Could Have Been Worse

All set up for another tough one, away at opponents showing similar mixed form to ourselves - having won two, drawn two, and lost two of their last six – but harbouring like ourselves promotion ambitions. Avoid defeat at least and we put more distance from the three successive defeats, a win and for what it’s worth there was every chance we’d be back in a play-off spot ahead of Wrexham’s visit on Saturday.

What we got was a point, overall a lucky one as for most of the game Barnsley were clearly the better team, causing us problems with their passing and movement while we struggled to reproduce the intensity of the Birmingham game. Barnsley will rue not putting the game to bed in the second half, denied by the crossbar, Mannion saves, and a splendid goalline clearance by Leaburn. That we came within a whisker of winning it just highlights the fickle nature of football. In the cold light of day taking a point after a below-par performance, albeit one Barnsley deserve credit for, is not the worst outcome.

Ahead of the game there were a number of imponderables arising from Saturday. Would Jones stick with 4-4-2 (in the event he did for the first half, switched to 5-3-2 in the second) and if he does would he adjust the midfield combination to give it some width and pace? Would he consider Leaburn ready to start (which might depend on whether Aneke or Ahadme would be available on the bench)? Would Taylor keep his place rather than Coventry return? And would Ramsay be available after the knock he took on Saturday?

In the event Ramsay didn’t make it and Jones opted to keep Edmonds-Green in place rather than recall Watson, so the defence was as we ended on Saturday. In midfield Taylor did indeed keep his place but was joined by Coventry, with Anderson and Campbell(A) making up the four, with Docherty moved to the bench to accompany Berry. Up front Leaburn was selected to start, alongside Godden (captain for the night) with Campbell(T) among the subs, with still no sign of Aneke or Ahadme (or Kanu). Dixon was also on the bench with Mbick missing out from Saturday. And from recently going with three forwards in reserve this time it would be just one, and no ‘big guy’, with Watson and Small defensive alternatives (presumably Edmonds-Green would switch inside if necessary). Have to say that missing Ramsay, Jones, Aneke, Ahadme and Kanu amounted to if not an injury crisis then a restriction of options.

Having recently highlighted our lack of first-half goals, we began last night by almost scoring in the first minute. Leaburn wriggled free on the right side and was in on goal but with a tight angle. The keeper easily blocked the shot. Can’t blame Leaburn for shooting but a simple square ball would have found Campbell for a tap-in.

And in the early stages we seemed to be edging things, with a good move involving Coventry and Campbell leading to a snap shot from Godden that went over, then Campbell got past his man and into the clear only to be pulled back. The yellow for their guy (it was too far out to be considered for a red) was matched by one for Edmonds-Green for pull back of his own to stop their guy moving down the line. But as the half progressed Barnsley gradually got on top, and on the half-hour mark a sequence of three shots from distance ended with them taking the lead. The first produced a routine save from Mannion, the second a superb fingertip to turn it over the bar. But the third saw Mannion not only fail to gather the ball but to commit the cardinal sin of pushing it out into the danger zone, in this case right to the feet of their forward between two defenders to poke home.

For the rest of the half Barnsley continued to probe while we were finding it difficult to string together passes or make the right choice when in a decent position. At the break Barnsley had had 56% possession with five shots on goal, four on target (three in that sequence) against three and one (Leaburn’s effort) for us.

As on Saturday Jones made a change to the midfield four at half-time. Then it was Campbell, this time it was Anderson, who had been guilty of losing possession in bad areas and of failing to make the most of the ball in their final third. But rather than a straight swap (for either Docherty or Berry, even a risk with Dixon) he sent on Watson, which meant Edmonds-Green moving inside into a central three at the back and Watson and Edwards operating as wing-backs.

Although the second half began calmly enough, and Leaburn managed to play in Godden for a shot saved, we soon came under the cosh in a period during which the game could easily have been put beyond our reach. First, a Barnsley guy headed over from a good position unchallenged; second, from a long throw and resulting scramble their guy swivelled and hit a shot which came back off the crossbar; and third, Mannion made a poor attempt to punch clear a corner and it fell to their guy, who surely felt he had made it 2-0 only for Leaburn to intervene with an outstretched leg on the goalline.

That spell and the coming of the hour mark sparked further changes. Small came on for Edwards, to provide fresh legs and presumably a greater attacking threat down the flank, and Berry replaced Taylor. The first thing that Berry managed was to fluff a shot from a decent position, but to say he was to more than made amends would be an understatement. On 70 minutes a tiring Leaburn was replaced by Campbell(T). He is not surprisingly rusty after the long absence, the head and the legs not working in perfect combination, but his departure left us all wondering where a goal might come from.

I sent a message around our group at that time saying “can’t say we deserve anything or look like getting anything; but still only one behind …” And on 76 minutes out of the blue we were level. A ball into their box caused a bit of a scramble and as it dropped Berry shaped superbly to be able to control his shot, sending the ball low into the net, their keeper stranded. Just how we were on level terms was a mystery to all watching the game – and Barnsley must have been furious with themselves for not having killed us off.

Now the momentum had shifted and, with us no longer having to chase the game (and Barnsley having to) it seemed that more space and greater pace up front might pay off. Godden had another shot saved, a sharp Berry cross was not converted, while Barnsley were by now throwing caution to the wind with further changes. Into five minutes of stoppage time and we took the lead. A decent break led to a Campbell(T) cross which their keeper should have easily dealt with. Instead he matched up Mannion’s error by weakly palming it away, for Berry to be able to chip it back into the net from inside the box. Just a few minutes to hang on. But we couldn’t. In the final one a ball back into our danger area was allowed to drop and their guy shot home well, with Mannion having no chance.

So not surprisingly deflation at the end, we had come so close to what would have been an outrageous victory. And in that sense the game highlighted the current shortfalls of both teams. Jones wasn’t happy with what he saw and you can understand why, with no repeat of the intensity and determination we saw against Birmingham to close people down, reflected in Barnsley having 20 shots in the game (to our eight), and some patchy defending. We played one half with 4-4-2 and one with 5-3-2 (or 3-5-2) and are at the moment missing some key players. At least we have consolidated our top spot in the second-half league table.