Yeovil vs Barnsley
Saturday 29th March 2014
Kick-off 3.00pm
The Reds are now off the bottom after beating Reading 3-1 away on Tuesday and Saturday’s game is viewed by some to be one of the season’s most important.
Going into this weekend’s game, all three teams in the relegation zone are level on 32 points. As Yeovil are one of the sides stuck on 32 points, Saturday could potentially see the Reds get the points they need to escape the relegation zone.
Depending on results elsewhere, three points for Danny Wilson’s side could make the bottom of the Championship table even tighter.
Record
This will be only the 4th time that this fixture has been played in the Football League.
Barnsley wins over Yeovil- 1
Yeovil wins over Barnsley- 1
Draws- 1
Memory Lane
Barnsley met Yeovil at Oakwell back in December as the two sides played out a 1-1 draw. By that time, both sides had already slipped to the foot of the Championship.
Up to now, that situation has only varied slightly as three points for either team on Saturday will surely see them finish on top.
The Red’s last victory over Yeovil also happened to be the first time that these two sides had ever met, Barnsley won it 1-0 back in 2005.
The circumstances for that day were quite different however as back then this was a League One fixture that both sides would have been desperate to win.
Players to watch
There will be something of a sub plot to Saturday’s game with brothers on opposing sides. Barnsley captain Stephen Dawson will be hoping to help his team to another win after his goal during the week, but on the opposing side, his brother Kevin will be trying his best to ruin Barnsley’s hopes of survival.
Stephen Dawson signed for Barnsley in 2012 after enjoying a successful spell with Leyton Orient. Before his time with Orient, Dawson had been making his name in the lower divisions of the Football League as he spent time with Mansfield Town and Bury.
Having now amassed more than 50 appearances for Barnsley and being named as club captain, Dawson has become a major part of Danny Wilson’s side and his contribution shouldn’t be overlooked.
In the opposite dressing room, brother Kevin has already cemented his place in Yeovil’s squad despite still only being 23 years old.
Having taken a different route to his brother, Kevin started out in Ireland playing for Sporting Fingal. Despite not scoring for Fingal, Dawson earned himself a move to Shelbourne FC for their 2011 First Division season.
It was at Shelbourne that Dawson started to turn heads and upon his contract ending in Ireland, he made the switch to Yeovil in the 2013 January transfer window.
Team News
Danny Wilson’s side will be without Peter Ramage, Martin Cranie and Jim O’Brien. However, Jack Hunt and Ryan McLaughlin are hopeful of making a return.
Yeovil’s Joel Grant will be missing from the action as he continues to be out due to a chest injury and there are question marks over Ruben Palazuelos as his hamstring problem could keep him out also.
League Form
Barnsley
W - (A) Reading 3-1
L- (H) Bournemouth 1-0
L-(A) Watford 3-0
L- (H) Leicester 3-0
W- (H) Forest 1-0
Yeovil
D- (A) Leicester 1-1
D- (H) Bolton 2-2
D- (A) Wigan 3-3
L- (A) QPR 3-0
L- (A) Ipswich 1-0
Betting
Barnsley win: 13/5
Yeovil win: 21/20
Draw: 12/5
First goal scorer:
Dale Jennings: 8/1
Ishmael Miller: 5/1
Officials
Referee- Roger East
Assistant Referees- Simon Beck & Mark Scholes
Fourth Official- Tim Robinson
