Coca-Cola Championship Matchday Twenty: Nottingham Forest 1-0 Barnsley

Its getting rather predictable now isn't it? Create chances, don't take them, get hit by a sucker punch and lose the game.

Barnsley have had a pretty mixed sort of week. It started with a win over a side that had previously experienced just two defeats in their last 19 games -Burnley, a side who made that three defeats from 21 with victory over Derby today, and it finished with defeat to a side bottom of the Championship with just two wins in their previous 19 outings- Nottingham Forest.

Forest came into the game without a home win in eight matches and, if press speculation was to be believed, manager Colin Calderwood would be out if Forest didn't win. So it was probably a relief to the former Scotland international that Barnsley came calling, because as long suffering Tyke fans will know, when a team desperately need a win, The Reds can be ideal opponents.

With admission prices cut to £10, Forest recorded their biggest crowd of the season - 24,974. But it was Barnsley who were the most generous during the game, spurning some excellent chances and then gifting Forest the winner.

Reds boss Simon Davey was up to his usual team selection mind-games. After ruling Diego Leon out on Thursday, the little Spaniard appeared on the substitutes bench alongside new recruit Jamie Cureton.

Probably the most alarming thing from today's game was the performance of the midfield. Usually The Reds strong point, the quartet of Jamal Campbell-Ryce, Anderson De Silva, Hugo Colace and Simon Whaley were poor, with surprisingly Colace having a terrible game. The Argentine who has been Barnsley's best player over the last few games couldn't get hold of the ball in the middle of the park and struggled to make a successful tackle all afternoon.

Campbell-Ryce was in a greedy mood, and often tried to take on one man too many, whilst Whaley faded dramatically after a promising start. Anderson was the best of the bunch but even he was not on the top of his game. To be fair to the returning Brazilian, when he did have the ball his options were severely limited. This was due in no small part to the bizarre performance from Kayode Odejayi. Odejayi has looked out of sorts in recent games and many fans are incredulous Davey continues to pick him. Today he didn't seem to know what position he was supposed to be playing in. At various stages of the game he popped up at centre forward, central midfield, right wing and right back and made little impact in any of them. The biggest cheer of the day arrived when he was subbed after 73 minutes. Mock applause like that will do his confidence no good but I'm sorry, his time at the club must be coming to an end.

But, despite below par performances this was a game The Reds could easily have wrapped up. They went close as early as the third minute when Campbell-Ryce's swirling effort was beaten aside by Forest keeper Lee Camp and on 13 minutes Odejayi's drilled effort took a wicked deflection to send Camp the wrong way but the ball bounced agonisingly wide. On 22 minutes came the first sitter missed by The Reds.

Campbell-Ryce sent in a great right wing cross which was met by Jon Macken central to goal with a free header, but somehow he glanced it wide. All I can think is that he didn't connect with it properly because any real contact would surely have seen it hit the back of the net. Macken was close again two minutes later but Joel Lynch came out of nowhere with a terrific challenge just as Macken was about to pull the trigger.

But the familiar story was told again as The Reds were forced to rue missing chances when Forest took the lead after 36 minutes with their first chance of the game.

Nathan Tyson swung in a cross and Joe Garner was given the freedom of Nottingham to plant his header past a stranded Heinz Muller.

The second half started completely different to the first and in the opening 10 minutes after the break Forest could have been out of sight. Lewis McGugan hit a cracking dipping effort from 30 yards that smacked off the crossbar whilst Earnshaw twice got himself into good positions but couldn't finish.

The introduction of Cureton for his debut on 58 minutes galvanised The Reds and within seconds of coming on the little striker teed up Anderson for a daisy-cutter that Camp just got down to, to turn away from the bottom corner. But Forest were not finished and Muller did wonderfully to turn over an effort from Lynch on 65 minutes.

Probably wary of the run they were on, Forest seemed content to sit on their lead after this and backed by over 2,000 fans Barnsley were urged onto the attack.

Cureton was desperately unlucky not to get a debut goal when he produced a lovely turn to get himself clear with Camp but just as he was about to finish, Lynch produced another brilliant tackle.

