TYKES TURN IN AN OLLIE GOOD SHOW
CARETAKER boss Paul Harsley praised Barnsley’s braves for their “brilliant response” to adversity after his faith in striker Oliver McBurnie rescued a vital point in a closely-fought South Yorkshire derby.
McBurnie’s equaliser on his debut on loan from Swansea came barely two minutes after Atdhe Nuhiu’s 19th-minute penalty threatened to add to the relegation battlers’ difficult week.
Harsley, who stepped up from his post as Under-23s coach to temporarily fill the potentially huge wound of Paul Heckingbottom’s shock departure to Leeds United, said: “I knew from the moment I walked into the dressing room on Tuesday the lads were onside, and everyone has been brilliant.
“From what I saw, I wanted to get Ollie on the pitch and what a great way that was to get his first goal for Barnsley.
“In the first half and for 15 minutes of the second we were the dominant team before it fizzled out in the last half-hour as both sides became worried about conceding.
“The club now has ten days to appoint a new manager. I was just asked to take this game, which I have done. I’ve no idea at all of any names in the frame.”
Harsley was unhappy the Tykes got the rough end of two contentious penalty decisions by referee Lee Probert.
The official ruled Nuhiu had been tripped by defender Andy Yiadom when there was little contact, but didn’t give a spotkick against David Jones in the 55th minute when he arguably did more to fell Adam Hamill.
A draw, however, was a fair reflection as Owls recovered from a first-half roasting to edge the second period.
Barnsley looked sharp from the off with Lloyd Isgrove’s quick feet and Hamill offering a pacy threat on the flanks.
Yet they fell behind in the 19th minute after dozy defending allowed Lucas Joao to fasten onto Ross Wallace’s clipped ball forward, and when he fed Nuhiu, Yiadom tripped him. The Koso- van struck his kick confidently down the middle before picking up a needless yellow card for his extravagant celebration.
The setback could have rattled a side sliding alarmingly towards the bottom three, but McBurnie ensured their reply was impressive. He skipped past Frederico Venancio before slipping his precise angled shot Joe Wildsmith.
Wednesday had led for barely two minutes and were fortunate to be level at the break.
Wildsmith propped up his faltering defence by clawing away from Hamill and tipping over Tom Bradshaw’s spectacular volley.
Owls fought back to edge the second half after the referee gave them the benefit of the doubt when Hamill appeared to be felled in the box by Jones.
The closest they came to getting all three points was when Wallace curled a delicious left footer inches wide with goalkeeper Nick Townsend beaten.
Owls boss Jos Luhukay said: “Both teams had their chances. Our goalkeeper made good saves, but we had three or four moments in the second half when we could have scored.
“We have 10 players out who all could be in our first XI but my players tried to give 100 per cent. They gave everything. Better to have one point than nothing.
“Now it’s all about a good recovery before a big game coming up against Derby.”