......... The division’s lowest home scorers defeated the division’s highest away scorers and this was only Watford’s second defeat in 12 away matches.
Bobby Hassell, the club’s current longest serving player grabbed his ninth goal for the club and his first in the league for over two years.
As Hassell’s strike came after he arrived off the bench for the injured Rory Delap it means 11 of The Reds last 21 league goals have been scored by substitutes including five of the last nine.
Barnsley have now scored in their last 15 matches in the league. The last team to stop them scoring was Sheffield Wednesday who they face next.
Today’s result took The Reds above the Owls, and sets up a real six pointer at Hillsborough in a fortnight.
Barnsley managed to keep their first clean sheet in 10 outings in all competitions and their eighth of the season.
It was only the sixth time this season Watford have failed to score and the first in nine.
Amazingly if the season had started the day after Keith Hill was sacked, Barnsley would be joint second in the table having collected 23 points from a possible 33 since that 3-1 defeat to Blackburn on the 29th December. That is the same amount as Nottingham Forest have gained in that time and only bettered by today’s opponents Watford who have managed 26.
The table from 30th December 2012: (not including goal difference)
1. Watford 26
2. Barnsley 23
3. Nottingham Forest 23
4. Bolton 22
5. Brighton 22
6. Cardiff 22
7. Crystal Palace 21
8. Birmingham 20
9. Hull 20
10. Peterborough 20
11. Leicester 18
12. Sheffield Wednesday 18
13. Bristol City 17
14. Charlton 17
15. Leeds 17
16. Ipswich 16
17. Burnley 15
18. Huddersfield 15
19. Blackburn 14
20. Derby 14
21. Blackpool 13
22. Wolves 11
23. Millwall 10
24. Middlesbrough 7
Barnsley Team:
Luke Steele
Scott Wiseman (YC)
Martin Cranie
Tom Kennedy
Rory Delap
Jim O’Brien
David Perkins (YC)
Jacob Mellis
Chris O’Grady
Jason Scotland
Kelvin Etuhu
Substitutes:
Bobby Hassell (for Delap 6) (YC)
Chris Dagnall (for Scotland 46)
Tomasz Cywka (for Mellis 57)
Unused Substitutes:
Ben Alnwick, Stephen Dawson, Ryan Tunnicliffe, Marlon Harewood.
Match Reports:
Npower Championship results Saturday 16th March 2013:
Charlton 0-2 Millwall
Leeds 1-2 Huddersfield
BARNSLEY 1-0 Watford
Blackpool 0-1 Peterborough
Hull 1-2 Nottingham Forest
Ipswich 1-0 Bolton
Middlesbrough 0-1 Birmingham
Sheffield Wednesday 0-2 Cardiff
Wolves 2-1 Bristol City
Derby 2-1 Leicester
Barnsley lie in 20th place in the Npower Championship with 44 points from 37 games.
We are 15 points off the Play-Offs 24 points off the Automatic Promotion Places, 31 points off First place and 2 points above the Relegation Zone.
Up to 16.3.13
Next Up:
On The Road:
Npower Championship Matchday Thirty Eight: Sheffield Wednesday v Barnsley Saturday 30th March 2013: Kick-Off: 3pm
Tickets:
On sale to season ticket holders only at present. Contact Box Office.
At Oakwell:
Npower Championship Matchday Thirty Nine: Barnsley v Leicester City Monday 1st April Kick-off: 3pm.
Tickets:
Adult, non-member: £23
Adult, member: £20
OAP, non-member: £16
OAP, member: £15
Students (18-20), non-member: £16
Students (18-20), member: £15
Juveniles (12-17), non-member: £16
Juveniles (12-17), member: £15
Juveniles (5-11): £5