Barnsley kept their good record against Blackpool going to move back onto the fridges of the play-off race with substitute Iain Hume grabbing just his third goal since returning from his horrific head injury to secure a hard-fought win.
Once again The Reds had to battle and they made it just two first half goals in the last 12 matches at Oakwell with another blank before the break. This though can go down as a job well done. In the reverse fixture at Bloomfield Road back in December, The Reds produced a real smash and grab in the final five minutes to earn a 2-1 win. But this was different. Yesterday The Reds nullified the Blackpool threat and then struck when it mattered.
It seems to be the case with the Tangerines this season that if you can keep 13 goal top scorer Charlie Adam quiet, you can keep Blackpool quiet. At Oakwell yesterday, a Reds midfield which has been much maligned this season, did exactly that. Adam was superbly tracked by Nathan Doyle, he barely got a kick and subsequently, keeper Luke Steele didn’t have a real save to make all game. The statistics back this up. In December, Adam ran the show and Blackpool rattled in 10 attempts on target and 10 off. Yesterday the 24 year old Scotsman was anonymous and Pool managed just seven attempts the whole game, with only four rather meek ones heading at Steele.
A lot of credit for this has to go to Doyle. I have heavily criticised Doyle, especially since arriving permanently on a free transfer but the win over Leicester in late January seems to have been the moment his Barnsley career finally came to life. He was excellent in that game and has been since. Yesterday, he clung to Adam for 90 minutes and it could be claimed that was the catalyst for the win.
Even Doyle was overshadowed yesterday though by the performance of full-back Bobby Hassell. The club’s longest serving current player has had a shocking time with injuries this season and was making only his 13th league start of this campaign. He put in an excellent performance and was never beaten down his flank. His tackling, passing and forward play was spot on and was arguably the best we have seen of Hassell in a long time… maybe Darren Moore should break his nose every week!
The Reds went into the game looking to extend an impressive record against the Seasiders. Barnsley had lost only two of their previous 13 matches with Blackpool and lost only one at Oakwell in 73 years. Not surprisingly for a home game this season, no indication of a winner came from the opening 45 minutes. Felipe Teixeira was his usual high-octane self, showing some wonderful close control to slalom past challenges but Blackpool were defending in numbers and clear cut chances were extremely hard to come by. Daniel Bogdanovic showed why eight of his 10 goals this season have come away from home and despite finishing two wonderful chances at Cardiff last weekend, he never really got those opportunities on a ground where he has failed to score since the 2-2 draw with Sheffield United in November. The best chances in the first half flew wide. Teixeria fired over from 30 yards whilst Stephen Foster flicked a header just wide from a free-kick from Hassell.
Due to the lack of chances, the main talking point of the opening 45 minutes came in the little argument between Hassell and Carl Dickinson over who would take a free-kick in the 38th minute. Hassell grabbed control of the ball, but Dickinson pushed a clearly aggrieved Hassell away. An unsavoury moment, but “Dicko‘s” curled effort was eventually well held by Pool keeper Matthew Gilks.
Barnsley through burst into life immediately after the break and Adam Hammill should have broken the deadlock in the opening minutes. The Scouser showed great skill to jink inside Alex Baptiste and leave himself a one-on-one with Gilks in the area. But Hammill poked a tame effort that the former Norwich keeper blocked with his legs. The rebound fell to Teixeria but his blast was blocked by Ian Evatt.
The focus seemed to switch in the second half with Hammill seeing far more of the ball and he had the beating of Baptiste every time, jinking inside and out. A lot of credit must be given to him for the effort he put in but as a winger his final balls were poor. If not ridiculously deciding to shoot himself, his crosses were woeful. He sent in at least five crosses that Gilks easily claimed every time. And the more the final ball let The Reds down, the more likely it looked that Barnsley- without a draw in 11, and Blackpool- with only five blanks in the goals for column in 33 games were going to play out a goal-less draw… until manager Mark Robins made his only change of the game after 72 minutes. Robins threw on Hume for Bogdanovic and within three minutes he had grabbed the winner.
Hassell arrowed a free-kick into the six yard box, Jon Macken- who had his best game in absolutely ages, chested it down straight into the path of Hume and he side footed the ball into the far corner of the net. It was the 15th goal The Reds have scored in the final 15 minutes of games this season and the third against Blackpool! It was crucial in a game so scarce of chances, and despite Blackpool throwing men forward, some excellent defending-led by Hassell- meant Steele was virtually redundant. It was in fact The Reds who could have finished the game and if Hugo Colace’s effort had gone in, even David Beckham would have had to bow to the Argentine’s feet. Gilks poor clearance fell to Colace inside his own half and he hit a superb first time effort that arrowed towards goal, but with Gilks scrambling back into his area, the ball flew narrowly wide.
After three successive defeats, Barnsley have secured back to back wins for the fourth time this season- and ironically the second time Cardiff and Blackpool have been the victims for that sequence, but they have only managed to make that three wins in a row only once. Next up is a trip to league leaders Newcastle who have yet to lose at home this season. It’s a real test for a side who have been Jekyll and Hyde all season. I wouldn’t bet against them ending Newcastle’s run- just like they ended the unbeaten home records of Doncaster and Blackpool earlier on this campaign. The again if it’s the Barnsley who faced Plymouth at Oakwell and travelled to Reading and Scunthorpe, tin helmets may be needed. Will the real Barnsley please stand up?
