[BFC SITE] Late winner secures Reds victory at Burton

A late winner from Stephen Humphrys ensured that Barnsley FC picked up their third league win on the road this season, with a 2-1 victory over Burton Albion at the Pirelli Stadium.

After an opening spell in which both sides shared equal periods of possession, and play was largely constrained to the midfield, the Reds came close to opening their account for the afternoon in the 12th minute. Skipper Luca Connell produced an excellent pass into the feet of Sam Cosgrove who was able to work his way into the eighteen-yard box, however, the number nine was denied a goalscoring opportunity by a well-timed tackle from Udoka Godwin-Malife on the left-hand side of the area.

The hosts had their own chance to open the scoring three minutes later, with a long shot from midfield by Kegs Chauke being scooped up by Gabriel Slonina, without ever really threatening to test the Barnsley ‘stopper. Burton also came close in the 22nd minute, with Barry Cotter dropping into the backline and producing an outstanding interception on the edge of the area to prevent Ben Whitfield from advancing into a one-on-one position.

The Reds almost produced an opener in the 28th minute, when Maël de Gevigney played a ball to Cotter on the right-flank. The wing-back whipped a great cross into the area, finding Cosgrove, who nodded back towards goal into the path of Adam Phillips, whose subsequent header was directed over the bar.

This opportunity proved to be something of a catalyst for Darrell Clarke’s men, who displayed great intensity in the final third following this chance. And eventually, the Reds took the lead after 36 minutes, courtesy of a stunner from Connell. The Barnsley skipper stepped up from twenty-five yards out, hitting a low, powerful free kick which went under the Burton wall and comfortably beat goalkeeper Max Crocombe, to open the scoring.

Barnsley were buoyed by their first goal of the afternoon, and came close to doubling their advantage just five minutes later, when Davis Keillor-Dunn spotted an incoming Cotter ball and responded with an audacious overhead kick which flew past the post. The Reds were able to comfortably see out the remainder of the half, and went into half time with a one-goal advantage.

HALF TIME: Burton Albion 0-1 Barnsley FC

The Reds picked up where they had left off in the first half, displaying some real class in the final third and putting the Burton backline under heavy pressure. Defender Marc Roberts came close to scoring Barnsley’s second goal of the afternoon in the 47th minute, when his ambitious header just inside the area was cleared away by a defender, amidst an attacking melee in the eighteen-yard box following a corner kick.

Five minutes later, Keillor-Dunn had an excellent opportunity when he forced a save from Crocombe with a spectacular half-volley from just outside the box. This errant stop fell into the path of Phillips, whose rebound effort whistled past the post.

Burton had their own chance to level the scoring in the 57th minute with a shot from distance by captain Elliott Watt, however, the midfielder’s effort was caught by Slonina without troubling the Reds’ number one. Connell then almost sealed his brace in the 59th minute, with a shot on the edge of the area which was directed wide of the target.

Head Coach Darrell Clarke made a number of changes at the 60-minute mark, bringing on the forward pairing of Humphrys and Fabio Jalo to bring renewed vigour to the Reds’ attacking outlay in the closing minutes of the game. The duo linked up well, with the young forward Jalo coming close to extending the Reds’ lead after 70 minutes with an outstanding left-footed shot in the area which was only denied from hitting the target by a excellent save. Fellow substitute Josh Benson then had a great chance after 74 minutes, with the midfielder spotting the Burton shotstopper off his line, and hitting an audacious lob which forced Crocombe to rush back and get a hand to the effort.

Burton almost produced a leveller in the 79th minute, with substitute midfielder Romelle Donovan spearheading a counter-attack, and playing the ball in to Danilo Orsi. The forward was put off from close-range by a sturdy Reds’ defensive line, and promptly hit his effort well over the crossbar.

And despite the Reds’ best efforts to produce a second goal, it was the home side who managed to score an equaliser with two minutes left to play. Jack Cooper-Love managed to get onto the end of a long ball from a free-kick, heading past Slonina to level the scoring.

But Barnsley were not to be counted out, and in the final minute of the game, they managed to secure a winner. Corey O’Keeffe produced an excellent cross into the area, into the path of Humphrys. The forward promptly headed home from close range in front of the travelling Reds faithful, for his first goal in a Barnsley shirt. This put Darrell Clarke’s men back in front, with six minutes of stoppage time left to play.

The majority of added time was spent in the Reds’ half, with the home side desperately looking for another late equaliser. But it was Barnsley who had perhaps the best chance in the remainder of the game, with Humphrys getting onto the end of a counter-attack and forcing the Burton ‘keeper to deny his effort at close range with his feet. Darrell Clarke’s men were then able to see out the rest of the game to take all three points back to Oakwell, after a hard-fought away victory.

FULL TIME: Burton Albion 1–2 Barnsley FC

Barnsley XI: Slonina (GK), Cotter, Roberts, De Gevigney, O’Keeffe, Phillips, Cosgrove (Humphrys, 60), Craig, Earl, Keillor-Dunn (Jalo, 60 – later replaced by Lofthouse, 83), Connell (Benson, 66)

Subs not used: Killip (GK), Gent, McCarthy

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