BBC Sport match preview

Barnsley v Huddersfield
LEAGUE ONE PLAY-OFFS
Semi-final First Leg
Oakwell Stadium
Thursday,11 May
Kick-off: 1945 BST
BBC Radio Five Live

Barnsley manager Andy Ritchie is boosted by the return of captain Paul Reid from suspension.

Defensive duo Matt Carbon (groin) and Neil Austin (hamstring) will miss both legs of the play-off showdown but could return if the Tykes reach the final.

Huddersfield captain Jon Worthington is expected to return to the team after serving a suspension.

Defender Andy Holdsworth should return following a groin injury but defender Tom Clarke is ruled out by a ban.


Barnsley manager Andy Ritchie:
"We deserve to be in the play-offs and I am sure my players will be up for this game.
"I don't think nerves have affected us this season and I see no reason why they will now.

"We know it is a massive game for many reasons, especially financially, but we need to go out and express ourselves.

"It doesn't matter how we play as long we get the result we need to take us down to Cardiff."

Huddersfield manager Peter Jackson:
"The tie will be won or lost over at Oakwell.
"It will be a big one back here but we have to make sure it's not slipped out of our control for the second leg.

"We've conceded goals in the first 20 minutes too many times this season so if we can keep a clean sheet we'll be looking to win there as we can score."

KEY MATCH STATS

BARNSLEY and Huddersfield engage to determine which of these Yorkshire-based exponents will be meeting either Swansea or Brentford in the League One Play Off final at the Millennium Stadium on Saturday, 27 May. The Tykes finished the League campaign in fifth, one place and one point inferior to Huddersfield.
Dave Bassett was in charge when Barnsley experienced their only previous involvement in the Play Offs. They were vying for promotion to the Premiership in 1999/2000, when they beat Birmingham 0-4 at St Andrews, and then completed a 6-1 aggregate victory in the semi-finals. But Ipswich proved a bridge too far - as Barnsley went down 2-4 at Wembley.
The club finishing fifth in the third tier has gained promotion through the Play Offs on four occasions - the club finishing fourth has gone up three times. Andy Ritchie's side go into this tie with the better form. They avoided defeat in eight of their last nine and were unbeaten in six (two wins, four draws). Doncaster was the only club this season, to leave the Oakwell with all three points. The Tykes were a Premiership club for one season in 1997/98. They then spent four seasons at the second level, and has been their fourth in succession in the third tier.
HUDDERSFIELD TOWN are aiming to return to the second League layer for the first time since 2000/01. They entered April second in the League One table, but slipped out of the automatic promotion places with just one win from their last six matches. Doncaster, Oldham, Bradford City, Yeovil, Blackpool and Walsall were all beaten by the Terriers on the road this season.
This is Huddersfield's fifth participation in the Play-Offs. They're trying to gain promotion through them for a third time. Neil Warnock was in charge when they were promoted to the second level in 1995, after a semi-final triumph over Brentford and a 2-1 victory over Bristol Rovers in the final at Wembley. The Terriers had earlier lost in the Division Three Play Off semi-final to Peterborough in 1992, and also had their dreams of promotion to the second tier ended by Brentford in the semi-finals in 2002. But two years later, current manager Peter Jackson, guided them past Lincoln, and then through 120 goalless minutes against Mansfield in the final at the Millennium Stadium, before the Yorkshire side won 4-1 on penalties to go up to League One. Huddersfield only missed out on a place in the Play Offs by one point last season.
Jackson's men shared four goals with Barnsley when they met in the equivalent League fixture on New Year's Eve, and then won 1-0 at The Galpharm Stadium on April Fools' Day.
Referee: Paul Taylor (Hertfordshire)

THIS SEASON'S LEAGUE MEETINGS:

Barnsley 2-2 Huddersfield Town
31 December 2005 - Ref: EL Ilderton
Barnsley scorers: Burns 42, Nardiello 81
Huddersfield scorers: Booth 76, Taylor-Fletcher 90

Huddersfield Town 1-0 Barnsley
1 April 2006 - Ref: Steve Tanner
Huddersfield scorer: Taylor-Fletcher 55
Sent Off: Nardiello (Barnsley) 85

HEAD TO HEAD TOTALS
League: Barnsley 20, Huddersfield 25, Draws 11

HEAD TO HEAD at Leeds
League: Barnsley 15, Huddersfield 8, Draws 5

 

'Head to heads at Leeds' and Jacko's comments

Didn't know we'd played at Leeds all those times!

He sounds a little negative to me... their fans have said the same this week. Let's get at em!

 

"when they beat Birmingham 0-4 at St Andrews, and then completed a 6-1 aggregate victory in the semi-finals." - it was 5-2 on aggregate...we lost 2-1 in the 2nd leg.

And what is Jackson on about "It wil be won or lost at Oakwell" - I doubt it....I reckon one team will just have a slight edge going into the 2nd leg.

 

I read that last night ... and thought to mesen

... that Jackson really is quite a knob.

"The tie will be won or lost at Oakwell" - nowt like putting pressure on your players is there??

Still reminded me of the big hoo-har that Birmingham made when they had McCarthy on his crutches waving to the fans and the pitch announcer asking the players to "do it for John" etc ... If mr Jackson isn't too careful he'll have them too wound up.

Certainly prefer Ritchies comments "doesn't matter how we play as long as we get the result" ... that'll do for me. I'll take three games of utter dross and two penalty shootouts if that's what it takes!

 

What a prat

Won or lost at Oakwell. He's playing mind games thats all. Reverse psychology. Trying to put the pressure on our players to get a result.</p>

Come on lads, we tend to play well in front of the camera's - we are deffo good enough.</p>

COME ON!!!!!!!</p>

 

RE: I read that last night ... and thought to mesen

Dont think i could stomach 2 pen shootouts.</p>

Im bricking it about toneets game like.</p>