The Super Reds beat promotion rivals Derby County 2 – 1 at Oakwell to blow the promotion race wide open. Two goals from Adam Phillips ensured that reds came from behind yet again to seal all three points.
Barnsley were the better side in a tight game and certainly showed more attacking intent with the visitors only really looking threatening from set pieces, and it was a set piece that saw them take the lead.
Former reds skipper Hourihane took the Derby corner in which they scored from but they had two bites of the cherry and reds hadn’t learnt their lesson from the first corner. Derby defender Bradley pulled away unmarked at the back post for both corners with Cadden managing to clear the ball off the line the first time but unable to the second.
It was a poor pass from Pines that led to Derby winning the corner. Pines, making his first start for the club, looked a colossus defensively but very shaky on the ball. Hopefully that will come in time but if not we have two defenders either side of him that are comfortable on the ball so if he is just a big defender in Darren Moore mould then I am more than happy with that as it is certainly what we have been lacking at times this season.
The back five just looked a lot better with three out and out centre backs in there and we also looked a lot better at right wing back both defensively and going forward with Williams back in his proper position in place of O’Keeffe or Cotter.
Phillips was the star of the show with another brace. A fine goal from outside the box for the equaliser and another header for the winner. He was known last season for his outside of the box thunderbolts but his new aerial presence is another useful string to his bow.
Phillips has been getting better and better, week in, week out. The goals and assists have started to flow and he has grown in confidence with them. His overall displays keep improving. He is more than just goals and assists. He contributes defensively and uses the ball well, all aspects of his game that he was struggling with early in the season.
I’d like to mention the gaffer who seems to have received a lot of unwarranted criticism this season at times. He seems to be improving tactically and with decision making in terms of substitutions and can now finally field his first choice eleven. Cadden, who had a good game in general, found it very tough in the latter stages of the game with the Derby right wing back doing him for pace at every opportunity. Collins made the wise decision to bring O’Keeffe on and move Williams to left wing back for his extra pace. A good tactical decision to see out the game and one that I don’t think he makes earlier in the season, perhaps due to a lack of options back then.
A word on the crowd also, who lets face it, have been very poor all season. I am part of the crowd myself so I also label that criticism in my direction. But on Saturday the crowd was fantastic from the first whistle to the very last, behind the team and singing throughout. More of that for the remainder of the season please.
Next up is a trip to Wycombe on Saturday which will be far from easy but hopefully we can come away from that one with three points ahead of another Oakwell six pointer against Bolton.
COYR
