Team News
The international break came at a good time for The Reds as it enabled the club’s chronic injury list to ease slightly with Craig Davies and Rob Edwards coming back into training.
Striker Davies, who is yet to score since his summer move from Chesterfield, has been missing with a groin injury since August’s 2-1 win at Reading, whilst defender Edwards has been absent since the 1-1 draw with Leicester at the start of September after hamstring trouble, but the 28 year old did manage to play 15 minutes in former Wolves’ team-mate’s Matt Murray testimonial last Sunday.
Boss Keith Hill is still missing a number of regulars. Danny Haynes continues to have heat treatment on his hamstring and Matt Done and David Perkins are also suffering hamstring trouble. Midfielder Perkins is ruled out for another two or three weeks. Club captain Bobby Hassell limped off in the 2-0 win over Coventry last time out after picking up a groin injury but it was only minor and he is now fully fit.
Likely Line-Up:
Luke Steele
Jay McEveley
Stephen Foster
Bobby Hassell
Jim McNulty
Jacob Butterfield
Scott Wiseman
Jim O’Brien
Ricardo Vaz Te
Danny Drinkwater
Andy Gray
Head To Head
Last Six Portsmouth v Barnsley results:
19/2/11 Portsmouth 1-0 Barnsley (Championship)
20/11/10 Barnsley 1-0 Portsmouth (Championship)
2/2/02 Portsmouth 4-4 Barnsley (Division One)
28/9/01 Barnsley 1-4 Portsmouth (Division One)
6/5/01 Portsmouth 3-0 Barnsley (Division One)
25/11/00 Barnsley 1-0 Portsmouth (Division One)
Overall Record:
Portsmouth Wins: 20
Barnsley Wins: 17
Draws: 12
Portsmouth Goals: 67
Barnsley Goals: 59
At Fratton Park:
Portsmouth Wins: 13
Barnsley Wins: 5
Draws: 6
Portsmouth Goals: 39
Barnsley Goals: 22
This Season
Last six 2011-2012 results:
1/10/11 Leeds 1–0 Portsmouth (Championship)
27/9/11 Portsmouth 2-3 Peterborough (Championship)
24/9/11 Portsmouth 1-0 Blackpool (Championship)
17/9/11 Hull 1-0 Portsmouth (Championship)
10/9/11 West Ham 4-3 Portsmouth (Championship)
27/8/11 Portsmouth 1-1 West Ham (Championship)
W: 1 D: 1 L: 4 F: 7 A: 10 GD: -3 Points: 4
Barnsley:
1/10/11 Barnsley 2–0 Coventry (Championship)
27/9/11 Derby 1–1 Barnsley (Championship)
24/9/11 Birmingham 1–1 Barnsley (Championship)
17/9/11 Barnsley 1-1 Watford (Championship)
10/9/11 Barnsley 1–1 Leicester (Championship)
27/8/11 Millwall 0-0 Barnsley (Championship)
W: 1 D: 5 L: 0 F: 6 A: 4 GD: 2 Points: 8
Interesting Stats
Barnsley are looking for back to back wins for the first time in nearly a year. The last time they won two matches in a row was November 2010 when they won three on the bounce, defeating Preston, Ipswich and ironically Portsmouth.
Barnsley go into this match still unbeaten away from home. This is the longest they have gone unbeaten away from the start of a season since the promotion campaign of 1996-1997 when it took until the 16th November and their eighth away game before losing. The Reds are one of four Championship teams still boasting an unbeaten away record, the other three being Southampton, West Ham and Leicester.
Barnsley have the joint second best defensive record in the Championship this season. They, like Hull, Blackpool and Leicester who occupy sixth, seventh and eighth respectively in the league have conceded just nine goals. Only second placed Middlesbrough boast a better record having shipped just five goals so far this season. On the flip time The Reds have scored one of the lowest amounts in the division. Aside from the three teams occupying the relegation zone, only Doncaster (6) have netted less than Barnsley’s nine.
Due to Steve Cotterill departing Portsmouth today to take over the reigns at Nottingham Forest, Keith Hill misses the chance to pit his wits against somebody who used to manage him! Cotterill was in charge of Cheltenham when Hill played there during the final stages of his career in 2001-2002.
It is now over 12 years since Barnsley last triumphed at Fratton Park when Craig Hignett and Bruce Dyer scored either side of an Adrian Whitbread own goal to seal a 3-1 success. Since then they have lost three of their four visits with the one respite being an astonishing 4-4 draw in 2001-2002 when Chris Lumsdon and Mike Sheron scored in the last six minutes to snatch a point from 4-2 down.
Mad Sites
Official Sites
www.barnsleyfc.co.uk
Other Fixtures
Friday, 14 October 2011
Saturday, 15 October 2011
Bristol City v Peterborough, 15:00
Coventry v Nott'm Forest, 15:00
Derby v Southampton, 15:00
Middlesbrough v Millwall, 15:00
Watford v Crystal Palace, 15:00
Sunday, 16 October 2011
Birmingham v Leicester, 13:00