Analysis of Barnsley's 3-1 defeat at home to Bolton Wanderers in the first leg of their play-off semi-final.
SLOPPY GOALS GIVE BOLTON HUGE ADVANTAGE
Unlike the joyous Wembley-bound, champagne-covered celebrations a year earlier when Barnsley won the home leg of their play-off semi-final against Bolton, this time the players and fans clapped each other sombrely after the kind of scoreline many feared and expected.
The Reds could easily have levelled at 2-2 but instead conceded a freak goal from a corner deep injury-time and need a midweek miracle to reach Wembley.
They are winless in their last seven games at home since beating Derby County on February 24, after losing to a Bolton side who had only won one in eight away games.
There was some negativity going into the game following the confusion over the managerial search and Barnsley’s poor form at the end of the league season. The hope was that they would be able to reset and re-energise after making the top six, despite being underdogs against a side who finished 11 points above them.
The game was fairly even in general but Barnsley conceded extremely sloppy goals and only started attacking with any threat after 75 minutes.
The home crowd was not sold out, unlike last season when there was much more enthusiasm about the play-off campaign, but the atmosphere was ferocious at the start of the game then again at 2-1.
The Reds had 60 per cent of the ball but, for the most part, struggled to break down their visitors who generally avoided the risky passing out from the back which has given Barnsley chances in previous meetings. It was only in the final 20 minutes, with substitute Sam Cosgrove causing chaos, that they began to test the visiting defence.
Nicky Cadden was Barnsley’s best player, often beating men on the left wing and setting up chances with good crosses. He also blocked several shots in his box including one which seemed certain to make it 3-0.
The lively Adam Phillips had six shots, getting closer and closer to a goal throughout, while winning five headers.
Most of the rest of the starting 11 struggled to make an impact on the game.
MOUNTAIN TO CLIMB ACROSS PENNINES
In order to reach Wembley, Barnsley must now overturn a two-goal deficit at the team with the best home record in League One who have not lost on their own turf in 12 league games since before Christmas.
The Reds have been generally very good away from home this season and the comeback kings of the division, but it is a massive mountain to climb across the Pennines.
Interim boss Martin Devaney - who was part of the Reds squad in 2006 which lost the home first leg 1-0 to Huddersfield Town but won away - referenced Sheffield Wednesday’s comeback from 4-0 down against Peterborough last season.
If they score first on Tuesday, it will become an interesting contest again but, with the way they have been defending, they are likely to need several goals to force extra-time.
They have now kept two clean sheets in 30 games, conceded 29 in 13 and 80 for the season in all competitions - more than in the 2021/22 relegation season.
WILLIAMS MILESTONE GAME MARRED BY HUGE ERROR
It should have been a proud night for Jordan Williams, leading his side out in the play-offs as captain on his 200th appearance.
Instead it was marred by a huge error for the second goal just after half-time.
Williams made a mess of a header back to Liam Roberts and gifted the ball to Josh Sheehan who was brought down by the goalkeeper. He should have hooked the ball behind him down the line.
Unfortunately it was a moment that summed up most of Williams’ season - forced to play in the back three, he has made numerous mistakes which have cost his team dearly. He had one of his best matches of the season against Northampton in the last league game but this was an awful error. He also missed the crosses for the other two goals.
It was the 11th penalty Barnsley have conceded this season, with nine being scored.
Roberts - who kept out a Sheehan penalty in the league game in March before the rebound was netted - almost stopped Dion Charles’ effort but could only touch it into his bottom left corner.
The first goal was also strange moment, as Devante Cole had been off the pitch having received treatment, and was not let back on until the goal-scoring move was well underway. A more experienced side might have dropped deep until they were back to 11 men but Barnsley continued to press high and were picked off by a good move. After a clever flick by Josh Dacres-Cogley, Paris Maghoma - amid calls of offside - swapped posses with Aaron Collins then sent in a low cross which Williams could not cut out and Charles turned in. That opener came midway through the first half after Barnsley made a fairly bright start. Charles had not scored from open play in the league in 2024.
This match potentially could have been the last at Oakwell for long-serving players like Williams and Cole as they are both out of contract this summer.
SUBSTITUTES INSPIRE COMEBACK
Devaney brought on Cosgrove and Conor Grant at 2-0 for 18-goal top-scorer Cole - who was cheered off the pitch by sarcastic supporters - and Herbie Kane who started the game extremely well before fading.
After a long ball was half cleared, Grant played a nice throughball to Cosgrove who emphatically beat the goalkeeper one-on-one to end an 11-game wait to score. Cosgrove joined Bruce Dyer, Sam Winnall and Liam Kitching in netting play-off goals for the Reds at Oakwell.
Devaney should take credit for those effective changes but also some responsibility that that was his team’s first shot on target after 75 minutes in which they had looked impotent in front of goal, barely entering the Bolton box.
Suddenly at 2-1 they began to create chances, with Phillips denied twice by his former Accrington team-mate Nathan Baxter - the first save being sensational.
It was almost the opposite to the league meeting in March when Bolton were dominated for 60 minutes before roaring back in the final 30. But, sadly for the Reds, both games saw Randell Williams net in injury-time.
KILLER THIRD GOAL
Roberts had just made what looked a vital save to deny Kyle Dempsey one-on-one, following a fine pass by ex-Red Victor Adeboyejo.
But, seconds later, Randell Williams’s right-wing corner went over namesake Jordan, past Roberts and in.
Barnsley felt Roberts may have been impeded by Cameron Jerome on the goal line after a very similar incident saw a Ricardo Santos header ruled out at 2-0.
Both were debatable.
It was still poor defending and the Reds have a huge problem keeping out right wing corners to the front post in recent weeks.
