Barnsley 1-1 Sheff Wed: Match Report

26 October 2013 14:31
Barnsley 1-1 Sheff Wed: Match Report - view commentary, squad, and statistics of the game as it happened.


Honours even on derby day

The pressure remains firmly on Sheffield Wednesday boss Dave Jones as his side are still without a win in the Sky Bet Championship after a 1-1 draw at South Yorkshire rivals Barnsley.


It looked like a long afternoon could be on the cards for the Owls after a dire showing in the opening hour saw them trailing to Marcus Pedersen's opener, but striker Matty Fryatt signed off his loan stint from Hull by earning a point with a fine finish.


In the end, Wednesday may think they could have snatched all three points after Michail Antonio spurned a fine chance to win it - but Jones is still feeling the heat as he was subjected to chants of 'you don't know what you're doing' by an angry Wednesday following upset at their poor display.


For Barnsley the draw will also be seen as two points dropped after their dominance for the first 60 minutes should have yielded a greater advantage than one goal.


Still, the point makes it three games unbeaten at home and after a poor start to the campaign there are green shoots of recovery emerging for David Flitcroft's men.


Indeed, having beaten Middlesbrough at Oakwell last week, the hosts were further roused by the rivalry with their neighbours from up the A61 and they had been well on top by the time they surged into a 16th minute lead.


Wednesday carelessly gave the ball away in the final third to Paddy McCourt, who fed Pedersen on the edge of the area.


The striker fired a thunderous effort into the post, but after receiving the rebound back from David Fox, he struck a superb volley into the top corner from 16 yards, with Chris Kirkland having no chance.


Going behind stirred Jones' men into action, though, as they came into the game, but they were repeatedly hamstrung by their inability to keep the ball.


For all Wednesday's huffing and puffing, it was the Reds that almost doubled their lead shortly before the break as they again outfought their opponents in possession and McCourt embarked on a mazy run into the area which ended him firing a shot across the face of goal.


Barnsley were rampant after the restart and should have doubled the lead, but David Perkins was unable to control his shot when in a fine position while McCourt continued to look a threat.


Less than 10 minutes after deriding Jones for a substitution, those supporters were cheering an equaliser as Wednesday got themselves back into the game.


After Jack Butland had denied Atdhe Nuhiu with a smart save, the resulting corner was cleared and pumped back into the box, where Fryatt smashed a fierce effort home.


It had become a totally different game and Barnsley, so dominant and in control for the opening 60 minutes, were then reliant on Jack Butland to keep them on level terms when he kept out Antonio's shot from close range with his feet, with the on-loan goalkeeper then relieved to see Fryatt sky the rebound.


Barnsley managed to weather the storm, although Wednesday looked more likely in the final 15 minutes with Nuhiu heading wide.


However, it ended all-square as the Owls notched up their eighth draw of the season and fourth 1-1 in a row to leave question marks still hanging over Jones' future.


Source: PA