Michal Helik was shown a straight red card for a professional foul in the first half – the first Barnsley player to be sent off since Ben Williams at Wigan in August 2019
Helik was sent off on his league debut – the first player this has happened to since Alex Mowatt who was red-carded against Wolves in January 2017, just four days after joining.
It is the first time a Barnsley player has been sent off in the first half of a game since Liam Lindsay was dismissed a minute before half-time at Bristol Rovers on the final day of 2018-2019.
Mads Andersen joined Helik down the tunnel in the second half for a second bookable offence – the first time Barnsley have been reduced to nine men in a match since the 1st February 2014 when Emmanuel Frimpong and Jacob Mellis were dismissed at Sheffield Wednesday.
There were three Barnsley players carded in the first half for the first time since November 2018 at Accrington Stanley whilst four separate Barnsley players were shown a card in a game for the first time since the 1st February at Charlton. (5)
Barnsley have started a Championship campaign with successive defeats for the second time in three such campaigns however this is the first time they have started with back to back defeats without scoring a goal since 2013-2014.
This was the first time Cauley Woodrow has EVER been an unused substitute in his Barnsley career.
This was Reading’s first home win in six league games at the Madejski since beating… Barnsley… 2-0…. Back in February.
Barnsley have lost each of their last three visits to the Madejski and have lost five of the last eight.
Indeed Barnsley have won only one of their last 10 meetings with the Royals home or away and none of the last seven. They have lost nine of the last 15.
In the first four games of 2020-2021 only one team has scored in the three games (a 1-0 win, 1-0 defeat, 2-0 win, 2-0 defeat) it is the first time this has occurred since 1974-1975 (1-0 win, 1-0 defeat, 3-0 win, 1-0 defeat)
Barnsley have now lost each of their last five Championship games in the month of September and have failed to win any of the last 12 – their last September Championship victory came in 2016, a 4-0 success at Wolves.
The opening two league games of a Barnsley season have been goal-less at half time for the first time since 2000-2001.
Four of Barnsley’s last six league matches have been 0-0 at the break.
Barnsley have managed only nine goals in their last 15 league matches and netted more than once in only two of their last 15.
Barnsley have now failed to win any of their last 59 Championship matches in which they have conceded the first goal, (D12 L47) since defeating Leeds 3-2 three years ago (21st January 2017)
Reading enjoyed 58% ball possession, the first time Barnsley have not enjoyed the majority this season (all comps)
Thirty one fouls were committed according to referee Tim Robinson – the most in a Barnsley match since the 11th January against Huddersfield (35) whilst the 20 committed by Barnsley is the most since West Brom away in October 2019 (also 20)
Barnsley Team:
1 Jack Walton
6. Mads Andersen
30. Michal Helik
26. Michael Sollbauer
2. Jordan Williams
17. Marcel Ritzmaier
27. Alex Mowatt
14. Kilian Ludewig
16. Luke Thomas
28. Dominik Frieser
11. Conor Chaplin
Substitutes:
4. Callum Styles (for Thomas 45)
19. Patrick Schmidt (for Frieser 62)
24. Aapo Halme (for Chaplin 70)
Unused Substitutes:
40. Brad Collins, 9. Cauley Woodrow, 25. George Miller, 29. Victor Adeboyejo.
Reading Team:
33. Rafael
20. Felipe Arauna
4. Michael Morrison
6. Liam Moore
3. Omar Richards
8. Andy Rinomhota
28. Josh Laurent
7. Michael Olise
10. John Swift
14. Ovie Ejaria
18. Lucas Joao
Substitutions:
11. Yakou Meite (for Laurent 59)
24. Sone Aluko (for Swfit 83)
47. George Puscas (for Joao 81)
Unused Substitutes:
22. Luke Southwood, 9. Sam Baldock, 29. Thomas Holmes, 5. Tom McIntyre.
Reading manager Veljko Paunovic said:
"We're building our momentum, but we have to keep our feet on the ground and stay humble.
"The first half was very difficult for us, we played against a very good team, very organised, very intense and we matched that all in the first half, we just needed to push a little bit more.
"With the red card the game changed but we didn't convert early because we needed more time to adjust as the game was different.
"We benefitted from huge teamwork today, everyone played their role, everyone understood their role and sometimes adapted their role for the team as the game started to change.
"All that was very positive and I'm very happy with the start, but I'm very careful with expectations, I want everyone to know that the season is very long and this is just the beginning, a great beginning but this is just the beginning."
Sky Bet Championship results
FRIDAY 18TH SEPTEMBER 2020
Coventry City (13th) 3-2 Queens Park Rangers (12th)
Dykes pen 41
Godden 44
O’Hare 50
Barbet 75
McFadzean 84
SATURDAY 19TH SEPTEMBER 2020
Nottingham Forest (22nd) 0-2 Cardiff City (14th)
Moore 3
Moore 49
Blackburn Rovers (10th) 5-0 Wycombe Wanderers (23rd)
Armstrong pen 16
Dolan 20
Armstrong 33
Williams 67
Armstrong 83
Brentford (11th) 3-0 Huddersfield Town (21st)
Dasilva 58
Forss 86
Mbeumo 90+1
Luton Town (3rd) 2-1 Derby County (19th)
Berry 34
Marriott 52
Clark 87
Middlesbrough (17th) 1-1 AFC Bournemouth (4th)
Solanke 38
Browne 81
Norwich City (5th) 2-2 Preston North End (16th)
Sinclair pen 14
Pukki 31
Fisher 42
Placheta 85
Reading (1st) 2-0 BARNSLEY (20th)
Meite 67
Olise 76
Rotherham United (15th) 0-1 Millwall (7th)
Wallace 50
Sheffield Wednesday (24th) 0-0 Watford (9th)
Swansea City (8th) 0-0 Birmingham City (6th)
SUNDAY 20TH SEPTEMBER 2020
Stoke City (18th) 0-2 Bristol City (2nd)
Wells 45+2
Weimann 89
Barnsley lie in 20th place in the Sky Bet Championship with 0 points from 2 games. We are 4 points off the Play-Offs, 6 points off the Automatic Promotion Places, 6 points off First Place and 1 goal above the Relegation Zone.
Up to 20/9/20
Next Up:
On The Road:
Carabao Cup Third Round: Chelsea v Barnsley, Wednesday 23rd September 2020. Kick-Off: 7:45pm.
At Oakwell:
Sky Bet Championship Matchday Three: Barnsley v Coventry City, Saturday 26th September 2020. Kick-Off: 3pm