DERBY DELIGHT
BARNSLEY STUN LOCAL RIVALS WITH SUPERB PERFORMANCE
Sheffield Wednesday 0, Barnsley 2
THIS was Barnsley’s shortest trip of the League One season, the only one within 50 miles in this mainly southern division, but the Reds fans who travel the length and breadth of the country are unlikely to see a better performance and result than this fantastic derby victory.
Sometimes we can get caught up in over-analysis, but this is simple – Barnsley were absolutely magnificent to a man and thoroughly deserved a first away league win of the season which very few expected them to collect.
They were very well-organised at the back, tremendous with their pressing and clinical at key moments – as they carried out Michael Duff’s shrewd gameplan perfectly.
The club and town needed this.
It had been a hectic end to last week, with
Michal Helik and Callum Styles the latest players to leave, but no strikers joining despite Duff’s request for more firepower.
There were major questions over the strikers department but they were at least partly answered by the excellent Devante Cole, who opened the scoring, then James Norwood who netted within seconds of coming off the bench days after a brainless red card in the EFL Trophy.
The goals need to flow regularly now but this is a promising start.
It was an afternoon which seemed to alter the entire mood of the club and fans, as you would expect from a game which means so much.
The last time Barnsley won back-to-back derbies at Hillsborough was either side of World War Two.
They followed up the behind-closed-doors victory in December 2020 with an even more impressive performance which may stay longer in the memory – especially of the 2,533 away fans who backed their team and were certainly rewarded.
Only captain fantastic Mads Andersen started both games – in an indication of how much change and turmoil there has been since last year.
But there were major signs of progress here and, although it is only one match in a very inconsistent start to the season, the Reds will join Wednesday as promotion contenders if they play at that level every week.
They had competed well in away games at other favoured sides Derby County and Ipswich Town but this was easily their best performance of the season – and the most complete display on the road since victory at Brentford last year.
The first half was the perfect on-pitch manifestation of Barnsley’s philosophy of recruiting young energetic players and using a high-pressing style which can overwhelm sides put together on much bigger budgets and with far more experience.
Wednesday’s 11 averaged 29 in age – compared to Barnsley’s 23 – while the hosts’ squad could boast more than 2,000 Championship appearances. There is thought to be a similar gulf in wagebills.
Wednesday were third in the table, unbeaten in 14 home games and had not conceded in four, only losing to another South Yorkshire club Rotherham at Hillsborough in 2022. Barnsley had lost 16 of their last 20 league games on the road and not won away in the league since February.
But – in this game, especially the first half – the Owls looked like a jaded group of old players on their way down the divisions compared to the hungry, ambitious visitors whose desire and energy was simply greater.
In the first half when they barely attacked, the hosts continued to try to pass out from the back despite nearly every attempt ending in a man in a blue and white shirt being surrounded by Reds who tackled him or forced a wayward pass. The second half was more even, with a more direct and alert Wednesday showing some quality to force a few openings, but the Reds continued to create chances and could easily have had four or five.
Other than the goals, one of the best moments – for those who enjoy the dark arts of football – was when Matty Wolfe took a yellow card for cynically pulling a Wednesday man’s shirt to stop him running into space after losing the ball. Norwood was cautioned seconds later for a deliberate handball.
It was not the purest behaviour but the kind of dirty work and game management the Reds have lacked previously.
This was a meeting of the two sides who had made the most fouls this season in the third tier.
But it was not an ugly match, in fact it was rather beautiful for Barnsley.
Wednesday (3-5-2): Stockdale; Iorfa, Ihiekwe, McGuinness (James 64mins); Palmer, Bakinson (Mighten 64), Byers, Bannan, Johnson (Smith 70); Windass (Wilks 64), Gregory. Unused: Dawson, Vaulks, Paterson. Yellow cards: Smith, Ihiekwe.
Barnsley (3-4-3): Collins; Andersen, Cundy, McCarthy; Williams, Connell (Kane 85mins), Benson (Wolfe 32), Kitching; Thomas (Martin 74), Cole (Tedic 74), Aitchison (Norwood 74). Unused:
Walton, Edwards. Yellow cards: Connell, Thomas, Norwood, Wolfe.
Goals: Cole 33, Norwood 74.
Referee: Josh Smith (Cambridgeshire).
Attendance: 27,939 (2,533 from Barnsley).