FULL TIME FROM OAKWELL - OFFICIAL SITE MATCH REPORT

FULL TIME FROM OAKWELL
Posted on: Tue 27 Oct 2009

BARNSLEY 0
MANCHESTER UNITED 2 (Welbeck 7, Owen 59)

BARNSLEY gave it absolutely everything and had enough chances to get something from a thrilling Carling Cup tie at Oakwell.

Reds boss Mark Robins was forced into changing his side following last weekend's defeat by Bristol City. In came Anderson de Silva, Rob Kozluk, Jon Macken, Julian Gray and Daniel Bogdanovic. Out went cup tied trio Carl Dickinson, Ryan Shotton and Andy Gray while Jamal Campbell-Ryce and Iain Hume dropped to the bench.

The Premier League champions and Carling Cup holders made wholesale changes following Sunday's loss at Liverpool. It was a much-changed United missing most of their big hitters although the likes of Michael Owen, Ben Foster, Gary Neville, Wes Brown and Anderson were still big enough household names to make it a very, very strong side.

The Reds had the chance to put United under pressure as early as the second minute when Emil Hallfredsson hit the deck under Owen's challenge. Kozluk's free kick was dangerous but Ben Foster managed to hold onto the ball under pressure from Darren Moore.

United had their first sight of goal on seven minutes as Gabriel Obertan skipped away down the right to cross but Kozluk did wonderfully well to deny Owen a clear header. The visitors though were in front seconds later from Anderson's corner as the Reds defence went walkabout and allowed Welbeck a free header six yards out. Welbeck didn't miss.

Anderson again picked out Welbeck on ten minutes with an outstanding 40-yard pass that dropped in behind Kozluk but this time Luke Steele was in the right place to make a fine save. The Reds somehow managed to hack the loose ball away from danger.

It took a while but the Reds finally began to find their feet in the game and Adam Hammill skipped away from a couple of challenges on 15 minutes before shooting high over the bar. It gave the home side a little belief after seeing their bright start go a little flat following United's early opener.

United broke through the Reds again on 19 minutes when Owen picked a slide rule pass in behind but Obertan was denied by a smart Steele save.

At the other end Anderson de Silva dragged one well wide of the mark on two minutes later after finding half a yard right on the edge of the box. Julian Gray then fizzed over a cross on 23 minutes that Bogdanovic did well to flick on but Brown was able to hack clear. United were caught cold from Hammill's corner but Bogdanovic wasted a golden opportunity by heading wide from eight yards out.

Barnsley were beginning to turn the screw on United and playing on the visitors inexperience in vital areas. Rafael needlessly gave away a corner on 24 minutes and was almost made to pay when Stephen Foster met Hammill's centre but could not direct his free header on target.

Another Hammill corner on 27 minutes gave Stephen Foster yet another ball to attack and this time the Reds skipper went even close as he fizzed his header a foot over the top of the goal. It was very, very promising from the home side.

Barnsley cut United wide open on the half hour as Macken and Anderson de Silva combined well together and the Brazilian was in behind Fabio. Anderson de Silva's pull back was dangerous but neither Macken nor Hammill could get enough on the ball to trouble Ben Foster.

United were rattled although Obertan did give Welbeck half a chance on 37 minutes but the striker's header flew high over the top. Anderson de Silva picked up the first caution seconds later for a nothing challenge on Ben Foster. It was a soft card but one you'd expect to see from a Premier League official.

Card happy Chris Foy then flashed a yellow to Hugo Colace on 40 minutes after the midfielder had tripped Obertan. It was probably his first mistimed tackle of the night.

United were wide open again on 43 minutes when Anderson de Silva put Bogdanovic clear. The Maltese striker sent the perfect cross in front of Ben Foster and along the six-yard line but Colace just could not stretch far enough to turn the ball into an empty net.

The visitors managed to carve open a chance four minutes after the restart when Macheda's pass put Owen clean through but the England striker fired woefully wide under pressure from Stephen Foster.

Barnsley crafted a clear sight of goal on 54 minutes as Macken and Bogdanovic opened United wide open to give Anderson de Silva a great chance but the Brazilian fired well, well wide. It was a great chance.

Substitute Zoran Tosic almost made an instant impact on the game on 58 minutes as he let fly from 25 yards but his effort drifted just over the cross bar.

Owen only really needed one clear chance to put the game beyond Barnsley. It came on 59 minutes when the striker nipped past a couple of challenges on the edge of the area before planting a fine side-foot finish past Steele from 18 yards.

Neville gave Barnsley a foothold back in the game on 63 minutes with a disgraceful lunge through Hammill that earned the United skipper a straight red card. It really wasn't needed at all as the visitors were so in control of the game but it suddenly raised the noise levels inside Oakwell and tipped the balance of play slightly back in Barnsley's favour.

A goal-hungry Hume almost had an instant impact on the game on 67 minutes when he met Hammill's cross but could not direct his header into the bottom corner with Ben Foster nowhere.

A moment's hesitation by Ben Foster almost gifted the Reds a goal as Hume and Bogdanovic pounced but the Maltese striker could only bring a fine low save from the United keeper. Hume's corner again had United at sixes and sevens but Anderson de Silva could not plant his free header into the net.

Hammill was next to burst at United as Barnsley pressure for a deserved goal. The winger skipped past Brown easily on 76 minutes but shot straight at Ben Foster when well placed on the edge of the box.

Ben Foster earned his money on 78 minutes when he denied Jacob Butterfield a goal after the youngster had shown great skill and composure to take the ball on and shoot from the edge of the area.

Hallfredsson then did well to tee up Hammill again on 81 minutes but this time the winger scuffed his shot through to Ben Foster.

The Reds had another great chance to get onto the scoresheet on 84 minutes when Fabio upended Campbell-Ryce on the edge of the box. Hume took the free kick but could not get his effort neat to Ben Foster's goal.

What had been a carnival atmosphere inside Oakwell was marred a little as missiles were thrown onto the pitch from the Manchester United end in the closing minutes.

Anderson almost wrapped things up for United on 87 minutes as he brought a smart save from Steele after good play by Macheda.

A pair of Barnsley supporters let themselves and the club down in stoppage time by invading the pitch before being escorted away by stewards and police. It was a moronic end to what had been a fantastic night inside Oakwell and hopefully the idiotic duo will never be let near a football stadium for a long while.

BARNSLEY: Steele, Kozluk, Foster, Moore, J. Gray, Anderson (Campbell-Ryce 71), Hallfredsson, Colace (Butterfield 77), Hammill, Macken (Hume 65), Bogdanovic.
Subs: Preece, Hassell, Thompson, Devaney.

MANCHESTER UNITED: Foster, Neville (Sent Off 63), Brown, Owen (De Laet 65), Anderson, Welbeck (Tosic 53), Fabio, Rafael, Evans, Obertan, Macheda.
Subs: O'Shea, C. Evans, Amos, King, James.

Referee
Chris Foy (Merseyside)
Assistant Referees
Jake Collin (Merseyside) and Richard West (East Yorskhire)
Fourth Official
Andy Hall (West Midlands)

Attendance - 20,019