Barnsley hosted Slazengers on Saturday hoping to move into the top half of the table. Barnsley started off well as per usual with a quick attack from the first whistle but couldn’t find an early goal. As the game progressed Slazengers began to find faults in every part of the Barnsley line up calling Max Hirst (who was back between the sticks) into action. Hirst pulled off saves but a scramble in the D lead to a Slazengers short corner which unfortunately found the bottom corner. A shaken Barnsley attempted to quickly counter this and won a short corner of their own through wingers Connor Massey and Bryce Tuckett but nothing came of it. Both teams were not up to their usual standard, balls were misplaced by both teams, it seemed like Barnsley just couldn’t find their usual rhythm which bit them as a second goal went in for the second Slazengers short corner. Barnsley would win more shorts from home debut Tyler Williams and strikers Dave Wright and Paul Winstanley but again nothing came of it. So the first half ended 2-0 and Barnsley had some work to do in the second half.

The back four for Barnsley had a shuffle around for Saturdays game due to a few players missing, Robin Codina, Ian Massey, Adam poskitt and vignesh Durai made the quartet who had a lot to do yet again in the second half, they kept the slaz attacks as quiet as possible but yet again a short corner was won. This one, however was cleared away by the defence, it seemed now that the Barnsley defence had sussed out the slaz shorts as no more went into the net. Has much as the defence held out Slazengers did get a third from open play. The Barnsley heads didn’t go down however, a ball straight down the middle played by rob McCarthy got to Tuckett on the edge of the D who stepped in and got illegally taken down by keeper and defender. Another short for Barnsley was awarded and it was time to put one away. Wright sent the ball to captain James Shaw who rifled it home into the bottom corner silencing the Slazengers keeper who was chirping a little too much. Now the attacks began with 10 minutes left Barnsley believed. A ball in from Tim Lloyd found Massey who took a shot that hit the keeper bounced to Wight, he took a step into space hit the ball past the keeper and hit the post, the ball was cleared. Shortly after Wright got into an “incident” that saw him on top of a Slazenger defender and then he also saw a yellow card for it. Time ticking away Barnsley came close to more goals but simply couldn’t convert. The game ended 3-1 man of the match went to keeper Max Hirst for some good saves, it was like he never left his uprights.

Next week the red army travel to brigg at the fantastic time of 2pm Barnsley have fond memories of this pitch. The 18th of March a few seasons ago rings a bell!
You reds!