A wretched calendar year at Oakwell came to a horrible end as Barnsley were thumped in front of their beleaguered supporters to round off a home 2024 in which they won only six of 24 (including play-offs) four of which had come by mid February.
It is the club's lowest amount of home league wins in a calendar year since 2017 when they won only four in the Championship.
The start to 2024-2025 of just two wins from their opening 11 home league games is their worst since 2019-2020 in the Championship (also 2 of 11) and their worst at this level since 1971-1972 (when they won only 2 of their first 15)
The current home start is relegation form putting them 21st in the home table with only second bottom Burton having won less in front of their own supporters this season (1)
Barnsley were behind after just six minutes, only at Cambridge in November have they conceded earlier in a league game this season (four minutes) with this the earliest goal conceded at Oakwell since remarkably this very weekend last season - Luther Wildin netting after four minutes for Stevenage on the 23rd December 2023.
Barnsley were 2-0 behind at half time for the first time since the 20th April at Blackpool and the first time at home for 11 months since a 2-1 defeat to Exeter on the 27th January.
This was the first time Barnsley went 3-0 and 4-0 down at home since their previous heaviest defeat in front of their own supporters, the 5-1 reverse against Lincoln on the 9th March.
Barnsley have gone four home league games without a win, three of which have ended in defeat, their longest home league win-less run since a run of eight (the final six of 2023-2024 and first two of 2024-2025)
This is the first time in four years that Barnsley have lost their final game before Christmas, losing 2-0 at Swansea in 2020, they had won each of them in the previous two League One campaigns.
Barnsley will spend Christmas Day in ninth position in League One - 53rd in the football pyramid, their lowest position on the festive day since 2015 when they were 21st in League One - 65th in the pyramid.
Darrell Clarke made two first half substitutions, taking off both Conor McCarthy and Matty Craig after 36 minutes, the first Barnsley boss to make two changes before half time since Michael Duff brought off Jordan Helliwell after 15 minutes and Josh Benson after 41 in a 2-2 draw at Ipswich on the 27th August 2022.
21 games in and finally Barnsley managed to complete a league match without receiving any yellow cards – it is the first time in 28 league matches they have not had any bookings, last occurring at Burton on the 1st April and the first time at Oakwell in 11 months , against Carlisle on the 16th January.
Leyton Orient’s victory nudged them ahead in the head-head standings as they have now won 24 meetings compared to Barnsley’s 23.
It was however Barnsley’s first defeat against the O’s in seven meetings (W4 D2 L1)
Each of Barnsley’s last two defeats against Orient have seen the O’s score four goals – also 4-2 in February 1970, whilst they have conceded at least four in three of the last six defeats as they lost 5-1 in September 1958.
This was only the second time in 11 meetings Barnsley have failed to score however both have come in the last four.
This was also the first time in seven meetings Orient have netted more than once.
This was only Orient’s fourth win in their 29 visits to Oakwell, two have come in the last four meetings however they do span 65 years.
Indeed this was only Orient’s second win in their last 20 visits going all the back to 1911, of which Barnsley had won 16.
It is Orient’s biggest ever victory at Oakwell.
There has been 20 shots in each of Barnsley’s last two games, however this was the first time both Barnsley and their opponent have had the same amount of shots since the home play-off leg with Bolton in May when both had nine.
Barnsley managed only one shot on target, their lowest in a league game in 11 months since Oxford away on the 23rd January and lowest in a home game since the 30th September 2023 against Blackpool when they failed to register any.
Orient won eight corners, the most by a Barnsley opponent in the league this season and most since Northampton in the final home game of the regular 2023-2024 season (also eight)
There were only 11 fouls in the game, the lowest in any Barnsley game this season and lowest since 30th October 2021 against Bristol City (also 11)
Barnsley Team:
23. Ben Killip
6. Mael de Gevigney
5. Donovan Pines
21. Conor McCarthy
7. Corey O’Keeffe
3. Jon Russell
50. Kelechi Nwakali
18. Matthew Craig
17. Georgie Gent
40. Davis Keillor-Dunn
44. Stephen Humphrys
Substitutes:
15. Kyran Lofthouse (for Craig 36)
36. Max Watters (for McCarthy 36)
2. Barry Cotter (for O’Keeffe 60)
9. Sam Cosgrove (for Humphrys 81)
Unused Substitutes:
12. Jackson Smith, 45. Vimal Yoganathan, 10. Josh Benson.
Leyton Orient Team:
24. Josh Keeley
22. Ethan Galbraith
19. Omar Beckles
5. Daniel Happe
12. Jack Currie
7. Daniel Agyei
18. Darren Pratley
17. Jamie Donley
8. Jordan Brown
21. Ollie O’Neill
23. Charlie Kelman
Substitutions:
27. Diallang Jaiyesimi (for Donley 81)
4. Jack Simpson (for Happe 83)
6. Brandon Cooper (for Currie 90+3)
29. Zech Obiero (for Agyei 90+3)
20. Sonny Perkins (for O’Neill 90+3)
Unused Substitutes:
26. Noah Phillips, 3. Jayden Sweeney.
Sky Bet League One Results:
Friday 20th December 2024:
Cambridge United (22nd) 0-4 Huddersfield Town (4th)
Kasumu 12
Spencer 32
Marshall 38
Marshall 72
Stockport County (5th) 2-1 Peterborough United (16th)
Bailey 11
Randall 34
Olaofe 75
Wycombe Wanderers (2nd) 0-0 Bolton Wanderers (8th)
Saturday 21st December 2024:
Bristol Rovers (19th) 1-1 Wrexham (3rd)
Lee 18
Omochere 86
Lincoln City (6th) 2-0 Reading (7th)
Cadamarteri 8
Hackett 72
BARNSLEY (9th) 0-4 Leyton Orient (15th)
Donley 6
Beckles 28
Kelman 51
Perkins 90+3
Blackpool (12th) 0-0 Stevenage (14th)
Burton Albion (23rd) 1-2 Exeter City (13th)
Bodin 8
Magennis 45+2
Alli 71
Mansfield Town (10th) 1-0 Rotherham United (18th)
Oshilaja 27
Northampton Town (20th) 0-5 Charlton Athletic (11th)
Docherty 9
Campbell 12
Leaburn 36
Docherty 68
Hylton 90+1
Wigan Athletic (17th) 2-2 Shrewsbury Town (24th)
Aasgaard 9
Taylor 53
Aimson og 67
Lloyd 87
Monday 23rd December 2024:
Crawley Town (21st) 0-1 Birmingham City (1st)
Stansfield 79
Barnsley lie in 9th place in Sky Bet League One with 30 points from 21 games. We are 1 point off the Play-Offs, 14 points off the Automatic Promotion Places, 15 points off First Place and 11 points above the Relegation Zone.
Up to 24/12/24
Next Up:
On The Road:
Sky Bet League One Matchday Twenty Two: Bolton Wanderers v Barnsley, Thursday 26th December 2024. Kick Off: 3pm
At Oakwell:
Sky Bet League One Matchday Twenty Four: Barnsley v Wrexham, Wednesday 1st January 2025. Kick Off: 3pm