Half-time report from Official site

HALF TIME FROM OAKWELL

BARNSLEY 1 (Richards 45)
SOUTHAMPTON 0

MARC Richards' third goal of the season gave the Reds the half time lead their totally deserved after a fine first half display against promotion-chasing Southampton.

Reds boss Andy Ritchie was forced into a late change just minutes before kick off with Robbie Williams coming into the starting eleven at the expense of Paul Heckingbottom, who injured his ribs in the warm up. Rob Atkinson came in on the bench alongside new signings Colin Healy and Vito Mannone. Southampton had former Reds keeper Kevin Miller on the bench as they looked to build some early season momentum.

The Reds could have been in front inside four minutes as Paul Hayes and Michael McIndoe combined well to send Marc Richards free but Kelvin Davis pulled off a fine diving save to divert the striker's effort wide. The Reds were not finished and Martin Devaney's right wing corner caused more problems for the Saints defence and Davis again had to be alert to claw away Bobby Hassell's header.

Three minutes later Brian Howard saw a free kick drift just over the top from the right hand side after Devaney had been tripped by Gareth Bale.

Southampton menacingly broke forward on ten minutes with Bradley Wright-Phillips and Nathan Dyer doing well to send Grzegorz Rasiak in behind Williams but the big striker could only shoot straight into the advertising boards from 18 yards.

Dyer again got the better of Williams as the pair raced towards the byline on 15 minutes and the winger managed to dig out a decent cross but Wright-Phillips just could not direct his effort on target under pressure from Antony Kay.

Devaney almost lit up Oakwell on 21 minutes as he turned well past two defenders before rifling a shot goalward but David managed to hold onto the ball at the second attempt. The Reds winger turned provider just a minute later as he skinned highly-rated Gareth Bale yet again before sending a fizzing cross just inches in front of Hayes' outstretched leg.

Barnsley were dominant and McIndoe almost grabbed an opener on 25 minutes as his acrobatic volley flew wide of the target.

At the other end Wright-Phillips saw a shot deflect wide before Pedro Pele had a header kicked away off the line from Andy Surman's corner on the half hour. The Reds the broke with pace and purpose as Devaney and Hayes took advantage of most of the Saints defence being caught up field to play in McIndoe but Davis stood up to the challenge and made a fine save.

Seconds later the Southampton keeper was scrambling across his goal again as Howard shot inches wide of the post from the edge of the area after more neat play had caught out the visitors.

Devaney rather harshly entered the book on 34 minutes after tripping Surman although the winger had been on the receiving end of some cynical challenges earlier in the half that had not warranted a card from top flight referee Mike Dean. From the free kick Pele again got in at the far post to meet Jermaine Wright's cross but Nick Colgan made a decent save low to his left.

McIndoe again got in behind Southampton on 40 minutes as he raced onto Hayes' flick but the angle was always against the former Doncaster winger and he could only hammer the ball into the stand.

Rasiak was aggrieved on 44 minutes after failing to win a corner when his wayward drive landed half way up the Enterprise Stand rather than on target as the Saints were struggling to break down a solid looking Reds backline.

The goal finally came deep in stoppage time as again Howard found a way through the Saints back line to send Devaney free down the right. The winger sent over a fine cross to give Richards the chance to rifle in his third of the campaign from six yards out.

BARNSLEY: Colgan, Hassell, Williams, Reid, Togwell, Hayes, McIndoe, Howard, Kay, Devaney, Richards.
Subs: Mannone, Healy, Tonge, Atkinson, Wright.

SOUTHAMPTON: Davis, Ostlund, Pele, Wright-Phillips, Rasiak, Wright, Dyer, Baird, Bale, Viafara, Surman.
Subs: Miller, Jones, Makin, Skacel, Lallana.