Reds 0
Huddersfield 1 (Beckford 38)
The Yorkshire Derby was settled by a single goal at Oakwell - condemning the Reds to their fourth defeat on the bounce. Barnsley’s fairly promising first-half display fizzled out by the second period as the Reds were found wanting in front of goal and failed to test Smithies in the second half at all.
Huddersfield came out of the traps the quicker of the two sides and Steele had to be alert to punch away Church’s early effort after the striker thumped at goal through a sea of bodies.
The Reds hit back on ten minutes after Harewood showed phenomenal strength to surge down the left-hand channel, his lay-off found Cywka and Pole chipped towards Dawson but Etuhu got in his way at the far stick.
Alex Smithies got lucky after handling the ball outside the box – he was shown a yellow card. From the resulting free-kick Mellis whipped in a great ball that Hunt beat Foster to.
With 16 minutes played another great Mellis delivery found the head of Harewood but his powerful, downward header flashed wide of Smithies’ right-hand post.
Some neat build-up play from Mellis, Dawson and Etuhu eventually saw Harewood pick up possession and strike a vicious effort at goal, but fortunately for Smithies it was straight at him on 24 minutes.
Harewood curled in a cross that should have had a knife and fork with it but no Reds player was on hand for a tap in. Barnsley were by now well in control after Huddersfield’s lively first five minutes.
After all of Barnsley’s play, Huddersfield took the lead. Church took Foster on down the left and put in a perfect cross for Jermaine Beckford who nodded home from six yards. It was the simplest of goals that got Huddersfield out of jail after the Reds’ dominance.
Tomasz Cywka took aim on 40 minutes after picking up possession on the left-hand corner of the box but drilled high and over the crossbar.
Half time
After the break Barnsley started the stronger of the two sides and Stones saw Smithies parry his cross into the path of Dawson but the Irishman then saw his shot blocked 15 yards out.
When Golbourne appeared to be able to race into the box, Church clipped the full-back’s heels and saw a booking for his foul.
Two minutes past the hour Lee Novak hunted down a loose ball and cut inside before unleashing a curling effort towards the far corner – with the Huddersfield fans up on their feet, Steele somehow tipped his strike away with a world class save.
The lift Barnsley needed came on 62 minutes as Mido came on to make his first Reds appearance. Noble-Lazarus and O’Brien also came on for the Reds but it was Huddersfield who pressed for a second when Ward whipped in a decent cross but nobody was on hand to turn home.
Noble-Lazarus was looking lively against his hometown club and curled an effort just over on 70 minutes before setting up O’Brien moments later. However O’Brien, making his first home appearance of the season, chested the ball to far forward before he had time to fire in.
Steele made another two quality saves to keep his side in it but his striker’s couldn’t do him justice as again the Reds failed to find the net.
Reds: Steele, Stones, Golbourne, Foster, Wiseman, Dawson (Dawson 69), Cywka (O'Brien 68), Mellis, Etuhu (Mido 64), Cranie, Harewood.
Subs: Alnwick, Hassell, McNulty, Dagnall.
Huddersfield: Smithies, Dixon, Clarke, Scannell, Clayton, Novak (Lee 86), Church, Beckford (Ward 59), Southern, Hunt, Lynch.
Subs: Bennett, Woods, Norwood, Gerrard, Hammill.
Referee: Mark Haywood
Attendance: 12, 130 (3,967 away)
