Reading 2-0 Barnsley

Barnsley's winning and clean sheet run ended at three as they were put firmly back in the relegation mire (now 5 points adrift)

The Reds have now failed to win any of thier last six meetings with the Royals (D3 L3)

They have also now suffered back to back defeats at the Madejski - prior to this they were unbeaten in three visits.

Barnsley have failed to score in six of their past eight away league matches against Reading (W2 D2 L4) including each of the last three.

This result ended a run of seven home games without a win for Reading (all comps) and was their first home clean sheet of 2020.

It is rare Barnsley play on the 29th February, this was only the sixth time they have competed on the leap year day and they have won just once, losing twice to Reading:

⦁ 2020 lost 2-0 at Reading

⦁ 1992 won 1-0 v Charlton

⦁ 1964 lost 6-1 at Reading

⦁ 1960 drew 2-2 at Southend

⦁ 1936 lost 4-1 at Arsenal

⦁ 1908 lost 2-0 at Leyton Orient.

Following three clean sheets and subsequently three wins Barnsley have now failed to win any of their last 53 Championship matches in which they have conceded the first goal, (D11 L42) since defeating Leeds 3-2 three years ago (21st January 2017)

This was the 13th time in the Championship Barnsley have been behind at half time, going on to lose 10 (D3) including each of the last four.

Indeed they have failed to win any of the last 63 Championship games in which they have trailed at the break (D10 L53), last winning from this situation in February 2013 against Wolves.

Barnsley fell 2-0 behind in a game for the 12th time this season (all comps)

Clark Odour was substituted at half time for the second successive game, the first Barnsley player to be hooked at the break in successive games for exactly eight years when Matty Done was replaced at the break in back to back games at Watford and Burnley in February 2012.

It is the first time Gerhard Struber has made half time changes in successive games as Reds manager and the first time it has occurred for the Reds since Adam Murray made one in his final game in charge against Stoke and then Struber made two in his first game in charge at Blackburn.

Following on from having 22 shots on goal at Hulll on Wednesday, they bettered that at the Madejski by having 23, their most since the home game with Bristol City (24), it is their most on the road in the Championhip since September 2016 when they had 26 at Wolves.

They restricted Reading to just seven attempts, the lowest by a Barnsley league opponent on their own patch since Portsmouth in February 2019.

40. Brad Collins
2. Jordan Williams
7. Jacob Brown
9. Cauley Woodrow
11.Conor Chaplin
14. Kilian Ludewig
17. Marcel Ritzmaier
18. Michael Sollbauer
22. Clark Oduor
24. Aapo Halme
27. Alex Mowatt (C)

Substitutes:
16. Luke Thomas (for Oduor 45)
10. Mike Bahre (for Ritzmaier 57)
19. Patrick Schmidt (for Chaplin 57)

Unused Substitutes:
3. Ben Williams, 4. Kenny Dougall, 13. Jack Walton, 28. Elliot Simoes.

Reading Team:
33. Rafael Barbosa
17. Andy Yiadom
4. Michael Morrison (c)
5. Matt Miazga
11. Jordan Obita
19. Yakou Meite
8. Andy Rinomhota
10. John Swift
21. Michael Olise
14. Ovie Ejaria
47. George Puscas

Substitutions:
12. Garath McCleary (for Meite 64)
25. Ayub Masika (for Olise 71)
29. Pele (for Swift 79)

Unused Substitutes:
1. Sam Walker, 9. Sam Baldock, 24. Tyler Blackett, 27. Omar Richards

Reading manager Mark Bowen said:
"I'm still scarred a bit by the result and performance on Wednesday night, so today for me was not so much about the performance but getting the win to calm things down.

"It's been too long between league wins at home and it was clear that we weren't free-flowing. For long periods of time we were sloppy and casual.

"But this league is as it is and before the game, I thought it would come down to small moments.

"The first goal was scrappy, but it just gave us that breathing space and we were then able to build on that for the rest of the game."

Match Reports:

Official Website

BBC

Sky Sports

Sky Bet Championship results

SATURDAY 29TH FEBRUARY 2020
Hull City (18th) 0-4 Leeds United (2nd)
Ayling 5
Hernandez 47
Roberts 81
Roberts 84

Blackburn Rovers (8th) 2-2 Swansea City (9th)
Gallagher 25
Brewster 45
Ayew pen 48
Johnson 90+5

Cardiff City (11th) 2-2 Brentford (5th)
Racic 5
Mbeumo 21
Hoilett 34
Ralls 45+1

Fulham (3rd) 2-0 Preston North End (6th)
Nugent og 58
Kamara 90+5

Huddersfield Town (17th) 4-0 Charlton Athletic (20th)
Grant 25
Mounie 75
Grant 90
Bacuna 90+4

Luton Town (24th) 1-1 Stoke City (21st)
Vokes 9
Collins pen 90+1

Millwall (10th) 1-1 Bristol City (7th)
Pereira 10
Kalas og 51

Queens Park Rangers (14th) 2-2 Birmingham City (15th)
Hogan 24
Pugh 51
Hugill 55
Hogan 81

Reading (16th) 2-0 BARNSLEY (23rd)
Meite 17
Puscas 60

Sheffield Wednesday (12th) 1-3 Derby County (13th)
Lawrence 7
Lawrence 24
Knight 30
Windass 74

West Bromwich Albion (1st) 0-1 Wigan Athletic (19th)
Morsy 73

MONDAY 1ST MARCH 2020
Middlesbrough (22nd) 2-2 Nottingham Forest (4th)
Yates 29
Gestede 40
Wing 44
Grabban 86

Barnsley lie in 23rd place in the Sky Bet Championship with 34 points from 36 games. We are 22 points outside the Play-Offs, 34 points outside the Automatic Promotion Places, 35 points outside First Place and 5 points inside the Relegation Zone.
Up to 2/3/20

Next Up:

At Oakwell:
Sky Bet Championship Matchday Thirty Seven: Barnsley v Cardiff City, Saturday 7th March 2020. Kick-Off: 3pm

On The Road:
Sky Bet Championship Matchday Thirty Eight: Queens Park Rangers v Barnsley, Saturday 14th March 2020. Kick-Off: 3pm

Reading 2-0 Barnsley

Last updated : 03 March 2020 By Rob Miles