BARNSLEY 0
SWANSEA CITY 0

MARK Robins' fledgling Barnsley revival is all about building blocks and a point against Swansea City at Oakwell was just another step in the right direction.

Reds manager Robins made his bow at Oakwell on the back of a fine victory against Derby County in midweek. The win at Pride Park came at a cost though as Emil Hallfredsson and Bobby Hassell missed today's clash with Swansea City due to injury. In came new arrival Julian Gray and Anderson de Silva. New boy Nathan Doyle was on the bench.

Swansea made three changes, including a recall for ex-Reds defender and Swans skipper Garry Monk.

New boss Robins received a rapturous reception from the Oakwell faithful prior to kick off as he led his side into action at home for the first time buoyed by Tuesday's success.

There were worrying moments early on as Angel Rangel swung in a dangerous free kick from the right hand touchline that glanced off Darren Moore and a foot or so wide of the far post. A miss-placed pass by Jacob Butterfield gave Mark Gower a great chance on 12 minutes but the Swansea midfielder hammered his shot high over the bar with only David Preece to beat.

At the other end Moore glanced Iain Hume's corner wide of the target under pressure a minute later as the Reds threatened the Swans goal. Swansea cut through the Reds on 14 minutes as Andrea Orlandi's vision sent Gorka Pintado clear but Preece was quickly off his line to make a very smart save.

Hume was left bloodied and extremely angry after clashing with Ashley Williams' on 16 minutes. Referee Rob Shoebridge - amazingly - gave the free kick the other way as Hume left the field for stitches in a nasty looking eye wound following a collision with Williams' elbow. Shoebridge's claim to fame as a referee came earlier this season when he failed to give that Crystal Palace goal at Bristol City.

Barnsley were down to ten and should have gone in front on 18 minutes when Rob Kozluk's cross found Stephen Foster in the area but the Reds' skipper swung and missed the ball from 12 yards. Hammill then picked up a booking moments for a trip on Rangel.

Stitched up, Hume returned to the field a couple of minutes later. Hume was in the thick of it on 21 minutes as his corner caused chaos in the Swans area but Hammill just could not get his head onto the ball to turn it into the net.

The home support were riled by a string of debatable decisions, not least when Butterfield and Hugo Colace dispossessed Leon Britton deep in the Swans half as the Reds pressed on. From the free kick Pintado smashed one high over the bar as he burst towards the area.

The officials were in the spotlight again on 26 minutes as Foster crashed to the ground under Pintado's challenge as the pair went for Butterfield's cross. The referee, probably rightly gave nothing. Barnsley were in behind Swansea moments later as Andy Gray burst clear but the striker was denied a goal by Monk's outstanding challenge.

Britton was on the end of a flowing Swansea passing move on 35 minutes as the Swans knocked it around well but the midfielder saw his shot cannon off Moore and high over the bar. Barnsley were caught on the counter on 38 minutes as livewire Nathan Dyer picked the right pass to put Cedric Van der Gun through but the winger blazed well wide under pressure from Foster.

It was route one and almost one nil for Barnsley on 40 minutes as Foster's huge clearance had Swansea backpeddling. Moore rose highest to beat Dorus De Vries to the ball but his backward header dropped just wide of the post with the goal gaping.

Swansea then almost grabbed the lead a minute later when Orlandi's corner flew through the six yard box but Van der Gun could not put it in at the back post.

Barnsley were an inch away from the lead in stoppage time as Butterfield dragged a shot wide of the mark from 22 yards but neither Gray nor Hume could turn the low ball goalward inside the six-yard box.

The Reds should have been behind just three minutes after the restart when Pintado's wonderfully disguised pass put Dyer clean through on goal but Preece did magnificently well to deny the striker and smother away the follow up. Alan Tate smashed one high over the bar as the Reds struggled to get back into position.

Gower again did well on 52 minutes as his deep corner put the Reds under pressure but Monk could only head wide as he battled with Moore. Gower then showed his unsavoury side as he dove under the lightest of challenges in a bid to win a penalty. The referee rightly gave nothing although Gower received an earful from Moore for his efforts. Swansea were piling on the pressure but the Reds defence were holding firm. Orlandi snatched one high over the bar on 54 minutes.

Barnsley's big chance came on 62 minutes as Anderson found the right pass to send Hume clear down the right channel but the striker smashed his shot high over the bar with Gray screaming for a cut back on the penalty spot.

The Reds finally found their feet in the second half on 75 minutes as Hume's cross caused problems and Swansea allowed Julian Gray to break into the area but his low shot smacked into the advertising boards.

Referee Shoebridge again dumbfounded the Oakwell faithful with his decision to show a yellow card to substitute Doyle as he challenged for a dropping ball with Orlandi. Both players were equally committed but that didn't seem to matter as Doyle was punished for catching the Swansea midfielder a little late.

Shoebridge then failed to show a yellow to Dyer moments later after the Swansea star had hauled back Doyle to stop the Reds loanee racing to the ball. Hume smacked the free kick high over the bar.

Craig Beattie almost made an instant impact as a sub in the last minute of normal time as he found a yard in the area but blazed wide of the mark under pressure from Kozluk and Foster.

BARNSLEY: Preece, Kozluk, Moore, Foster, J. Gray, Anderson, Colace, Butterfield (Doyle 59), Hammill (Devaney 90), Hume, A. Gray.
Subs: Rusling, Macken, Thompson, Sodje, Heslop.

SWANSEA CITY: De Vries, Williams, Tate, Britton, Dyer, Orlandi, Monk, Pintado (Beattie 86), Rangel, Gower (Bodde 68), Van Der Gun (Butler 76).
Subs: Cornell, Trundle, Lopez, Richards.

REFEREE
Rob Shoebridge (Derbyshire)
ASSISTANT REFEREE
Paul Curry (Northumberland) and Nicholas Greenhalgh (Lancashire)
FOURTH OFFICIAL
Kevin Mattocks (Lancashire)

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