Having returned to winning ways (once again) at Oakwell, we have a second home game in just 3 days as we welcome Carlisle to Oakwell in the league for the first time in 39 years. We'll be looking to break that sequence of a win then a draw over the course of our 7 game unbeaten league run. Carlisle will be looking to break that unbeaten sequence altogether, and are best priced at 11/2 to do so, and win their 4th straight visit to Oakwell. We are best priced at 1/2. On their travels this season, Carlisle have only managed 6 points, the worst record in the division. They've lost 7 of their last 8 in all competitions away from home, with their only point in that time being against Fleetwood, the only side below them in the table. Oddly, their only league victory on the road came at Bolton, in a game where their leading marksman Jordan Gibson scored a hattrick. They also missed a penalty, and only conceded through an own goal in a 3-1 victory at the Trotters, in a game where they mustered 10 shots on target. Their form home and away has seen them only win 1 in their last 10 in all competitions, and 1 in their last 12 in the league (home vs Port Vale). They've lost their last 2 in a row, and gone 2 and 3 behind respectively in those before scoring. Historically, as I previously mentioned, Carlisle have won the last 3 meetings at Oakwell. The only meeting in recent history was a 3-0 win for the visitors in the league cup in 2019; a strong Daniel Stendel side, who'd recently returned to the Chpionship, was humbled by a then league 2 blues side. Both Jordan Williams and Callum Styles started that game. Carlisle stalwart Jonathan Mellish, who was an unused substitute that day, is the only Carlisle survivor from their squad. The reds last win over the Cumbrians at Oakwell was at the end of the 83/84 season, where the reds ran out 2-1 winners. I'm sure someone will be able to recall the goalscorers that day. Of the 15 meetings at Oakwell in total, we've won 7, drawn 3 and lost 5. Our biggest home victory over Carlisle was the very first one, a 4-1 win in 1933. Our only ever meetings in January have both been home wins for the reds, though these were the aforementioned 4-1 win in 1933, and also the following season. Referee Will Finnie has awarded 86 yellow and 4 red cards in 25 games this season, which is a below average amount of cards. He took charge of our 5-1 defeat at Bradford in the EFL Trophy, where Jack Shepherd was dismissed in injury time. He last took charge of a Carlisle game in November 2021, their 2-1 away defeat to Exeter. Coincidentally, he sent of the aforementioned Jonathan Mellish. We are now 8 unbeaten in all competitions in the league at home, and have experienced just 1 league defeat in our last 15 matches. We've averaged 2 goals a game across our last 7 league games, and whilst we do struggle to keep clean sheets, we should pose too much of an attacking threat for Carlisle. I'm going for 2-0 Barnsley, with Cole and McAtee on the scoresheet in the first half.
I have a distant memory of playing Carlisle in a league game around 1964-65 at Oakwell and a player called David Oliphant scored a spectacular own goal at the Kop end. It was a very low diving header and I’ve no idea what he was trying to do with it! I suppose I remember it because of the unusual surname and the Chronicle photographer got a very good shot of him in the act. It’s in my scrapbook for that season which (unfortunately) is in the custody of a relative along with the rest of my memorabilia collection.
3-0 Reds. Not sure the league position reflects how good Carlisle are to be honest but we’re on form and have the incentive of being very close to the top two. Plus, Collins will know a win is needed with Stevenage, Oxford and Bolton around the corner.
Yeah, I personally don't think the bottom 4 are as bad as they were last season in this league. Certainly, I think Carlisle and Fleetwood offer more than Forest Green, and for the most part, Morecambe and Accrington did, and they've been involved in a lot more tighter games (barring a heavy defeat to Reading and Blackpool).
I’m confident of a win, but despite their lowly position it will be a tough one. First clean sheet in ages, 2-0 us
All depends on the players' attitude; if they think it's an easy win before they even step on the pitch then it'll be a draw at best.