Just got back, and there really was nothing much wrong with that!

We won in the end and should have done it much earlier, but what the hell. Nice to have an exciting finish. Fantastic way to win a match, terrible way to lose it.

Were people really complaining about the match on here, earlier on? Not going to read anything until tomorrow. I was more than satisfied with that night's entertainment.

Our new goalkeeper had a storming game - the fact that a poor S****horpe side gave him so many shots to block or brilliantly save is irrelevant. His handling and positioning was spot on. I'd be happy with him in goal on Saturday.

James Bree - best I have seen him play. A proper performance at both ends of the pitch and the winning penalty. What a night for the lad!

Defensively sound all through and the midfield was effective to a point. Small criticism of Pearson - he might well be a holding midfielder but he should have enough pedigree to be able to pick out a lot more forward passes than he does. This will come in time - he's still a young lad - so no reason to press the eject button on him! Really felt for him when he failed with his penalty attempt that could have won it for us, but that's how it goes sometimes.

CH came on and, well, that's about it, unless a highlights package proves otherwise. You just couldn't tell he was there really. Finished his penalty in his usual calm way but I think he is still not fit. Certainly not match fit anyway.

Same with SSW - he looks laboured to me when he runs. The sharpness isn't there yet, but it will be.

Scowen and Bree my men of the match. What a player Josh is and what a player James Bree is GOING to be. Let's hope he doesn't go the same way as Mason Holgate.

Overall a fantastic night of entertainment. Mistakes galore, especially from the home side, but a good cup tie with the right result. We should have put them to bed much earlier, but never mind. Had Marley Watkins buried his penalty we might well have done.

On to the next one - a good win against Burton will have everyone smiling again instead of all this snarling negativity the last few days.

 

Couldn't go tonight so thanks for that. Nice that you are buzzing.

 

It was just one of those nights of cup football that keep you making away trips. As I said, Scunny were poor, and I mean REALLY poor, so we should have put the game out of sight earlier on. That kind of ruthlessness will come. This is a young, learning side but you wouldn't think so looking at some of them.

Mawson and Roberts - my God how the heck did we get these two?? I could go on, and maybe will tomorrow, but it's bed time now.

 

Hourihane did ok when he came on, ran behind the defence several times and found himself 1 on 1 with the keeper and perhaps our best chance shooting straight at their keeper. Marc Roberts is very consistent and had Henderson contained. I think Smith and Bree did ok but didn't get forward enough and get any decent crosses for me which is what you expect from wing backs. Did ok though and should have done better when he (Bree) had a shot on goal after cutting inside first half. Scowan and Pearson bossed the midfield, We hit 3-4 chances high first half when we should have made the keeper work. Marley Watkins had a very good game, held the ball up, ran his blood to water and supported his defence when needed. Pity he missed a pen. Keeper had a great game. I thought we looked tired 80 mins in and feared the worse in extra time but we got our second wind. SSW caught too many times offside and i don't think he has got back to full match fitness yet. All in all an entertaining game and good value at 12 quid adults and 2 quid kids. I think i heard right in 700+ there from tarn.

 

Appreciate your report, but why the need to mention Hourihane in that manner?

No need, simple as that.

 

Did Hourihane come on as sub? Never noticed

 

He also mentioned Pearson in a negative way, going to jump on that too? It's a match report, it wouldn't do it's purpose if it only mentioned the positives...

 

Sorry, does it offend you in some way to hear midfield players getting some criticism? I certainly didn't rip into him like some do. In fact, if you read my regular posts, I never overly criticise the team or the club. I've been following Barnsley for many more seasons than you have and I think I have earned the right to comment on what I see.

CH is a class player but right now is nowhere near last season's standard. I hope he gets it back soon because I would rather see him IN the side and firing than not. I forgot to mention his one on one miss last night. It was at the other end but it looked a weak effort. That, and Marley's similarly weak penalty earlier, could have won the game for us.

