Barnsley’s hopes of automatic promotion were mathematically extinguished this weekend and they remain looking over their shoulders in the fight to retain their place in the play-offs following a third league game without a win and a run of one win in six which leaves them precariously only five points clear of seventh although the current incumbents in that position (Blackpool) have only six points left to play for – three of which are against Barnsley!
A three league game winless run is their joint worst of the season, also occurring in the first month of the season when they drew 1-1 with Bristol Rovers and lost 3-1 back to back to Peterborough and Oxford following the 7-0 hammering of Port Vale in the opening match.
This was the 13th home league match Barnsley have failed to win this season, the most at this level since 2004-2005 (16)
The Reds have now gone five home league games without a win (D3 L2), their worst run of the season and worst since a run of six between November 2021 and February 2022.
It is their worst home run at this level since a run of six between 10th October 2015 and 19th December 2015, of which they lost five.
This is the third time this season Barnsley have been 1-0 down, pulled it back to 1-1, gone 2-1 down but still not lost (also v Fleetwood 2-2 and Wycombe 4-2)
This was Barnsley’s fifth 2-2 league draw of the season, their most in a campaign (excluding play-off games) since 2004-2005 when they had seven.
Barnsley have now conceded the opening goal in 12 home league games this season.
Barnsley made a first half substitution for the fourth time this season which includes both meetings with Reading.
Barnsley’s opponents made a goalkeeper substitution for the second time this season – Peterborough being the other.
Adam Phillips scored for the third successive game, the first Barnsley player to achieve this since Devante Cole who has scored in four consecutive games on two occasions this season.
Phillips has now scored in 18 different matches for Barnsley (all competitions) of which 13 they have won – including each of the first 10, they have won only three of the following eight and none of the last four.
Barnsley have now conceded 57 League One goals in 2023-2024 – ten more than in the entirety of 2022-2023 and indeed their most conceded in a League One campaign since 2014-2015 when they conceded 61.
This was the 21st time Barnsley have conceded the opening goal in a league game this season, the most in a third tier campaign since doing so in 22 games in 2003-2004.
Barnsley have now won only one of their last 12 meetings with Reading (D6 L5)
This was the first time in five meetings that the home side has netted more than once.
Each of the last five Oakwell meetings have ended in stalemate, the previous four had all been 1-1.
Barnsley have failed to win any of the last 11 Oakwell clashes (D6 L5) and have not won a league meeting here since August 1996.
Both teams have netted in each of the last seven Oakwell meetings whilst Reading have now managed to score on each of their last 11 visits.
Barnsley Team:
1. Liam Roberts
6. Mael de Gevigney
2. Jordan Williams
43. Josh Earl
7. Nicky Cadden
22. Corey O’Keeffe
3. Jon Russell
8. Herbie Kane
30. Adam Phillips
45. John McAtee
44. Devante Cole
Substitutes:
12. Fabio Jalo (for Russell 35)
17. Barry Cotter (for Cadden 73)
26. Jamie McCart (for O’Keeffe 79)
Unused Substitutes:
23. Ben Killip, 11. Conor Grant, 36. Max Watters, 9. Sam Cosgrove.
Reading Team:
22. Joel Pereira
24. Tyler Bindon
2. Clinton Mola
27. Amadou Salif Mbengue
30. Kelvin Opoku
7. Harvey Knibbs
29. Lewis Wing
12. Paul Mukairu
11. Femi Azeez
4. Ben Elliott
10. Sam Smith
Substitutions:
1. David Button (for Pereira 45)
15. Kelvin Ehibationham (for Mukairu 60)
8. Charlie Savage (for Elliott 74)
19. Jayden Wareham (for Azeez 89)
Unused Substitutes:
57. John Ryan, 36. Michael Craig, 40. Tivonge Rushesha.
SkyBet League One Results:
SATURDAY 6TH APRIL 2024:
BARNSLEY (5th) 2-2 Reading (17th)
Smith 21
Phillips 29
Wing 81
Jalo 83
Bolton Wanderers (3rd) 1-1 Portsmouth (1st)
Kamara 7
Collins 36
Cambridge United (18th) 1-1 Charlton Athletic (16th)
Wickham 23
Bonne 50
Carlisle United (24th) 0-1 Blackpool (7th)
Dembele 1
Cheltenham Town (22nd) 1-3 Bristol Rovers (15th)
Sinclair 12
Aguilera 56
Baggott 77
Sercombe 90+4
Derby County (2nd) 3-0 Leyton Orient (10th)
Moncur og 10
Bradley 18
Bradley 86
Fleetwood Town (23rd) 2-0 Northampton Town (11th)
Omochere 5
Lawal 30
Lincoln City (8th) 1-2 Wigan Athletic (13th)
Smith 20
Mandroiu 40
Hughes 90
Oxford United (6th) 5-0 Peterborough United (4th)
Harris pen 19
Murphy 31
Rodrigues 38
Rodrigues 58
Bodin 89
Port Vale (21st) 2-4 Exeter City (12th)
Chislett 31
Dipepa 40
Alli 57
Jules 67
Harris 79
Alli 89
Shrewsbury Town (19th) 0-2 Wycombe Wanderers (14th)
Leahy 83
Kone 90+1
Stevenage (9th) 1-2 Burton Albion (20th)
Helm 45+1
Hamer 76
Hemmings 88
Barnsley lie in 5th place in Sky Bet League One with 75 points from 43 games. We are 5 points inside the Play-Offs, 11 points off the Automatic Promotion Places, 16 points off First Place and 35 points above the Relegation Zone.
Up to 15/4/24
Next Up:
On The Road:
Sky Bet League One Matchday Forty Four: Portsmouth v Barnsley, Tuesday 16th April 2024. Kick Off: 7:45pm
At Oakwell:
Sky Bet League One Matchday Forty Six: Barnsley v Northampton Town, Saturday 27th April 2024. Kick Off: 12:30pm