Barnsley 1-1 Burnley: Match Report

27 November 2012 22:01
Barnsley 1-1 Burnley: Match Report - view commentary, squad, and statistics of the game as it happened.


Tykes' run continues after draw

Barnsley's winless run in the npower Championship shows no sign of ending, but they did at least show spirit in battling back for a point in a 1-1 draw against Burnley at Oakwell.

It looked like being another evening to forget for the hosts after Charlie Austin's fourth-minute header put the Tykes on their way to a fourth successive home defeat.

But, despite a poor first-half showing, Keith Hill's men somehow went in at half-time on level terms when Marcus Tudgay also headed home from 12 yards shortly before the break.

However, the draw made it eight games without a win and unless something changes quickly a relegation battle seems a certainty in the second half of the campaign.

For Burnley, their goal signalled the end of a three-game scoring drought for hot-shot Austin, who took his tally to 21 for season, and they could have been celebrating all three points but Danny Ings' early second-half effort hit the post.

As it was it ended all square and they remain in mid-table.

The Reds were desperate to end their barren run and boss Keith Hill made three changes to his side with Stephen Foster, Akos Buzskay and Reuben Noble-Lazarus handed starts.

Burnley were fresh from an impressive 1-0 win at Hull on Saturday, but they were unable to call on matchwinner Dean Marney, who was banned, and Sean Dyche made a further two changes, recalling Kieran Trippier and Marvyn Bartley.

And it was Bartley that almost made an immediate impact when his goalbound effort from Ross Wallace's cross was deflected just the wrong side of the post.

But there was no reprieve for Barnsley from the resulting corner as that man Austin stole in front of his marker and powered a header home from 10 yards to end his mini-drought.

Both of the goals in the Reds' 2-0 defeat against Cardiff on Saturday came from set-pieces and the manner of the defending will have done little to lighten Hill's mood.

But then out of nothing, Barnsley hauled themselves level in the 37th minute. The ball fell to Scott Golbourne on the left and he whipped in a delicious cross for Tudgay to head home, leaving the sprawling Lee Grant helpless.

Any hopes that Barnsley had of continuing their momentum after the break were misplaced as it was Burnley who began on the front foot and twice went close to regaining the lead.

First Wallace curled a 20-yard free-kick that was well saved by Luke Steele and then five minutes later Steele was beaten by Ings, who had come on as a half-time substitute, but the right-hand post came to Barnsley's rescue from the drilled 20-yard effort.

The hosts weathered the storm and grew back into the game with talismanic striker Craig Davies, who had been unusually quiet, sending an effort from distance just wide and Akos Buzsaky testing Grant from a similar range.

But they could not rally any further and the game petered out to a tame draw that did little to help Barnsley's plight.

Source: PA