Blunders cost Tykes against rockin' Robins

BARNSLEY boss Andy Ritchie asked for grit and determination and to keep 11 players on the park.
He got three out of three. Plus three horrible blunders for Bristol City to coast to this win.
Barnsley finished with a full complement even though their collective number was up inside 45 minutes. And 3-0 is as bad as it's got so far this season in the league.
They were comprehensively beaten at Bristol City, sunk in the first half by two goals from old adversary Marcus Stewart and one from skipper Steve Brooker.
Okay, Bristol in the grips of a revival under new manager Gary Johnson were never as bad as their early league placings had suggested, but Barnsley have to offer more than this if the sixth place they held a few days ago is to be nothing more than a flash in the pan.
They were without suspended duo Neil Austin and Antony Kay and unfit Matt Carbon and Stephen McPhail.
It's unlikely if one or all four in the team would have made much difference. It's even more unlikely that, on this showing the new Bristol gaffer would trade anyone of his squad for Ritchie's Barnsley task force.
The challenge to the visitors was to stifle Bristol.
They managed that for just over 20 minutes.
The back four, led by centre back Bobby Hassell stepped forward, looking for an offside flag that never came and Brooker's path to goal was blocked by keeper Nick Colgan alone.
Brooker's finish was hard and low, Colgan could not do anything about it.
Bristol's second was from the penalty spot. Ref Mark Clattenburg had look leniently on an iffy Hassell challenge in the area. He wasn't going to do that twice and so when Stewart crashed to the ground under Dale Tonge's clumsy tackle, he waved play directly to the spot.
Stewart, who years back tormented Barnsley when he was at Ipswich, isn't the type to mess up penalties and he didn't. The shot was along the deck out of Colgan's reach to the left.
Bristol's third was the most painful to watch. It stemmed from an attacking free kick in the home penalty area.
It was well cleared, Barnsley faffed about in midfield, Scott Brown robbed them and sped full tilt for the danger zone.
One glance up and there was Stewart lurking in the area's right side. The finish was top drawer and Barnsley knew they needed a miracle.
It didn't happen. New Bristol signing Osei Sankofa, who arrived from Charton on the morning of the game, had an easy debut at centre half. Too easy.
Barnsley tried to pep things up with three Ritchie changes.
Brian Howard came off the bench for his debut and looked worth a few more minutes against Oldham at Oakwell on Saturday. Likewise Nardiello was a replacement and a couple of shots from distance almost caught keeper Steve Phillips out.
He could well start ahead of the out of sorts Paul Hayes in the next game.
Ritchie's final throw of the dice was Marc Richards for Conlon with 20 minutes left. Barnsley perked up again.
Half chances fell to Hayes and Howard as well as Nardiello while Bristol didn't bother Colgan much.
Not that they needed to, having earned a place in the comfort zone.
Johnson gave a home debut to latest find Gay Madjo, a Cameroon, who reckoned he was about to join Boca Juniors before Bristol came calling.
His most memorable contribution was to look daggers every time he got caught offside. And that was plenty in a non-event of a second half.
Barnsley have now lost three on the bounce, the pressure is on the produce on Saturday if they are to pick up the pace in this league again.

simon.meeks@sheffieldnewspapers.co.uk
28 September 2005

 

Bobby Hassell

Mansfield Town

 

mansfield

liam lawerence.

he'd be ***** if he was with us n all

 

mansfield

liam lawerence.

he'd be ***** if he was with us n all

 

marcus stewart, nathan ellington, jason roberts....

...bristol rovers.

you talk *****

 

Barnsley tried to pep things up with three Ritchie changes.
Brian Howard came off the bench for his debut and looked worth a few more minutes against Oldham at Oakwell on Saturday. Likewise Nardiello was a replacement and a couple of shots from distance almost caught keeper Steve Phillips out.
He could well start ahead of the out of sorts Paul Hayes in the next game.
Ritchie's final throw of the dice was Marc Richards for Conlon with 20 minutes left. Barnsley perked up again.
Half chances fell to Hayes and Howard as well as Nardiello while Bristol didn't bother Colgan much.


Blimey, I could have sworn that Hayes came off when Nardiello went on. Nice to know that he can still have a crack at goal when he's been subbed!!

 

RE: Bobby Hassell

he is just a really poor player

 

Glynn, is that you?

 

> Likewise Nardiello was a replacement and a couple
> of shots from distance almost caught keeper Steve
> Phillips out. He could well start ahead of the out
> of sorts Paul Hayes in the next game.

So drop Hayes for Nardiello. What about dropping conlon, and playing with two players who can run at defenders, instead of a 'target' man, that clearly is not producing enough (any) goals?

 

RE: Glynn, is that you?

50k/pa

 

Been saying that all season...but told "not a fan"