Barnsley’s club record unbeaten away run finally came to an end in the capital, prior to this they had gone 11 away games unbeaten in the same season for the first time ever and had lost just once on the road in the league all season.
The opening goal was scored after 20 minutes by League One’s leading marksman Alfie May, the 18th league goal they have conceded in the opening 20 minutes this season from a total of 53 (34%)
Adam Phillips equalised from the penalty spot, the fifth penalty goal of the season but first not converted by Herbie Kane.
May would net his brace before half time though to secure the points for the Addicks, the fifth opposition player to net twice against Barnsley in the league this season following Junior Quitrna – Fleetwood, James Collins – Derby (in Barnsley’s only other away league defeat), Jonson Clarke-Harris – Peterborough and Jack Moylan – Lincoln.
May’s second was the 53rd league goal Barnsley have conceded in 2023-2024 – six more than in the entirety of 2022-2023 and indeed is their most conceded in a League One campaign since 2015-2016 when they only conceded one more.
It gives May 23 goals for the season – six more than Barnsley’s top scorer Devante Cole who has now gone 12 games without scoring.
This was the 20th time Barnsley have conceded the opening goal in a league game this season, the most in a third tier campaign since also doing so in 20 games in 2015-2016.
Adam Phillips has now scored in 16 different matches for Barnsley (all competitions) of which 13 they have won – including each of the first 10. They have lost on both of the last two occasions in which he has netted and two of the three games they haven’t won have come against Charlton – he has netted home and away against the Addicks this season.
This is only the second time this season in a Barnsley game in which both teams netted in the first half yet the Reds went in at the break behind (also the home game with Fleetwood which eventually finished 2-2)
Charlton could have made the game more comfortable when they were awarded a late penalty, however Chuks Aneke saw his effort repelled by Liam Roberts, it is the second time in six games Roberts has saved a penalty having also done so at Oakwell against Bolton however on that occasion the Trotters netted the rebound. It is the first complete penalty miss against Barnsley for 12 months since Ipswich’s Nathan Broadhead was denied by Harry Isted (who was playing against Barnsley this weekend) in April 2023.
Incidentally both of Roberts’ penalty saves this season have come in second half injury time.
Barnsley received as many as four yellow cards for the first time in eight matches, whilst the total in the game of eight is the most since the home meeting with Charlton in December (also eight)
Inevitably Josh Earl was one of Barnsley’s bookings, his sixth in just 13 appearances for the club and third in his last four games.
Phillips and Connell were both booked in second half injury time, the 16th and 17th card of some colour received after the 90th minute this season (all comps) from a total of 103 (16.5%)
Barnsley have now alternated between a defeat and either a win or a draw in their last six meetings with Charlton (DLWLDL)
This was the fourth 2-1 scoreline in the past nine meetings whilst at least one team has scored at least twice in each of the past 10 clashes.
This was Barnsley’s fourth successive defeat at the Valley and they have now lost 17 of their 28 visits, winning only three which all came successively between 2008 and 2014.
Each of the past four defeats there have seen them concede twice, losing 2-0 on two occasions and 2-1 on two occasions.
This was only the second season this century that Barnsley have failed to win at least one of their league meetings with Charlton (from eight seasons of meetings) also losing and drawing in 2019-2020.
There were seven shots on target for the second time in three Barnsley games with the Reds having three and their opponents four on both occasions.
Barnsley Team:
1. Liam Roberts
6. Mael de Gevigney
26. Jamie McCart
43. Josh Earl
30. Adam Phillips
7. Nicky Cadden
48. Luca Connell
3. Jon Russell
2. Jordan Williams
45. John McAtee
44. Devante Cole
Substitutes:
22. Corey O’Keeffe (for Earl 69)
9. Sam Cosgrove (for Russell 69)
12. Fabio Jalo (for Cole 78)
Unused Substitutes:
23. Ben Killip, 17. Barry Cotter, 11. Conor Grant, 8. Herbie Kane.
Charlton Team:
21. Harry Isted
3. Terrell Thomas
6. Michael Hector
27. Macaulay Gillesphey
26. Thierry Small
40. Conor Coventry
4. George Dobson
66. Kayne Ramsay
9. Alfie May
33. Karoy Anderson
29. Daniel Kanu
Substitutions:
47. Rarmani Edmonds-Green (for Ramsay 58)
22. Chuks Aneke (for Kanu 66)
30. Tyreeq Bakinson (for Thomas 88)
20. Tyreece Campbell (for May 88)
Unused Substitutes:
1 Ashley Maynard-Brewer, 14. Freddie Ladapo, 49. Kazenga LuaLua.
SkyBet League One Results:
SATURDAY 6TH APRIL 2024:
Blackpool (8th) 1-0 Cambridge United (19th)
Carey 30
Bristol Rovers (15th) 0-2 Bolton Wanderers (3rd)
Collins 52
Morley pen 90+8
Burton Albion (21st) 0-4 Oxford United (6th)
Harris 24
Harris 57
Murphy 62
Henry 69
Charlton Athletic (16th) 2-1 Barnsley (5th)
May 20
Phillips pen 28
May 40
Exeter City (12th) 1-0 Stevenage (9th)
Cole 38
Leyton Orient (10th) 3-1 Cheltenham Town (22nd)
Galbraith 34
O’Neill 44
Sotiriou 85
Nuttall 90+7
Northampton Town (11th) 2-0 Carlisle United (24th)
Bowie 33
Koiki 90+4
Portsmouth (1st) 3-1 Shrewsbury Town (18th)
Dunkley og 3
Shipley 29
Bishop pen 42
Bishop 77
Reading (17th) 1-1 Lincoln City (7th)
Draper 72
Bindon 83
Wigan Athletic (13th) 0-0 Port Vale (20th)
Barnsley lie in 5th place in Sky Bet League One with 74 points from 41 games. We are 6 points inside the Play-Offs, 8 points off the Automatic Promotion Places, 16 points off First Place and 34 points above the Relegation Zone.
Up to 8/4/24
Next Up:
On The Road:
Sky Bet League One Matchday Forty Two: Stevenage v Barnsley, Tuesday 9th April 2024. Kick Off: 7:45pm
At Oakwell:
Sky Bet League One Matchday Forty Three: Barnsley v Reading, Saturday 13th April 2024. Kick Off: 3pm