I never criticise players for no good reason but if you think I have done on this occasion then that's your opinion. Like most I enjoy reading your posts and seeing the videos so let's not fall out about this!

 

Touchy mate. It's his report so he comments on the players as he sees it. No abuse that I can see. Or is CH now taboo unless it's glowing praise?

 

Never heard him mentioned apart from the penalty!

 

In what way? By saying he didn't do a lot because he thinks he is still not match fit after an injury? It's hardly the most damning of assessments is it. His criticism of Pearson was 'worse' if anything and he also said winnall looked laboured.

 

Well he did fluff a chance when he was clean through but as it was at the other end maybe he was closed down more than it appeared from our end - not sure. It certainly looked like the kind of golden chance you need to win matches. Luckily we got there in the end, and what an exciting finish it was, but we should have buried them in normal time.

CH needs game time to get him up to speed again - just hope he gets there because he's a good player.

 

All of which was true, as I saw it. SSW looks like he can hardly run at the moment and his game is suffering for it.
Ben Pearson is a good addition to the squad but frustrates the hell out of me when he plays so many sideways passes. Giving responsibility to someone else (like a young full back for example) doesn't make him look good. He'll learn a lot from this spell with us though and will be an even better player for it.

 

Thanks for the report, old mate, much appreciated.

 

Thanks for the report - always nice to hear from somebody who was there. Only part that concerns me is the above quote - if they were that poor, how did they give him so many shots to save ?

The starting formation looked good too, to me - will that be the way to go at home Saturday ? Same lads ?

 

You're welcome - I just thought it was worth putting a positive spin on things after the debacle on Saturday. One of our readers seems to have taken offence because I had the temerity to criticise a player who plays in midfield, but never mind! Maybe he is still smarting after the Huddersfield game?

The thing is though that nothing I said was vicious, unwarranted or untrue. I don't like to speak badly of any Barnsley players - this is MY TEAM - but sometimes you have to speak as you find. CH and SSW are not firing on all cylinders yet, but they will get there.

I love seeing young players like Rothwell and Pearson playing for us, even it is only for six months or so. Both have big futures in the game so it will be good to see them develop their games with us. I have no problem with that at all, and will forgive them their mistakes.

Rothwell had loads of shots on goal last night - unfortunately I don't recall one on target. He was trying though, and you can't ask for much more of a young player.

 

Well my assessment is at odds with Mark Robins! He seems to think that they were the better side, but then he would say that, wouldn't he?

I saw them as a below average Third Division team who should be well below us in the league this year. I remember some people saying "Hm, great signing" when Darius Henderson joined them. Not impressed with him at all, but then I never have been. Without Paddy Madden in their team I can see them propping up the league so yes, it is concerning that we couldn't finish them off in normal time.

But, at the risk of repeating myself, this is a very young side we have at the moment so there will be plenty of matches like last night. Marley's penalty was a shocker - too low, too weak, too predictable - but his overall game was decent. He will be a good player for us. Noticeable though that he didn't step up to take one in the shoot out - maybe his confidence was dented?

 

Thanks for report mate,

 

Nice to talk about a good night of football. Good to leave a football ground smiling - makes up for all the bad times over the years. It can't always be like that so I always enjoy the good times.

Nice to report that there seemed to be no crowd issues either last night. Excellent following for a midweek league cup game and the fans were vocal and I didn't hear any of the rubbish that we got on Saturday. Mind you I was sitting fairly central to the goal so maybe things were said on the flanks. Certainly no steward or police activity though. In fact, where were the police? I didn't see any

 

After an injury disrupted close season, I think both Hourihane & Winnall are still a bit behind the others with their fitness, as you have also mentioned in the thread. I don't think it'll take long for them to get back up to speed, though. I, too, enjoy watching the young lads develop and appreciate that patience needs to be shown with them.
From
A Happy Clapping Dinosaur of a Barnsley fan.