Barnsley dropped into the Championship relegation zone for the first time in 12months as a late Millwall winner heaped more pressure on Markus Schopp.
Not since the 20th October 2020 have Barnsley ended a day in the drop zone but a fifth defeat from their opening 11 games saw them drop to third bottom, a point from safety.
It looked like the game was going to end goal-less until Murray Wallace headed home a corner in the 89th minute – the first time Barnsley have conceded their first goal in a game this late since Adam Armstrong netted Blckburn’s only goal after 90+4 on the 17th February. That was in a 2-1 Barnsley win with Millwall’s effort the latest Barnsley have lost a game since the 7th December 2019 when a 2-2 draw at Cardiff turned into a 3-2 defeat after 90+4.
This is the latest Barnsley have lost a home game since the 27th January 2018 against Fulham when the Cottagers scored twice in injury time to win 3-1.
The Reds drew a blank in front of goal for the fifth time in 11 league games, their most at this stage of a season since 2019-2020 when they also failed to score in five of the first 11.
They are the joint lowest scorers in the Championship so far, along with Derby (7 goals) and have drawn a blank in three of their last four games.
Barnsley have now lost successive home league games for the first time since November/December 2020 against Brentford and Bournemouth.
They have lost three league games in a row overall for the first time since January (v Norwich, Swansea and Watford)
Barnsley are winless in nine league outings (D4 L5), their worst run since a run of 17 Championship games without a win between 10th August 2019 and 27th November 2019 (D6 L11)
Markus Schopp is the first Barnsley manager to win only one of his first 11 league games in charge (W1 D5 L5) since John McSeveney who also only one of his first 11 league games (the 11th one) after taking charge on the 1st September 1971 (W1 D4 L6)
He and the Reds have won only one of their first 12 games in all competitions, their worst start since winning only one of the first 19 in 2019-2020.
This was Barnsley’s first defeat against Millwall in five meetings (W2 D2 L1) and only the second in 11 league meetings, including playoffs (W7 D2 L2)
It’s only Millwall’s second victory in seven visits to Oakwell, the last time they were victorious here, back in March 2018 Barnsley went on to be relegated from the Championship.
Barnsley have though now failed to score in three of the last four Oakwell clashes.
This was Millwall’s first away Championship win of the season which now leaves three clubs without an away win in 2021-2022 – including Barnsley.
There were a total of 31 shots in the game (14-17), the most in a Barnsley game since the Chelsea EFL Cup tie in September 2020 (31, 17-14) and most in a league game since Hull away in February 2020 (34, 12-22)
Barnsley’s 14 shots are their most in a game since the final regular season game of 2020-2021 against Norwich (15) whilst Millwall’s 17 is the most by a Barnsley opponent in a league game since Fulham at Craven Cottage in February 2020 (21) It’s the most by an opponent at Oakwell since Leeds in September 2019 (21)
There has been a total of 10 shots on target in each of Barnsley’s last three games with the last two seeing Barnsley have three and their opponents seven.
Barnsley Team:
40. Brad Collins
5. Liam Kitching
30. Michal Helik
15. Jasper Moon
7. Callum Brittain
21. Romal Palmer
4. Callum Styles
3. Ben Williams
11. Aaron Leya Iseka
44. Devante Cole
9. Cauley Woodrow
Substitutes:
20. Toby Sibbick (for Palmer 55)
29. Victor Adeboyejo (for Cole 67)
28. Dominik Frieser (for Leya Iseka 70)
Unused Substitutes:
1. Jack Walton, 2. Jordan Williams, 17. Claudio Gomes, 22. Clarke Oduor
Millwall Team:
33. Bartosz Bialkowski
26. Daniel Ballard
4. Shaun Hutchinson
5. Jake Cooper
2. Danny McNamara
28. George Evans
17. George Saville
3. Murray Wallace
14. Sheyi Ojo
7. Jed Wallace
23. Benik Afobe
Substitutions:
9. Tom Bradshaw (for Ojo 70)
24. Billy Mitchell (for Evans 70)
10. Matt Smith (for Afobe 77)
Unused Substitutes:
1. George Long, 6. Maikel Kieftenbeld, 15. Alex Pearce, 18. Ryan Leonard.
Millwall manager Gary Rowett said:
"I thought on the whole we were pretty good - certainly the better side. We had some big moments in the game, we just needed that final action.
"Little moments turn games and set pieces have been a big factor. It was a fantastic header from Muzza who's been superb for us. He comes up with big moments.
"It was a great way to win a game that looked as though it wasn't going to be the three points we hoped for."
Sky Bet Championship results
FRIDAY 1ST OCTOBER 2021
Stoke City (4th) 1-0 West Bromwich Albion (2nd)
Powell 79
SATURDAY 2ND OCTOBER 2021
Coventry City (3rd) 4-1 Fulham (5th)
McFadzean og 18
Gyokeres 47
Godden pen 51
Maatsen 61
Gyokeres 70
BARNSLEY (22nd) 0-1 Millwall (11th)
Wallace 89
Birmingham City (16th) 0-3 Nottingham Forest (17th)
Grabban 11
Yates 29
Spence 53
Blackpool (12th) 2-1 Blackburn Rovers (8th)
Lavery 4
Yates 24
Brereton Diaz 50
AFC Bournemouth (1st) 2-1 Sheffield United (14th)
Gibbs-White 56
Solanke pen 62
Billing 65
Cardiff City (20th) 0-1 Reading (10th)
Hoilett 38
Derby County (24th) 0-0 Swansea City (19th)
Hull City (21st) 2-0 Middlesbrough (15th)
Lumley og 81
Wilks 90+3
Luton Town (13th) 0-0 Huddersfield Town (7th)
Peterborough United (23rd) 2-3 Bristol City (9th)
Szmodics 22
Thompson og 34
Tanner 40
Szmodics 43
Martin 84
Queens Park Rangers (6th) 3-2 Preston North End (18th)
Dykes 17
Riis Jakobsen 27
Earl 46
Dunne 71
Chair 74
Barnsley lie in 22nd place in the Sky Bet Championship with 8 points from 11 games. We are 10 points off the Play-Offs, 14 points off the Automatic Promotion Places, 17 points off First Place and 1 point inside the Relegation Zone.
Up to 3/10/21
Next Up:
On The Road:
Sky Bet Championship Matchday Twelve: Reading v Barnsley, Saturday 16th October 2021. Kick-Off: 3pm
At Oakwell:
Sky Bet Championship Matchday Fourteen: Barnsley v Sheffield United, Sunday 24th October 2021. Kick-Off: 12:30pm