Nice word, and Kevin Blackwell talks like a lovely person. Danny goes solo LOST by one, two goals against disallowed and saved by the crossbar ... yet Barnsley boss Andy Ritchie was satisfied his team were more or less where he wanted them seven days before it all gets serious. Ritchie had forecast this would be the toughest of the pre-season tests and if it wasn't there was something seriously wrong with Leeds. Bad news for the neighbours in Sheffield is that Leeds are more than decent, probably won't win the Championship but shouldn't be a million miles from the play-off shake-up. All that makes this Barnsley show all the more creditable. They don't have a Robbie Blake, didn't have the close-season funding to afford one of that kind. And while his and David Healy's finishes were efficiently classy, the goal of the game (to pull it back to 2-1) came from Barnsley sub for the day Daniel Nardiello. It was a sparkling solo affair and guarantees that when the real business starts against Swindon on Saturday, he won't be bench-bound. Ritchie reflected: "I thought in the first half especially we did very well. We competed and probably could have had one or two goals ourselves." On the half-hour Leeds got the lead they just about deserved. It was Neil Austin who spilled possession about 25 yards out and Healy who profited with a short sprint into the area before smacking a low drive under keeper Nick Colgan's body. Barnsley had been warned as early as the seventh minte when a right-wing throw was played on by Jermaine Wright and Eddie Lewis dug out a shot from 12 yards, crashing it on to the crossbar. Healy then had a goal disallowed from a clearly offside position. Barnsley's best first half-chance came from Paul Hayes, who let fly from well outside the box. Keeper Ian Bennett got gloves to it despite a deflection. The second half saw Barnsley skipper Tony Vaughan of all people rampaging forward. He got it all right bar the shot which was over the top. Leeds, missing Steve Stones (they'll have to get used to that) and Rob Hulse, managed to piece together a second goal, which owed as much to Wright's right-to-left cross as it did to Blake's header in. It might have got out of hand for Barnsley had Blake's shot in not been ruled out as the excellent Eric Bakke played him in too soon to hold the offside flag. With 25 minutes left, on came Nardiello together with Stephen McPhail. Eight minutes later Barnsley had a goal. Nardiello squirmed between Paul Butler and Sean Gregan. He shot across keeper Neil Sullivan and watched it hit the far post and rebound over the line. Ritchie reflected: "In the second half we gave Robbie Blake too much room at times. He is a good player and he'll punish you. "The first goal, I thought we were unlucky with. I thought there was a foul on Jacob Burns to start off with. "Then there was a ricochet. But Healy is a good finisher as well. We were disappointed with that but overall I thought we competed quite well." Nardiello rightly earned a pat on the back from the boss. "We know what Danny can do, he can manufacture a goal from anything," Ritchie said. "I think he sent three of their players the wrong way and notched it with great aplomb. "We've been trying to work on the other side of his game, the bits and bats. "He's already definitely got goals in him." Ritchie's starting 11 for this final first-team friendly gave Nick Colgan, Vaughan, Burns, Nicky Wroe and Barry Conlon their chance to impress. They worked hard but expect Scott Flinders, Matt Carbon, Paul Reid and Nardiello to be started next week. Leeds went home happy with their early afternoon's work and manager Kevin Blackwell commented: "We showed good discipline and shape. "From a result point of view, we could have been out of sight. "I thought we were showboating for their goal." simon.meeks@sheffieldnewspapers.co.uk 01 August 2005 « Previous PageNext »Page 1 of 1 More Sport
