Coca-Cola Championship Matchday Twenty Four: Barnsley 2-0 Plymouth Argyle

14 attempts on goal at Wolves, 18 today, two dominant performances with differing end results.

What The Reds did wrong at Molineux, they just about got right against an abject and often dirty Plymouth side at Oakwell.

The game finished 2-0, but could really have been six or seven and The Pligrims could not have complained. Anderson De Silva FINALLY got off the mark on his 36^th start but he could easily have had a hat-trick whilst Maceo Rigters, Bobby Hassell and Diego Leon all went close.

It was a game as one-sided as they come but whilst the scoreline remained 1-0 there was always real fear Plymouth could poach an equaliser on the counter-attack, and that is where the problems remains.

I felt last weekend if The Reds could sign a decent striker in January a place in the top half still beckons and whilst the Wolves game saw masses of possession but no real chances, this match had a stack of chances but only one (plus a penalty) hit the back of the net. Plymouth- like The Reds on a poor run of form- had their chances ended by a shocking lunge by former Leeds man Simon Walton. Amazingly Walton's red card was the fifth shown in the first half at a Barnsley home game in the last seven matches, and the seventh Oakwell red card of the season.

The first clear-cut chance arrived on ten minutes when Leon- who followed up a good display at Wolves with an outstanding one today- dinked a lovely cross into the middle of the Plymouth box and Anderson was standing totally unmarked with the whole goal to aim for. But instead of sending a composed header into the back net, he did a "Odejayi" and somehow planted it well wide.

The game's real turning point arrived after 28 minutes with the sending off for Walton. Anderson produced a terrific tackle on the Plymouth midfielder who for some unknown and stupid reason, retaliated by slamming his studs straight into Anderson's back. Referee Dean Whitestone was stood right next to it and immediately brandished the red card. From then on it was wave after wave of Red attacks.

Straight from the free-kick awarded for Walton's lunge, Leon sent in a pearler than Anderson met superbly but the ball cannoned off the cross bar, it landed at the feet of Bobby Hassell who hit a wonderful volley that Plymouth keeper Romain Larrieu tipped over.

Jon Macken headed wide from a delicious cross from Marciano Van Homoet before The Reds finally grabbed a deserved lead seven minutes before the break. Leon was kicked up in the air by Jim Paterson but he delivered another wonderful free kick that this time Anderson didn't miss. His header though was flicked into the net by Macken and both players claimed the goal.

The second half started like the first ended with The Reds well on top but unable to get the second goal which would probably have killed off Paul Sturrock's men. Jamie Cureton headed straight at Larrieu before the Frenchman got down well to palm away a daisy cutter from Anderson.

The woodwork came to Plymouth's rescue again on 51 minutes when Anderson and Plymouth sub Craig Cathcart both went up to challenge for the ball in the penalty area and the ball seemed to strike the Brazilian on the arm, loop over Larrieu and come back off the top of the bar. Just five minutes later yet another great free-kick from Leon was headed goal wards by Cureton but Larrieu caught it right on the goal-line.

With The Reds becoming more and more frustrated they did what they tend to do when they get a lead- sit back on it. But such was the poor quality of Plymouth's attack they rarely tested Heinz Muller. In fact The Pilgrims should have been down to nine men when Paul Gallagher ran up and headbutted Van Homoet square in the face, and then proceeded to push the Dutchman as he retreated. Amazingly the referee missed it and Gallagher soon stopped his disgraceful actions when Darren Moore came across to intervene!

Simon Davey threw on Maceo Rigters in place of the ineffective Cureton, and like Leon he improved again on a solid display at Wolves by twice nearly putting the game to bed.

Firstly Rigters turned well and lashed in a shot that Larrieu had to tip over and then on 77 minutes he should have got the second goal when he jinked between two defenders, but lost his footing as Larrieu came out and the keeper managed to knock it off Rigters' toes.

Anderson sent another good opportunity wide on 86 minutes before the second goal finally arrived just as the board to signal three minutes of injury time went up.

Leon showed fancy foot-work to trick his way into the area and he was caught by David McNamee. After a little "discussion" between Leon and Campbell-Ryce it was left to the Jamaican International to send Larrieu the wrong way for his fifth goal of the season- his best ever return.

This was a vital three points with tough looking fixtures against Burnley and Preston before the end of 2008. If a striker can be found in January there is a chance of a really successful season… IF.

Player Ratings:

Heinz Muller: A quiet afternoon. Only tested by a couple of efforts straight at him. 7

Marciano Van Homoet: Much improved from Wolves. His crossing was woeful but he got in support plenty of times and was solid at the back. Took a disgraceful headbutt from Gallagher. Booked. 8

Darren Moore: The stats don't lie. In the six and a half games Moore has missed through injury The Reds have conceded 11 goals and not kept a single clean sheet. Moore returns and the first clean sheet since the win at Doncaster in October arrives. He looked such a claming influence today and produced one brilliant tackle on Gallagher in the second half. 8

Stephen Foster: Another strong captains display. Didn't get forward as much as he probably would have liked but he kept the back door firmly locked. Booked. 8

Rob Kozluk: Went in with a reckless challenge in the opening minute but then calmed down and provided a useful outlet on the left. 7

Bobby Hassell: Asked to play in that uncomfortable defensive midfield role in the absence of the suspended Hugo Colace. And excelled. If he's not careful he might make that position his own! 8

Diego Leon: Best performance so far this season. His free-kicks were world class and often Beckham-esque. Was involved in everything. 9

Anderson De Silva: Will have to fight with Macken to claim his first goal for the club but has to hit the target more often. Odejayi gets some terrible abuse for missing the sort of chances Anderson did today. Its his only fault. 8

Jamal Campbell-Ryce: You have to praise him because he works his guts out and caused Plymouth endless problems, but he has to realise that once he's beaten a man, he doesn't have to go back and beat him another eight times. When McNamee came on he nullified JCR slightly and The Reds had to move to the right. Booked. Subbed. 7.5

Jon Macken: Like all good strikers he's claiming the first goal but never got anyway near to claiming anymore. Subbed. 6

Jamie Cureton: Doesn't look the answer upfront and today he was virtually anonymous. Subbed. 5

Substitutes:

Maceo Rigters (for Cureton 71) Its taken half a season but he is getting better. Went very close on two occasions. 7

Kayode Odejayi (for Macken 90). Ref blew for full time just as he was breaking clear on goal. Without sounding too harsh, he probably did KO a favour.6

Mounir El Haimour (for Campbell-Ryce) Didn't get a touch. N/A

Unused Substitutes:

Miguel Mostto, Michael Coulson.

Sponsor's Man of the Match: Anderson

BarnsleyBoy's Man of the Match: Diego Leon: If his team-mates had taken all the chances he created the game would have ended up with a cricket score.

Plymouth: Larrieu ,Clark (Cathcart ,46 ) ,Seip ,Timar ,Barker ,Mackie (McNamee ,32 ) ,Summerfield ,Walton (sent off 28),Paterson (Noone ,78 ) ,Gallagher ,MacLean
Subs not used Marin,Folly,