Barnsley suffered only their third league defeat in 20 matches with this 2-0 reverse at Preston.
It was also only the second defeat in 10 away games, however those two have come in their last three.
This result means Barnsley can realistically finish no higher than fifth going into the playoffs, they are only three points off fourth going into the final round of regular season games however have an 11 goal inferior goal- difference to the current incumbents Swansea.
This was Barnsley’s first defeat in their penultimate game of a season since 2014-2015, however was their first away from home in the time, winning three and drawing two since then, all at Oakwell.
When the penultimate game has been away from home they have lost each of the last four.
Barnsley have lost four of their last five final away games of a season, the exception last season’s stunning last gasp win at Brentford which secured survival in the Championship.
That Bees victory is their only final away game win in the Championship in nine (W1 D3 L5)
This is the first time Barnsley have failed to win their final away league game in a season in which they have qualified for the play-offs – winning 4-1 at Wigan in 2015-2016, 2-1 at Walsall in 2005-2006 and 2-1 at Swindon in 1999-2000.
Defeat means they can no longer reach their highest ever points tally in a second tier season (82 in 1999-2000) but victory over champions Norwich on the final day will see them equal their second best tally of 80 set in the Premier League promotion campaign of 1996-1997.
Interestingly only on two occasions since has 80 points been enough to secure automatic promotion to the Premier League (2007-2008 and 2012-2013)
It also means they have just failed to equal the club record of most away wins in a season, their grand total of 11 just one short of the record set in 1938-1939 and equalled in 1954-1955, however 11 is a club record in the second tier.
Barnsley have lost three of their last eight league matches, their previous three defeats came across 15 league matches (yet occurred all in a row)
This was the 11th league defeat under Valerien Ismael, Barnsley have only managed to score in two of those.
Indeed of the 16 defeats they have suffered in all competitions in 2020-2021, they have failed to score in 13 of them.
Six of Ismael’s 11 league defeats have come with the Reds losing by at least two goals.
Each of Barnsley’s last five matches have seen the Reds either keep a clean sheet or not score themselves with the last game in which both teams scored coming at Luton on Easter Monday.
The maximum number of league games Barnsley can lose in 2020-2021 is now 15, which is their lowest amount in a second tier season since losing 12 in 1999-2000.
Barnsley have failed to score a first half goal in 31 of their 51 games so far this season (all comps) with this the 13th time they have failed to score at all.
Barnsley have now won only one of their last seven meetings with Preston – a 2-1 Oakwell success in the reverse fixture back in December.
They have failed to score in four of the last seven meetings.
Barnsley have won only one of their last five trips to Deepdale, losing three.
Barnsley Team:
40. Brad Collins
6. Mads Andersen
26. Michael Sollbauer
30. Michal Helik
27. Alex Mowatt
21. Romal Palmer
7. Callum Brittain
4. Callum Styles
9. Cauley Woodrow
11. Conor Chaplin
10. Daryl Dike
Substitutes:
34. Jasper Moon (for Palmer 45)
20. Toby Sibbick (for Sollbauer 45)
14. Carlton Morris (for Chaplin 45)
29. Victor Adeboyejo (for Woodrow 64)
2. Jordan Williams (for Styles 84)
Unused Substitutes:
1. Jack Walton, 24. Aapo Halme, 22. Clarke Oduor, 46. Cameron Thompson.
Preston Team:
22. Daniel Iversen
6. Liam Lindsay
14. Jordan Storey
16. Andrew Hughes
17. Ben Whiteman
18. Ryan Ledson
2. Sepp van den Berg
37. Greg Cunningham
8. Alan Browne
29. Tom Barkhuizen
26. Ched Evans
Substitutions:
19. Emil Riis (for Barkhuizen 70)
44. Brad Potts (for Whiteman 82)
7. Tom Bayliss (for Evans 90+2)
Unused Substitutes:
28. Mathew Hudson, 23. Paul Huntington, 21. Jayson Molumby, 31. Scott Sinclair, 42. Anthony Gordon, 24. Sean Maguire.
Preston interim manager Frankie McAvoy said:
"We were desperate to do well and the game plan worked exactly how we wanted it to.
"I was given an opportunity here for eight games and this opportunity might never have come up again.
"I didn't think for a minute we would win four, draw two and lose one of our last seven.
"The players have done me and the coaching staff brilliantly over the seven games I've been in charge - I can't praise them highly enough."
Sky Bet Championship results
SATURDAY 1ST MAY 2021
Sheffield Wednesday (23rd) 0-0 Nottingham Forest (16th)
Birmingham City (18th) 0-4 Cardiff City (8th)
Wilson 9
Wilson 40
Harris 68
Wilson 86
Brentford (3rd) 2-0 Watford (2nd)
Forss 46
Toney pen 60
Huddersfield Town (20th) 1-1 Coventry City (17th)
Shipley 69
Ward 79
Luton Town (12th) 1-1 Middlesbrough (10th)
Rea 19
Watmore 21
Millwall (11th) 4-1 Bristol City (19th)
Wallace 5
Conway 16
Malone 31
Mitchell 52
Bradshaw 58
Norwich City (1st) 4-1 Reading (7th)
Laurent 12
Dowell 30
Dowell 64
Quintilla 78
Pukki 85
Preston North End (13th) 2-0 BARNSLEY (6th)
Storey 38
Evans 49
Rotherham United (22nd) 1-1 Blackburn Rovers (15th)
Armstrong 17
Wing 86
Stoke City (14th) 0-2 Queens Park Rangers (9th)
Austin 17
Kaykay 70
Swansea City (4th) 2-1 Derby County (21st)
Lawrence 48
Whittaker 63
Roberts 66
Wycombe Wanderers (24th) 1-0 AFC Bournemouth (5th)
Ikpeazu 4
Barnsley lie in 6th place in the Sky Bet Championship with 77 points from 45 games. We are 8 points inside the Play-Offs, 11 points off the Automatic Promotion Places, 19 points off First Place and 37 points above the Relegation Zone.
Up to 2/5/21
Next Up:
At Oakwell:
Sky Bet Championship Matchday Forty Six: Barnsley v Norwich City, Saturday 8th May 2021. Kick-Off: 12:30pm