Barnsley’s Nick Proschwitz after the Tykes are relegated from the Championship following defeat at Middlesbrough
WHOLESALE changes are needed at Barnsley according to boss Danny Wilson after defeat at Middlesbrough confirmed the Tykes’ relegation.
It was exactly 17 years to the day since Wilson’s Barnsley secured promotion to the Premier League, but defeat means this time they will be leaving the second tier of English football via the trapdoor.
Jean-Yves M’voto had given them hope by opening the scoring but Lee Tomlin’s double and a Danny Graham goal earned Boro all three points.
That Barnsley were even still in the game late on owed much to Luke Steele’s display in goal however, and Wilson admitted the performance highlighted his side’s struggles throughout the campaign.
He said: “It was a brave effort but you’ve seen exactly what we’ve been like across the season. We just haven’t scored enough goals.
“It’s not just the strikers. We need to get some goals in the whole squad. Throughout the side we’ve got to look forward now.
“We’re going to try and get the best possible squad together to bounce back and that has to be our first aim.
“It really typified us.We didn’t start well first-half but secondhalf we were much better and had the opportunities.We couldn’t hold the lead for long enough though.”
Middlesbrough were in charge from the off and Adam Reach and Graham both missed the target with early chances. Tomlin’s first-time strike then forced a low save from Steele on 32 minutes before the Boro man was denied again moments later after beating M’voto.
Barnsley were brighter after the break, taking the lead against the run of play on 53 minutes when M’voto got across his marker to volley in from Tom Kennedy’s deep corner.
The big defender went from hero to zero within a minute however, giving the ball away cheaply in defence to allow Tomlin to rifle in the equaliser from 20 yards.
Barnsley pressed for a winner, Jim O’Brien shooting well over on 63 minutes, while three minutes later fellow substitute Nick Proschwitz shot straight at Dimi Konstantopoulos.
M’voto then headed over on 74 minutes, while Kelvin Etuhu could only shoot weakly at Konstantopoulos when in space three minutes later.
But with Barnsley committed forward, Middlesbrough took full advantage – Graham scoring from close-range on 90 minutes after Steele saved from Adomah.
And in stoppage time Tomlin linked well with Adomah to score his second and ensure Middlesbrough ended their home campaign in winning style.
Manager Aitor Karanka said: “I’m very happy because we have played better but have not won the games. It was the same story as in the past – we didn’t score from our chances and a mistake from a corner means they were ahead.
“But we had a good reaction and for this I am happy. I said to the players before the game this was important because for me, this was not the last home match but the first game of our next campaign. We needed to learn from and build for the future.”