BARNSLEY 0
CARDIFF CITY 1 (Whittingham 14)

BARNSLEY threw everything at Cardiff in the second half but could not find the goal that would have earned a share of the spoils at Oakwell.

Reds boss Simon Davey made two changes to the side that lost at Blackpool at the weekend with Jamal Campbell-Ryce and Kayode Odejayi coming into the starting eleven. Martin Devaney and Mounir El Haimour missed out. City had ex-Reds midfielder Stephen McPhail in their side as a damp Oakwell staged a rematch of last season's FA Cup Semi Final.

Campbell-Ryce almost had an instant impact on his return to the first team when he raced onto Odejayi's flick on two minutes but saw his low drive well blocked away by Roger Johnson. Campbell-Ryce then turned provider to give Brian Howard a chance to test his shooting boots two minutes later but the Reds skipper fired over the bar from 30 yards.

The Reds had a clear penalty waved away on seven minutes as Iain Hume looked to trick his way past Darren Purse in the area. The ball struck the City skipper clear on the arm but referee Graham Laws gave nothing and ignored Hume's passionate pleas.

Cardiff broke quickly and were only a yard away from taking the lead a minute later when Peter Whittingham curled one from the edge of the area and his effort flew past Steele but wide of the far post. It was the Reds turn to force the play just seconds later and Odejayi did well to hold off his man and turn to shoot but Johnson managed to smother his effort through to Tom Heaton.

Referee Laws then enraged the Reds further when he ignored a clear bodycheck on Campbell-Ryce by Ledley on eleven minutes. Laws amazingly gave City a throw in and was then quick to get his yellow card out when Campbell-Ryce protested.

Ross McCormack tested Steele from distance on 14 minutes when he let fly from a free kick after Hugo Colace has brought down Gavin Rae but the Reds keeper was quickly down to make a comfortable save.

City grabbed the lead just a minute later when Paul Parry's cross found Whittingham in acres of space in the area and the midfielder cut onto his left foot before planting an unstoppable shot past Steele and into the far corner.

Barnsley rallied and both Hume and Campbell-Ryce let fly from distance before Odejayi thought he had broken through the Cardiff defence on 19 minutes only to have his run onto Colace's pass checked by the assistant's flag.

Whittingham went close again on 25 minutes when he cut in menacingly from the right after Dennis Souza had been caught up field and let fly towards the top corner but his shot struck Rob Kozluk and dropped wide of the post with Steele wrong-footed. Great movement by Cardiff then gave Parry a chance on the penalty spot and the striker managed to get his shot away but Steele was down quickly to make a smart save.

Cardiff went even closer to a second on 32 minutes after Stephen Foster had scythed down Ledley on the far touchline. Whittingham's driven free kick was dangerous and Johnson saw his free header cannon back off the angle of post and bar as the Reds were caught out in the air. Purse pounced on the loose ball but could not force his low shot past Steele from six yards.

Again the Reds were caught napping from wide areas on 42 minutes when Ledley fired in a cross for Johnson to flick over from 12 yards. Although only the Captain is meant to be allowed to query decisions, Howard's comments to referee Laws earned the Reds skipper a booking two minutes later after he questioned another free kick that went the way of the visitors.

The second half was scrappy although McCormack ought to have been shown a yellow card for a late challenge on Foster on 52 minutes although referee Laws opted to lecture Souza for raising the question.

Campbell-Ryce tried to liven things up for the Reds on 59 minutes when he cut in from the left before crashing a shot against Johnson. Campbell-Ryce had a second bite of it from the rebound but again found the City defence in his way. Odejayi had another appeal for a penalty waved away as he was bundled out of the way of Foster's cross on 62 minutes as the Reds pilled on the pressure.

Kozluk was booked on 62 minutes after a trip on Kevin McNaughton and City almost made Barnsley pay from the free kick with Johnson flashing a free header high over the bar.

Howard was a whisker away from the leveller on 78 minutes with a curler from the edge of the area after the Cardiff defence had only half clearance Colace's corner. Howard's shot flew just wide.

Substitute Diego Leon had Oakwell on its feet on 80 minutes as he raced onto Foster's cross before bringing a smart save from Heaton but the flag was already up against the Spaniard. Foster sent over another fine pass seconds later for Odejayi to attack and the big striker planted his header past Heaton but agonisingly wide of the post.

Cardiff should have finished the game on 85 minutes when Ledley managed to get in behind Foster to cross but Jay Bothroyd could not find a finish at the near post.

BARNSLEY: Steele, Foster, Souza, Moore, Kozluk, Campbell-Ryce, Howard, Colace, Odejayi, Macken, Hume (Leon 73).
Subs: Muller, Hassell, Mostto, El Haimour.

CARDIFF CITY: Heaton, McNaughton, Comminges, Purse, Johnson, Rae, Ledley, McCormack (Bothroyd 70), Whittingham, Parry, McPhail.
Subs: Enckleman, Gyepes, E. Johnson, Morris.