Barnsley were now camped in the Forest half but a resolute backline was making it hard to test Camp and it took until the four minutes of stoppage time for The Reds to really threaten- and boy did they.

As the clock hit 90, another cross from Campbell-Ryce eluded the Forest defence and there was captain Stephen Foster (head bandage and all) waiting to just head home. Incredibly though after getting what looked a perfect connection his effort smacked off the crossbar. That moment probably showed it wasn't going to be Barnsley's day and with the last kick of the game it was proven. Everybody including Muller came up for a free-kick that Anderson struck superbly, but again Camp was there and he produced another excellent save down to his right.

A win today would have been good enough to lift The Reds to within four points of the play-offs. But if we continue to squander opportunities, things like the playoffs will remain forever out of our grasp.

Player Ratings:

Heinz Muller: Stood between Forest and a second goal at the start of the second half but other than that had a quiet game. 7

Rob Kozluk: Another error-strewn display. Sent two many passes astray and seems to now have this trait of backing off wingers. Not like Kozzie at all. 5

Dennis Souza: Solid again apart from letting Garner go for the goal. Booked. 7

Stephen Foster: Didn't put a foot wrong but should really have grabbed a point for The Reds at the death but his point blank header smacked the crossbar. 7

Bobby Hassell: Good display. His tackles were spot on. 7.5

Simon Whaley: Started off very well, linking up with Kozluk down the left but then faded badly. Subbed. 5

Hugo Colace: I suppose he's allowed a bad game. Very poor today. Passes were off the mark and he couldn't win a tackle. 4

Anderson De Silva: Always good to have his range of passing on show but even he was subdued. Had two efforts well repelled by Camp in the second half. 7

Jamal Campbell-Ryce: His crossing was spot on but often tried to do too much. Held the ball far too long at times and then lost it. 7

Jon Macken: Missed an absolute sitter in the first half but worked his socks off. Had very little support until Cureton arrived. 7

Kayode Odejayi: Didn't seem to know where he was supposed to be playing. A poor, disjointed and lethargic performance. Subbed. 2

Substitutes:

Jamie Cureton (for Whaley 58) Immediately revitalised The Reds attack and chased everything. Promising start. 7

Maceo Rigters (for Odejayi 73) Some nice touches but never looked likely to score. 5

Unused Substitutes:

Marciano Van Homoet, Diego Leon, Michael Coulson.

BarnsleyBoy's Man of the Match: Bobby Hassell. Solid at the back and tried to get forward too.

Most Impressed by Forest's: Paul Anderson showed why he started his career with Liverpool whilst Joel Lynch was brilliant at the back.

Ref Watch: Phil Crossley: His assistants came up with some strange decisions but Crossley himself had a decent game. 7

Next Up:

At Oakwell:

Coca-Cola Championship Matchday Twenty One: Barnsley v Reading Saturday 6^th December 2008 Kick-Off 3pm.

Tickets:

East Stand and West Stand Upper Tiers

Adults £22.00

OAP/Juvenile £13.00

Juveniles (U11) £7.00

Barnsley Chronicle Family Area

Adults £22.00

OAP £13.00

Juvenile £13.00

Juveniles (U11) £7.00

East Stand Lower and West Stand Lower

Adults £21.00

OAP/Juveniles £12.00

Juveniles (U11) £6.00

CK Beckett Stand (Pontefract Road End)

Adults £20.00

OAP/Juveniles £12.00

Juveniles (U11) £6.00

All Disabled Areas £20.00

Helpers FREE OF CHARGE

To book tickets for forthcoming matches simply phone the Oakwell Box Office on 0871 2266777. Alternatively call at the Box Office in person; contact the Box Office by fax on 01226 211444 or e-mail boxoffice@barnsleyfc.co.uk. Please note that Juvenile U11 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.

On The Road:

Coca-Cola Championship Matchday Twenty Two: Swansea City v Barnsley Tuesday 9^th December 2008 Kick-Off 7:45m

Tickets:

Adults - £23

Senior Citizens - £13

Full Time Students - £13

Juvenile (Under 16) - £10

Official Reds on The Road Coaches will be making the trip to the Liberty Stadium. Tickets: £25. The coach leaves Oakwell at 1:45pm on the day of the game.