Barnsley’s hopes of a top two finish took a major hit as they failed to win at Oakwell for the third successive game to slip seven points behind the automatic promotion places.
This was Barnsley’s 11th league draw of the season, only three teams – Charlton (15) and Lincoln and Fleetwood (both 13) have had more stalemates in League One this season and it is four more than they had in 2022-2023.
It is however their first 0-0 of the season and first for 52 games in all competitions since a score-less visit to Lincoln in April 2023.
This result also ends Barnsley’s 100% scoring record in 2024 – they are the final League One team to draw a blank in the calendar year.
It also ends a run of 24 successive games in all competitions in which they have scored, stretching back to a 3-0 defeat at Derby in November 2023. It had been their best scoring run for 97 years.
The result did though bring Barnsley only their second clean sheet in 20 matches (all competitions) and their first for 11 matches.
Barnsley have gone three successive home league games without winning (D2 L1) for the first time since failing to win any of the final four in 2021-2022 when they were relegated from the Championship.
It is the first time it has occurred at this level since March/April 2016 (D1 L2)
There were only two yellow cards shown, the lowest in a Barnsley match for 12 games.
Josh Earl was Barnsley’s recipient, his fourth booking in 10 appearances for the club.
This was only the sixth meeting between Barnsley and Cheltenham with the Reds remaining unbeaten against the Robins having won four and now drawn two.
This result did end a four match winning streak for the Reds in this fixture.
Barnsley have now kept four successive clean sheets against Cheltenham and the Robins have only ever netted one goal at Oakwell - in the first ever meeting, a 1-1 draw in August 2002.
This is the first time Barnsley have failed to score against Cheltenham, having netted a total of 11 goals in the previous five meetings.
The total of six shots on target overall is the lowest amount in a Barnsley match for 11 games.
Barnsley however have managed only four in each of their last two home matches.
There has been 15 corners in each of Barnsley’s last two games.
Barnsley Team:
1. Liam Roberts
6. Mael de Gevigney
26. Jamie McCart
43. Josh Earl
22. Corey O’Keeffe
48. Luca Connell
3. Jon Russell
7. Nicky Cadden
30. Adam Phillips
45. John McAtee
9. Sam Cosgrove
Substitutes:
44. Devante Cole (for Cosgrove 57)
11. Conor Grant (for Russell 71)
17. Barry Cotter (for Cadden 80)
2. Jordan Williams (for McCart 80)
19. Aiden Marsh (for McAtee 80)
Unused Substitutes:
23. Ben Killip, 10. Josh Benson.
Cheltenham Team:
1. Luke Southwood
5. Andy Smith
33. Curtis Davies
6. Lewis Freestone
32. Greg Sloggett
34. Tom Pett
7. Liam Kinsella
15. Will Ferry
2. Sean Long
19. George Lloyd
10. Aidan Keena
Substitutions:
4. Tom Bradbury (for Smith 64)
23. Elliott Bonds (for Sloggett 64)
26. Joe Nuttall (for Keena 73)
27. Jordan Thomas (for Pett 74)
Unused Substitutes:
21. Jamie Pardington, 25. Josh Harrop, 8. Liam Sercombe.
SkyBet League One Results:
SATURDAY 16TH MARCH 2024:
BARNSLEY (5th) 0-0 Cheltenham Town (21st)
Derby County (2nd) 1-0 Bolton Wanderers (3rd)
Wilson 78
Exeter City (15th) 1-0 Burton Albion (19th)
Cole 41
Fleetwood Town (22nd) 1-1 Charlton Athletic (16th)
May pen 45+1
Graydon 84
Lincoln City (7th) 5-0 Bristol Rovers (13th)
O’Connor 11
Taylor 19
Taylor 23
Taylor 55
Hackett-Fairchild 55
Peterborough United (4th) 0-1 Portsmouth (1st)
Yengi 77
Port Vale (23rd) 0-2 Oxford United (6th)
Brown 16
Murphy 49
Reading (18th) 4-0 Cambridge United (20th)
Smith 11
Azeez 45+2
Wing 62
Ehibhatiomhan 85
Shrewsbury Town (17th) 1-0 Carlisle United (24th)
Udoh 40
Stevenage (8th) 0-1 Leyton Orient (10th)
Sanders 16
Wigan Athletic (11th) 1-0 Blackpool (9th)
Smith 26
Wycombe Wanderers (12th) 2-0 Northampton Town (14th)
Butcher 69
Butcher 84
Barnsley lie in 5th place in Sky Bet League One with 71 points from 38 games. We are 10 points inside the Play-Offs, 7 points off the Automatic Promotion Places, 12 points off First Place and 36 points above the Relegation Zone.
Up to 17/3/24
Next Up:
At Oakwell:
Sky Bet League One Matchday Thirty Nine: Barnsley v Cambridge United, Friday 29th March 2024. Kick Off: 3pm
On The Road:
Sky Bet League One Matchday Forty: Burton Albion v Barnsley, Monday 1st April 2024. Kick Off: 3pm