come up against a decent side.

They have played nine games against the current top six - which Wycombe moved into with this win - losing five and drawing four, conceding 19 goals and scoring nine. They are nowhere near ready to compete with those sides, but this display was just as bad as the thrashing at Cardiff or the first half humiliation in Bolton.

BARNSLEY WIDE OPEN ON THEIR RIGHT

Barnsley had a big problem on their right side and did not do anything about it until they went behind.

Although no outfielder played well, the three worst performers were on that right flank.

Right-winger Scott Banks did little in attack and was often nowhere to be seen defensively, central midfielder Jono Bland tried to fill in for him but had one of his worst games - giving the ball away regularly and looking well off the pace - while Tennai Watson was overwhelmed at right-back then even worse at left-back later on, gifting two big chances.

There was a lack of organisation between the trio in terms of pressing and tracking runners, with Wycombe given far too much space pass to through them - often going from defence to a promising position on the left of Barnsley’s box within seconds.

Visiting left-back Daniel Harvie must have barely been able to believe it as he was essentially gifted the freedom of Barnsley’s entire right flank.

It needed changing either through substitutes or a better plan but it stayed the same until Wycombe scored down that side.

Banks was busy unsuccessfully closing down the centre-backs so Bland had to track Harvie, who was just onside, but lost him so a low cross went into a huge gap between the retreating Barnsley defence and the midfielders who had either been dragged out of position or could not track runners. The unmarked Luke Harris missed the ball but the equally free Aaron Morley smashed a fine strike into the top right corner from the edge of the box.

Changes were made to tighten up that flank after the goal but the damage was done.

BARNSLEY TOTALLY OUTPLAYED

Barnsley were seriously second best.

Wycombe had 19 of the game’s 23 shots and all of the eight on target while they touched the ball 37 times in Barnsley’s box compared to 14 at the other end.

Duff’s sides are usually quite direct whereas Hourihane likes to keep the ball but Wycombe had 55 per cent possession as Barnsley never had any control.

The Chairboys were solid at the back, dominated midfield and always looked dangerous out wide.

The hosts definitely missed the injured Patrick Kelly – who was replaced by Banks – and his ability to take them forward, but it was more than that with poor performances throughout.

The Reds were flat-footed and sluggish while they struggled to string passes together and became increasingly sloppy at the back.

It looked as though their demanding schedule caught up with them but Wycombe had played on all the same days as them through February and actually had less time to prepare as they played at 3pm on Saturday after the Reds’ lunchtime win.

You have to worry about what Barnsley’s energy levels will be like during five more games in a fortnight from Saturday.

Another big factor is that Wycombe didn’t make any mistakes. Barnsley have been gifted golden opportunities by their opponents so many times this season in a poor league, which they have often take advantage of impressively like the three goals at Orient. But Wycombe never gave their struggling hosts a way into the game.

The Chairboys had one of best defensive records in the division but they had the joint fewest away wins in the division with two and just 13 goals in 16 matches on the road this season. When Duff took over in September, they were in the relegation zone, 11 points and 16 places behind Barnsley, but they have taken 48 points from 27 games under him while the Reds have 28 points from their last 25 games.

REDS OFFER NEXT TO NOTHING IN ATTACK

David McGoldrick curled a shot wide of the top right corner from 20 yards in the first half and had another blocked then, late on, a Reyes Cleary cross hit substitute Tom Bradshaw and went wide before Watson headed a corner well off-target in injury-time.

That was everything Barnsley mustered going forward.

The Reds have been leaky defensively all season and were again on Tuesday, as Wycombe should have scored a few more. But it was the attacking performance which shocked as a side that are among the top-scorers in the division did not register a shot on target.

The Reds, for all the talk of their exciting style, rely heavily on individuals rather than consistently good team play. With Kelly out, Cleary off his best until near the end – Duff admitted they focused on marking him out of the game as Barnsley’s biggest threat – and McGoldrick very isolated, they offered next to nothing.

Duff must have wondered what has happened to his star players from 2022/23 as Adam Phillips – who moved from the right to the number ten role – and captain Luca Connell both could make barely any impact.

Nor could substitute Bradshaw as Barnsley’s bench is woefully lacking in effective attacking options who Hourihane trusts with Charlie Lennon again not given his debut.

GOODMAN DESERVEDLY MAN OF THE MATCH

Owen Goodman was Barnsley’s best player and deserved to be named Player of the Match. The goalkeeper produced two good one-on-one saves to keep the score down and it was potentially his best display yet for the Reds.

So it was harsh, as Hourihane said post-match, that the announcement of Player of the Match over the PA system was met with a lot of negativity from the crowd who immediately chanted the name of the more popular McGoldrick.

That may stem from a lack of confidence in Goodman after a shaky start to his Reds loan overall and a general frustration at the end of a terrible Barnsley performance.

McGoldrick was the only player to generate any buzz in the home terraces. The in-form striker had to drop deep to get on the ball, as Barnsley struggled to attack, and went on some good runs in his own half with clever passes. But it was all too far from goal and the Reds lacked a focal point in attack with McGoldrick, or Phillips, never causing the centre-backs any real issues on the few occasions Barnsley went forward. McGoldrick stayed on all game so has another 90 minutes in the legs with the schedule only getting busier.

The centre-backs Mael de Gevigney and Eoghan O’Connell were probably the next best but there were errors and chaos throughout the team.

Nathanael Ogbeta came back into the 11, replacing Corey O’Keeffe who was dropped to the bench for the first time since returning from his loan – as Hourihane continued to rotate his side in this hectic schedule. It was Ogbeta’s first start since the 2-2 draw at Reading on January 24 and his first appearance since coming on at half-time at Bolton on February 7. He made a lot of clearances, especially in the first half, but also gave the ball away in poor areas as Barnsley cannot seem to find a reliable left-back.