Top-six talk is a no-go for Mowbray’s youthful side

TONY MOWBRAY refused to entertain talk of a promotion bid after Blackburn moved in to the top six with this stalemate.

Rovers have lost only once this season and remain unbeaten away but they could not find the killer touch required to snatch victory at Oakwell.

Mowbray took heart from his side’s display – even if he stopped short of backing them to push for a place in the Premier League.

The Rovers boss said: “Don’t start us on that! We fell down that hole last year, talking about trying to get into the play-offs, so let’s just play the next game. Like Barnsley, who got into the play-offs last year, we’ve got a young, athletic team and who knows where it will go?

“But I saw the flaws in their final pass and game knowledge at times.”

Barnsley have now gone six games without a win under new boss Markus Schopp but even he was honest and said: “It was not a good game from either side. I’m frustrated.”

Clarke Oduor almost scored a wonder goal for the Tykes during the first half when he showed delightful skill to weave his way through the Rovers defence before being denied by Thomas Kaminski.

Blackburn also fashioned a number of half-chances but in truth neither side showed the class needed to find the net.

Ben Brereton Diaz went closest in the second half but was kept out by Bradley Collins.

BARNSLEY: Collins 7; Halme 6, Helik 7, Moon 7; Sibbick 6 (Hondermarck (46th) 6), Brittain 6, Gomes 6 (Adeboyejo (60th) 6), Styles 6; Odour 7, Iseka 6 (Frieser (46th) 6); Woodrow 6

BLACKBURN: Kaminski 7; Nyambe 6, Lenihan 6, Ayala 7, Pickering 6; Travis 6, Buckley 6; Rothwell 6 (Edun (71st) 6), Poveda 5 (Clarkson (67th) 6), Dolan 6 (Kharda (67th) 6); Brereton Diaz 7

STAR MAN: Clarke Oduor

REF: A Woolmer