Player Ratings:
Luke Steele: Will have really enjoyed this game seeing as he had nothing to do but deal with a few long range efforts. Clean sheets are always loved by keepers, this was Steele’s sixth in the league this season and his first back to back. 7
Carl Dickinson: No need for the argument with Hassell over the taking of a free-kick but was his usual uncompromising self. Worked very well with Hammill in the second half. 7
Stephen Foster: Couldn’t beat 6”3 Ben Burgess in the air but made sure he had him on the floor. Produced some excellent blocks. 7
Ryan Shotton: Back after his four match suspension and looked refreshed for it. Stupidly tried to play football too close to his own area on occasions but was mostly untroubled. 7
Bobby Hassell: Excellent game, and back to the Hassell we all remember. Never made a mistake and it was fitting he helped set up the goal. 9
Felipe Teixeira: A real bonus he will remain at Oakwell for the remainder of the season. His skill and wonderful first touch can unlock tough games. Surprisingly he wasn’t used very much in the second half but when on the ball, things happen. 7
Nathan Doyle: Made sure Charlie Adam never got a kick and therefore stopped Blackpool. A lot of what he did yesterday probably went unnoticed, but for the importance of it, this was his best game so far. 8
Hugo Colace: Nearly a hit a goal of the season contender but this was his only real contribution. Covered every blade of grass but it was Doyle who held the midfield together. 6
Adam Hammill: Saw a lot of the ball in the second half and knows he should have done better with it. Gave Baptiste a torrid time but his final ball let him down. 7
Jon Macken: Has been heavily criticised this season with many fans, myself included, believing this could be his final season in a Red shirt. He rolled back the years yesterday however by giving a terrific performance. Still complains to the referee too much, but he never wasted a ball. Held it up superbly, and laid off wonderfully to either Teixeira or Hammill. Then produced a lovely cushioned ball for Hume to fire in the winner. 8
Daniel Bogdanovic: Maybe he gets more space away from home but there is a big contrast between home and away performances. Never really got an opportunity against a Blackpool defence who marked him tightly. Subbed. 6
Substitutes:
Iain Hume (for Bogdanovic 72) An inspired substitution. His work-rate was again phenomenal and he popped up with the all important goal. That will be a real confidence booster for him. 7.5
Unused Substitutes:
David Preece, Luke Potter, Jacob Butterfield, Anderson De Silva, Emil Hallfredsson, Andy Gray.
Sponsor’s Man of the Match: Nathan Doyle
BarnsleyBoy's Man of the Match: Bobby Hassell: I can see why Doyle got it because he totally nullified Blackpool’s main threat but Hassell was just brilliant. Never put a foot wrong. Certainly a close call between the two though.
BLACKPOOL: Gilks, Crainey, Southern, Evatt, Burgess (Euell 81), Ormerod (Bouazza 63), Vaughan, Baptiste, Campbell (Dobbie 63), Adam, Butler.
Subs: Rachubka, Eardley, Demontagnac, Husband.
Most Impressed by Blackpool’s: Ben Burgess: Won everything in the air. But that was the only dominance Blackpool had in the game.
Ref Watch: Jarnail Singh: Was poor for both sides. Gave free-kicks, throw-ins and corners the wrong way. We complain when refs get the major decisions wrong but surely at this level they should be able to get the basic ones right? 2
Coca Cola Championship Results Saturday 27th February 2010:
BARNSLEY 1-0 Blackpool
Coventry 2-1 Scunthorpe
Doncaster 1-1 Crystal Palace
Ipswich 0-0 Bristol City
Leicester 3-0 Nottingham Forest
Middlesbrough 2-0 QPR
Preston 3-0 Cardiff
Reading 5 (that’s FIVE!) -0 Sheffield Wednesday
Sheffield United 4-3 Plymouth
Swansea 1-0 Peterborough
Watford 1-2 Newcastle
West Brom 3-1 Derby
Barnsley lie in 11th place in the Coca-Cola Championship with 45 points from 33 games.
We are 4 points off the Play-Offs, 18 points off the Automatic Promotion Places, 24
Points off First place and 11 points above the Relegation Zone.
Up to 28/2/10
Next Up:
On The Road:
Coca-Cola Championship Matchday Thirty Four: Newcastle United v Barnsley Saturday 6th March 2010 Kick-Off 3pm.
Tickets:
ADULTS - £25.00
SENIOR CITIZENS (OVER 65) - £19.00
STUDENTS - £19.00
JUVENILES (UNDER 18) - £13.00
At Oakwell:
Coca-Cola Championship Matchday Thirty Five: Barnsley v Crystal Palace Saturday 13th March 2010 Kick-Off: 3pm
East Stand and West Stand Upper Tiers
Adults £22.00
OAP/Juvenile £12.00
Juveniles (U12) £6.00
Family Area
Adults £22.00
OAP £13.00
Juvenile £13.00
Juveniles (U12) £7.00
East Stand Lower and West Stand Lower
Adults £21.00
OAP/Juveniles £12.00
Juveniles (U12) £6.00
CK Beckett Stand (Pontefract Road End)
Adults £20.00
OAP/Juveniles £12.00
Juveniles (U12) £6.00
All Disabled Areas £20.00
Helpers FREE OF CHARGE
Please note that Juvenile U12 tickets must be purchased in advance from the Oakwell Box Office and this price will not be on sale on the turnstiles under any circumstances.