RITCHIE HAPPY AFTER FIRST DAY WIN "We are very pleased today. We showed a lot of character and a lot of discipline, in the sense of us being disciplined in the way we didn't lose our shape, which we have worked on. "I can't really complain about the sending off. I've just watched the video and it did hit Robbie high up on his arm. Leading up to it though there were things we should have done. Nick Colgan's put his hand up and said he should have held on to the ball maybe or should have punched it clear but he has redeemed himself with a fantastic save. We've had everything today, two penalty saves, a bit of incident there in the first half for our penalty where maybe their lad should have been sent off. We just got on with it and I'm very very pleased we are two-nil winners. "I had a word with Scott Flinders and Nick Colgan and I've just gone for experience. I said towards the end of last season that Scott has had a meteoric rise. I think he was probably forced into playing too many games last season because of the situation we had at the club. His confidence is high and he has done ever so well for England, the reports we've had back are excellent and I'm hoping that this will give him the incentive to push on. He is pushing Nicky all the way for that starting spot. It's good to have healthy competition and he will get games. It was a bit of soul searching but that was my decision to go with a little bit of experience. "I think Paul Hayes has got everything in a striker. He's got a bit of pace, his control is good, his set-up play is good, his finishing is great. Now, all he's got to do is hone every little bit to make him a really good and complete striker. His goal today was great, the lad was pulling him back, he was off balance and he's still managed to lob the ball into the net. I thought the two strikers worked in tandem very well, especially in the second half with little step-overs and things like that and I think the two of them are going to form a good partnership together. Danny is disappointed to miss the penalty but he is quite strong and he's got over that. "I thought everyone did their utmost today. I can't single people out because the team as a whole worked and worked until the final whistle. I think last season if we had gone down to ten men like that we might have crumbled a little bit but I think we have shown today that we've got the mental strength to keep the team and the shape together. "Paul Reid has a problem with his thigh and it was very close to being ok but as I've said before we are not going to push people out there who have little niggly injuries because we have got enough players in the squad to cope with that. We are hopeful that he will be fit for Tuesday but if he has any pain we're not going to risk him." (angel)
Also REDS MAKE HAY-ES AS THE SUN SHINES BARNSLEY 2 (Hayes, Shuker) SWINDON 0 Two cracking goals, two missed penalties, a sending off and three points in the bag for Barnsley - just a quiet start to the season at Oakwell. Paul Hayes scored just ten minutes into his Barnsley debut and last season's Player of the Year Chris Shuker got the second as the Reds took a 2-0 victory despite the sending off of Robbie Williams. Reds' boss Andy Ritchie decided to go for Nick Colgan ahead of Scott Flinders in goal and paired Antony Kay and Matt Carbon at the back in the absence through injury of Paul Reid. The game exploded into life with just ten minutes gone as some madcap goalkeeping at both ends led to a goal-line clearance and a goal. First up Nick Colgan failed to gather a ball as he slid towards the edge of his penalty area to cut out a long pass. Tony Thorpe latched on to the mistake but his goal-bound shot was superbly blocked by Antony Kay on the line. Within seconds the ball had been cleared long downfield and Paul Hayes raced past the defence. Swindon keeper Rhys Evans misjudged the distance on the clearance and HAYES beat him to the ball and hooked it into the empty net from just outside the corner of the area. Within a minute Colgan made up for his earlier mistake with a good save, coming out quickly to smother a shot from Tony Thorpe as the Swindon striker got in behind the defence. A flash of brilliance almost gave Paul Hayes his second goal and it could have been an early contender for goal of the season. The former Scnuthorpe man latched on to a header by Nardiello and hooked a first time shot in from the corner of the area which went just inches over the bar. Although Barnsley were on top there were still chances at both ends as Williams had a weak header cleared off the line and Steve Jenkins then put a shot just wide of Nick Colgan's right-hand post. On 23 minutes Barnsley should have gone two-up and again Paul Hayes was in the thick of the action. It was his turn on the edge of the box which beat O'Hanlon and the Swindon captain grabbed Hayes' shirt to stop him getting away. Referee Tony Leake pointed to the spot and Danny Nardiello prepared to take the spot kick. After a one step run-up Nardiello put his penalty to the right but keeper Rhys Evans made a great save. Nardiello could have made up for that a few minutes later as a great ball by McPhail gave him space on the edge of the box but his powerful low shot was well saved by Evans. It was McPhail and Nardiello who gave Barnsley their last chance before half-time. Nardiello got a flick header on to McPhail's free-kick but it looped agonisingly on to the roof of the net with Evans well beaten. HALF-TIME BARNSLEY 1 SWINDON 0 Barnsley needed a good start to the second period and they got it through CHRIS SHUKER'S goal on 47 minutes. A great pull back from Hayes found Nardiello and his delicate pass was straight into the path of Shuker who thundered a shot from eight yards into the far corner. Hayes could have got his second as more excellent interplay between him and Nardiello gave Hayes the chance to put a shot in from 25 yards which was well saved by Evans. Out of nothing, Swindon found a potential way back into the game as the Reds gave away a penalty and went down to ten men. First, Neil Austin gave away a free kick out wide. When the ball came in Colgan failed to handle the cross and it dropped to Cureton who struck a shot towards goal. Robbie Williams flung himself in the way of the ball but the referee judged it had hit the young defender's arm, a decision proved correct on the video replays seen after the game. Williams was sent off but Cureton failed to take advantage from the spot as his poor penalty was well saved by Colgan. Swindon again had a chance just minutes later as Colgan did well to push the ball away from Cureton as Thorpe's cross caused problems. Despite being down to ten men it was Barnsley who were still creating the better chances. First a great run by Wroe put the Reds on the attack and his pass to Burns gave the Aussie a chance in the box but he couldn't get his shot off under pressure from a defender. Then McPhail, who had been influential as captain all afternoon, almost added a third when he had a second chance after hitting a free kick into the wall. His follow-up was well saved by Evans. Nardiello then flashed a shot just past the post before Swindon had the last chance of the game, Colgan saving Smith's powerful shot at the second attempt. FULL-TIME BARNSLEY 2 SWINDON 0 Swindon - Evans, Collins, Ifil, O'Hanlon, Smith, Shakes, Whalley, Jenkins (Wells 83), Pook (Roberts 66), Thorpe. Unused subs: Bulman, Nicolau, Nicholas. Barnsley - Colgan, Tonge, Carbon, Kay, Austin, Shuker, McPhail, Burns, Williams, Hayes (Wroe 61), Nardiello (Conlon 83). Unused subs: Flinders, Vaughan, Joynes. (angel)
I'm fine Thanks. A little tired as I've been out all of today at a Healing Workshop. I'm back again tomorrow 10 - 5. It's very interesting learning about Quantum Touch http://www.quantumtouch.com/ (angel)
