Well, what is there to say about this one. A 0 – 0 draw at home to struggling Cheltenham as the reds begin to stutter towards what now looks likely to be a very difficult task in the play offs.
Without playing particularly well, it was a game that the reds should have comfortably won. They certainly had enough shots on goal and enough of the ball but they just aren’t clinical enough at the moment.
Cole, who was again a substitute, missed the best chance of the game and one he would have certainly put away a few months ago. The goals have dried up for Cole at the moment who I am sure will come back with another purple patch sooner rather than later.
Collins has been trying to freshen his team up in the last few games with many players looking like they were badly in need of a rest. The problem is that when he does this it potentially weakens the team far too much.
Substituting McAtee against Lincoln was greeted by a chorus of boos from the crowd and I think that is the reason he chose to keep him on in this one. But it should have been McAtee to make way in this one and not Cosgrove when he decided to introduce Cole. Nothing had gone for McAtee all day and Cosgrove had been the better of the two.
I also feel that he could have tried going to four at the back at some point in the second half and throw more attacking players on earlier and really go for the game but he never seems to want to deviate from a back three no matter what the situation is in games.
It is worrying form at the moment but we now have a break for two weeks so hopefully the players can come back refreshed and re-energised for the run in.
One positive to take from the game is that we recorded our first clean sheet since Oxford away in January and we did create enough chances to win but just couldn’t find the back of the net. For that reason I do think that it was harsh when the boos rang out around Oakwell at the final whistle. Is it any wonder our home form is so poor? Silence for 90 minutes followed by boos. We really have been a poor crowd this season other than the Derby and Bolton games.
Our next game is now Cambridge at home on Good Friday where nothing but a win will do if we are to keep alive our very faint automatic promotion hopes.
COYR
