Analysis of Barnsley's 2-2 draw at Mansfield Town. David McGoldrick and Scott Banks put the visitors 2-0 up then Mansfield scored a penalty and a 94th-minute leveller.
REDS FURIOUS AS PENALTY WAIT GOES ON
WHEN Adam Phillips converted a match-winning penalty against Reading at Oakwell in September, it would have been unthinkable that Barnsley would not get another in their next 28 league games across more than six months.
It has been a very inconsistent season since that match - a fifth win in the first seven games - and only a small factor in that has been a lack of help from referees, but it has been exasperating for the Reds at times. No side has been given fewer penalties than Barnsley in League One this season, with the others to have only been awarded one after Saturday’s games being top three clubs Cardiff and Bolton plus bottom side Port Vale.
At Field Mill on Saturday, the Reds had been soaking up a lot of pressure in the second half but counter-attacked in stoppage time and substitute Reyes Cleary’s shot appeared to strike the arm of Deji Oshilaja in the box. Referee Martin Woods waved away the appeals and, two minutes later, the hosts equalised to salvage a point from 2-0 down.
Conor Hourihane was furious after the match, saying Woods ‘clearly got it wrong’ and that it left him with ‘an emotional dressing room.’
The Reds could have had other penalties this season like when Patrick Kelly was clearly tripped at Huddersfield last month. There was also another claim in this game when David McGoldrick was sent tumbling in the box at 2-1.
Mansfield also appealed for a couple of penalties - having already been given one - and felt Mael de Gevigney could have been shown a second yellow card at 2-0.
A win would have given Barnsley some real momentum and taken them to within five points of sixth-placed Huddersfield with two games in hand. But instead they were left to pick themselves up for two vital home games this week after another tiring contest.
VISITORS START WELL THEN ALMOST HOLD ON
This meeting of two mid-table sides was similar in terms of the main moments to the Boxing Day clash between the teams at Oakwell.
The Reds went 2-0 up then conceded a penalty before Stephen McLaughlin levelled, although there was no Mansfield winner this time.
Barnsley have thrown away 2-0 leads four times this season, twice against Mansfield and also in draws with Wycombe and Wimbledon.
They have lost 20 points from winning positions, with only Doncaster dropping more in their division.
On a very poor pitch, Barnsley were on top for about 55 minutes and could have been further ahead - regularly opening up the division’s third best defence. But, once the hosts pulled one back, the Reds were mostly holding on and doing plenty of defending.
Although they did not create that many chances, Mansfield always seemed to have a good chance of levelling against a tired-looking away team. The Stags had made a triple substitution at the break, changing from 3-5-2 to four at the back, and were much-improved.
Post-match, Hourihane only wanted to praise his team as he felt they were robbed of the chance to go 3-1 up by the officials. Some would say he was not able to halt the hosts’ momentum with his changes from a limited bench but he would counter that substitute Cleary should have won the win-sealing spot-kick.
MCGOLDRICK NOW TOP-SCORER
McGoldrick’s 17th goal of the season meant he took over from Davis Keillor-Dunn as Barnsley’s top-scorer.
It was a 12th in 14 games and took him into the top five scorers in the league.
He fired brilliantly into the bottom right corner from outside the box after Tom Bradshaw cleverly nudged a pass from the fit-again Patrick Kelly into his path, following a superb run by the Northern Ireland man. It was a trademark touch by Bradshaw who had another good game, with both Barnsley’s experienced strikers leading the line well and causing problems.
They broke a club record for the oldest combination of scorer and assister.
No team has scored more goals in the first 30 minutes of League One games this season than Barnsley.
BANKS’ MIXED EIGHT-MINUTE SPELL
Scott Banks scored Barnsley’s second goal but, eight minutes later, conceded a penalty. It was his second goal in five days and third for the Reds along with four assists since joining in January - an impressive return.
After Fraser Blake-Tracy lost the ball to Vimal Yoganathan, Kelly played in Banks on the left of the box and his shot went through the hands of former Barnsley goalkeeper Liam Roberts.
But Banks showed his defensive rawness by tripping up Nathan Moriah-Welsh, who had only just come on, for the home penalty after Barnsley let a long throw drop in the box.
Meanwhile, Luca Connell seemed to struggle with the bobbly surface early on but the midfield had control before the break then lost most of it in the second half. Yoganathan and Kelly - who replaced Jono Bland in the 11 - both played key roles in the goals.
STAGS LONG THROWS CAUSE PROBLEMS
Behind one of the ends, which housed the away fans, there was a branch of the home furnishings outlet Dunelm, as if mocking Barnsley’s lack of clean sheets.
Their chances of not conceding for the first time in 21 games, which looked healthy at half-time, were scuppered by two goals from long throws by Elliott Hewitt after the break.
The Reds have scored the second fewest set piece goals in the division with nine and conceded the fourth most with 16.
The 94th-minute equaliser saw Jack Shepherd head straight to the totally unmarked McLaughlin who was in plenty of space to bring it down and smash in a low shot under Owen Goodman who may be disappointed.
The Reds’ defenders put in a big effort especially in the second half but just could not hang on.
Hourihane took right-back Corey O’Keeffe off after 39 minutes as he was on a yellow card and looked in danger of being sent off at his old club.
