Good, solid performance & victory

We were never in any danger. Our two goals were well created and excellently dispatched by Hourihane and Cole. The back four were solid and never really presented Leyton Orient with any opportunity to get back into the game, even when down to ten men. Davies' handling when he came on was faultless. Also, good to get a clean sheet.
How on earth their player got away with simply a ticking off for the foul on Jennings in the second half, goodness only knows.

 

Agreed Kev. When we went down to 10 men it just meant we weren't going to score any more. Several times cards should have been shown but weren't; e.g. the deliberate handball when Jennings nodded the ball past the right back in the first half.

 

Yes, the referee made some interesting decisions to say the least. But great to see us battling for the ball. I lost count of the amount of times we won it back. Great to see.

 

Agreed.mate.



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Nowt particularly stylish or exciting about our performance yesterday, other than the two goals, which were finished superbly by Cole and Hourihane, two lads who haven't played as well as they are capable in our poor run. Hopefully those goals give their confidence a much needed boost. Jennings had another decent game and they way he nicked the ball and played it in for Cole was great to see. Hemmings had his best game in a Barnsley shirt, the pass for Hourihane's goal was inch perfect. He's still got a lot prove has the lad, but that's a goal and two assists in his last two games; he's getting better.

But it wasn't our attacking play that stood out yesterday, it was the defensive side of our game. The back four were a strong unit, with Ramage and Cranie looking like Championship players and winning everything. Good cover by the midfield too. We looked more solid than we have all season. We'll probably not see the same expansive football if we stick with 4-4-2, but the system we had been playing put too much pressure on the defence and we were conceding goals even when we were winning. It wasn't just Bailey attempting to stop the opposition when they attacked, and getting overrun, all four midfield players shielded the defence and as a result Orient created very little even when we were down to 10 men.

Early days with the new system and it'll get a much sterner test away at Preston than it did away at Chester or home Orient, but two games in and we haven't conceded a goal, or even looked liked letting one in. That gives us a base on which to build and with Jennings beginning to get back towards his best we have a player to link the midfield with the attack, which we've missed since Williams was injured.

 

After being on such a poor run, both with regards to results and performances, I'm simply pleased to see a couple of comfortable wins and clean sheets this week. However, I do feel sorry for the team. If we play well but don't win, then the criticism is victories are the only thing that counts. If we then win, then the criticism alters to how we didn't play well. If we win and play well, it's not down to our abilities, it's because the opposition were poor!
Ah, well. To paraphrase an old saying, "You can't please some of the people any of the time"!

 

We defended from the front as we did against Chester and kept getting goal side when not in possession and pressing the ball, they put the hard work in and reaped the rewards just like Barnsley teams have done over the last few seasons. We just never or cant sustain it.

Jennings being back is a big plus Danny seems more confident in 442 with him in there running at em.

Preston will be a tough ask but we should be picking up 3 pts against Oldham to finish the year mid table. So a win at Preston and lose at home to Oldham it is then.