Coca-Cola Championship Matchday Twenty Two: Barnsley v Middlesbrough

Team News

Barnsley will have to make two changes to their defence after the loan periods of Ryan Shotton and Carl Dickinson have expired. They will though be back on the 1^st January. Saturday’s postponement at Preston means Shotton still has a one match suspension to serve- something he will do when Stoke entertain Birmingham tomorrow. Rob Kozluk is likely to replace Dickinson.

Likely Lineup:

Luke Steele

Rob Kozluk

Darren Moore

Stephen Foster

Bobby Hassell

Adam Hammill

Anderson De Silva

Hugo Colace

Emil Hallfredsson

Andy Gray

Daniel Bogdanovic

Head To Head

Tomorrow marks the first meetings between these two sides in 15 seasons. The last time they did combat was in a 1-1 Division One draw at Oakwell on the 22^nd April 1995. Boro were promoted to the Premier League that season as champions and remained there for two years before swapping places with The Reds in that famous season of 1996-1997. Ironically it was two Boro old boys- John Hendrie and Paul Wilkinson who were key in firing Barnsley to promotion.

Middlesbrough have a pretty decent record at Oakwell having won seven of their 21 visits, to Barnsley’s eight and they have scored more goals in Oakwell meetings than Barnsley. They drew in that 1995 season but totally blitzed The Reds the year before winning 5-0 at home and 4-1 in South Yorkshire.

Overall Record:

Barnsley Wins: 11

Middlesbrough Wins: 24

Draws: 10

Barnsley Goals: 39

Middlesbrough Goals: 83

At Oakwell:

Barnsley Wins: 8

Middlesbrough Wins: 7

Draws: 6

Barnsley Goals: 26

Middlesbrough Goals: 34

This Season

Middlesbrough have struggled badly since relegation from the Premier League in May and will be casting envious eyes at the other two sent down with them – Newcastle and West Brom who occupy first and second respectively in the Championship. Their “lowly” position of 10^th is mainly down to their woeful home form. Boro have lost six times at the Riverside this season – no one has lost more home games in the Championship, but ironically they have won more home games than Barnsley having pocketed the three points four times- including Saturday’s 3-0 win over Scunthorpe.

Like The Reds, Boro are on their second manager of the season but the dismissals were in totally different situations. Boro chairman Steve Gibson axed Gareth Southgate in October after a 2-0 home win over Derby which left them fourth in the league! He was replaced by Gordon Strachan and the former Celtic boss has presided over a woeful run. Saturday’s success was only his second win in nine games in charge, and it lifted Boro back into the top half of the table.

Barnsley’s fourth postponement/abandonment of 2009 at the weekend means avoiding defeat tomorrow will make it eight unbeaten games in a row. But they must improve a pretty poor home record. The Reds have won just three times in the league at Oakwell this season – the first time they have reached this stage of a season with such a low home winning record since 2002. The Reds are though unbeaten at home in their past four matches.

Overall playing record for 28^th December:

Barnsley haven’t won on this day since, ironically 2002 when they gained their fourth home win of the campaign, beating Port Vale 2-1- Barnsley scorers: Rory Fallon, Paul Gibbs. Last season they drew 1-1 at home to Preston, and tomorrow will be the 12^th time in a row that they have been at home when playing on the 28^th December.

Barnsley: Played 29, Won 13, Drawn 6, Lost 10, Scored 49, Conceded 35

Middlesbrough have lost three of the last four times they have played two days after Boxing Day, but won the most previous one, 2-0 at home to Norwich in 2004- scorer: Joseph Desire Job (2). Boro have lost the last five times they have been away on this date.

Middlesbrough: Played 25, Won 8, Drawn 5, Lost 12, Scored 30, Conceded 35

Last six 2009-2010 Results

Barnsley:

19/12/09 Crystal Palace 1-1 Barnsley (Championship)

12/12/09 Barnsley 2-2 Newcastle (Championship)

9/12/09 Barnsley 1-1 Scunthorpe (Championship)

5/12/09 Blackpool 1-2 Barnsley (Championship)

21/11/09 Barnsley 1-0 Cardiff (Championship)

9/11/09 Barnsley 2-2 Sheffield United (Championship)

W: 2 D: 4 L: 0 F: 9 A: 7 GD: 2 Points: 10

Middlesbrough:

26/12/09 Middlesbrough 3-0 Scunthorpe (Championship)