SWANSEA CITY 3 (Williams 23, Kuqi 29, Pratley 72)
BARNSLEY 1 (Moore 35)
BARNSLEY gave it a good go at the Liberty Stadium but it was play off hopefuls Swansea City who came away with all three points.
After a nightmare start to the season, Reds boss Mark Robins had worked miracles to secure Championship football again with three matches to spare. Barnsley went into the game at the Liberty Stadium safe for another season yet reflecting on what might have been after flirting with the top six throughout the second half of the campaign. All that was left to do was play out the season is style, kicking off with a sun-drenched encounter with Swansea, who had the weight of a stuttering play off push laying heavy on their shoulders.
Reds boss Robins made changes to the side that drew with Derby County last time out as Darren Moore, Martin Devaney, Iain Hume and Andy Gray returned to the starting eleven. Out went Bobby Hassell, Filipe Teixeira, Daniel Bogdanovic and Jon Macken. Youngsters Reuben Noble-Lazarus and Jamil Adam were named on the bench. Swansea included former Barnsley defender Garry Monk in their starting eleven as a handful of devoted and noisy Barnsley supporters basked in the glorious South Wales sunshine.
Luke Steele had a moment to forget on four minutes as Albert Serran's long hopeful ball over the top of the Barnsley defence looked simple for the keeper to clear but he took a wild swing at the ball as Shefki Kuqi approached to give the striker the easiest of tap ins with an empty net to aim for. Or so you would think as Kuqi produced one of the most shocking misses ever seen as he hit his shot miles wide of the open goal. It may have been a horror moment for Steele but it was even worse for the embarrassed Swans striker.
The worst miss ever? Probably.
The Reds pressed forward and Monk's needlessly conceded corner on nine minutes gave the visitors the chance to put Swansea under pressure. Hume's delivery was dangerous but Ryan Shotton could not direct his header goalward under pressure.
Gray picked up a booking two minutes later after moving the ball back for Swansea to take a free kick from the right position on the field. The Swans players and crowd didn't like it and referee David Phillips was quick to brandish a yellow card.
A good run by Devaney split Swansea City open on 20 minutes as Gray nipped in to beat the offside flag but the pass was always running away from goal and the Reds striker could not nick it far enough around Dorus de Vries to fashion a chance. At the other end Darren Pratley smacked one straight at Steele seconds later as the Swans broke quickly.
Swansea were in front on 23 minutes as the Reds struggled to deal with David Cotterill's corner. Steele did magnificently well to parry away Darren Pratley's header but Ashley Williams was on hand to rifle the loose ball into the roof of the net.
The Reds should have had a penalty up the other end just two minutes later as Adam Hammill tricked his way past two challenges only to have his ankles clipped by Leon Britton. The referee amazingly - but perhaps unsurprisingly - gave nothing.
Swansea pushed on and Steele had to save well from Kuqi on 28 minutes before the striker finally got his goal seconds later as he dove unchallenged to meet Serran's low cross and diverted a bouncing header into the back of the Reds net.
The Reds never let their heads drop and pulled one back on 35 minutes. It all came from an outstanding Hume corner from the left and Moore rose majestically at the back post to power a header past de Vries.
Swansea went close to a third on 40 minutes as Cedric van der Gun managed to break the shackles of Luke Potter to cross from the right and Cotterill rose unchallenged but planted his header high over the bar.
Pratley then should have seen a straight red card a minute later for a crude challenge on Nathan Doyle on the touchline. The ridiculous lunge earned Pratley a yellow, when it could have been more not only for the challenge but for the push on Shotton right in front of the referee in a heated exchange afterwards.
Steele saved the Reds on 43 minutes as Kuqi somehow managed to evade Stephen Foster to meet Britton's cross but the Barnsley keeper had his angles spot on to make a fine save.
It was Swansea's turn to panic on 44 minutes as Hume's deep free kick caused absolute chaos in the penalty area. Hammill planted the ball back into the six yard box and both Foster and Gray had half chances before Hugo Colace shot straight at de Vries from close range. It was a big chance for the Argentinean.
Barnsley were battling a determined Swans side as well as some debateable refereeing decisions as another went against the Reds in stoppage time as Hammill was checked right on the edge of the box. Referee Phillips waved play on much to the annoyance of the Reds bench.
It was an end to end start to the second half as Hammill dragged one wide within seconds of the restart while Cotterill smashed a shot into Shotton moments later at the other end.
Devaney finally got in behind Swansea on 50 minutes as Hammill's pass dropped behind Williams but an offside flag denied the Reds winger a strike at goal. Youngster Adam was given his chance to impress on 53 minutes as he replaced Hume.
Cotterill squeezed a shot away on 54 minutes after positive play in the Barnsley area before Steele had to be at his very, very best five minutes later to turn van der Gun's drive around the post.
Colace then put one over the top on the hour mark before the Reds were denied a clear, clear penalty as Monk barged Foster to the ground as the pair went for Shotton's long throw. It was a blatant foul but it went unpunished by referee Phillips although it left Foster needing treatment.
Foster was then lucky to escape on 65 minutes after his crunching challenge left Pratley in a heap on the edge of the penalty area.
Swans skipper Monk was booked on 71 minutes for a trip on Adam before Swansea wrapped the game up moments later as Andrea Orlandi broke well to the byline to cross and Pratley, who arguably should not have been on the pitch, confidently placed the ball past Steele and into the top corner.
Devaney halted van der Gun's break on 75 minutes to pick up a booking before substitute Lee trundle brought a save from Steele six minutes later.
SWANSEA CITY: de Vries, Williams, Britton, Pratley, van der Gun, Monk, Bessone, Serran, Gower (Orlandi 70), Kuqi (Trundle 75), Cotterill (Butler 88).
Subs: Cornell, Pintado, Allen, Edgar.
BARNSLEY: Steele, Shotton, Foster, Moore, Potter, Devaney (Noble-Lazarus 80), Colace, Doyle (Hassell 68), Hammill, Hume (Adam 53), Gray.
Subs: Preece, Macken, Butterfield, Thompson.
REFEREE
David Phillips (Sussex)
ASSISTANT REFEREES
Andrew Bennett (Devon) Lee Swaby (Devon)
FOURTH OFFICIAL
Andy Davies (Hampshire)
Attendance - 15,139
Match Report by Rob Knowles
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©WWW.BARNSLEYFC.CO.UK 2010 RNK
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