Morris strikes early in bruising triumph

THERE’S just 15 miles between these two clubs but next season these South Yorkshire neighbours could be two leagues apart.

By the time Barnsley boss Valerien Ismael finishes his Sunday lunch today his side could have officially booked their promotion play-off place.

Reading need to beat Swansea in the midday kick-off to keep their already slim chances of finishing ahead of the Tykes alive.

For Millers manager Paul Warne the avalanche of games following Covid-19 at the club has left them with an uphill battle to avoid the drop into League One.

It was hard to tell who was more shocked after the Tykes’ second-minute goal which proved to be the winner – the fuming Millers defenders or the Oakwell goal hero Carlton Morris.

Safe to say the visitors had cause to rue the absence of VAR.

A short corner routine saw Alex Mowatt chip into the penalty area and when centre-back Michal Helik headed towards goal the burly Morris forced the ball past keeper Viktor Johansson but only after appearing to poleaxe the Swede with a rogue elbow into the face.

An anxious glance towards referee Gavin Ward from Morris confirmed that he feared the worst but the goal stood, sparking protests from the Rotherham players.

Warne said: “I have spoken to the player (Morris) and he thought the ref was going to blow straight away.

“He didn’t think it was going to stand and nor did anybody else.”

Ismael said: “It was a really bad performance. I felt Rotherham deserved more from the game.”

BARNSLEY: Collins 8; Sollbauer 6 (Sibbick (51st) 6), Helik 7, Andersen 6; Brittain 7, Halme 6, Mowatt 6, Styles 6 (Williams (46th) 7); Morris 7 (Adeboyejo

90th), Woodrow 7; Dike 6

ROTHERHAM: Johansson 5 (Blackman

(7th) 6); Ihiekwe 7, Wood 7 (Harding

78th), A Macdonald 7; Giles 6, Lindsay

6 (Jozefzoon 78th), S Macdonald 6 (Wiles 78th), Wing 7; Ogbene 7, Ladapo

5 (Hirst (58th) 6), Smith 6

STAR MAN: Brad Collins

REF: G Ward