LIVE FROM OAKWELL
BARNSLEY 2 (Bogdanovic 12, 65 P)
NOTTINGHAM FOREST 1 (Blackstock 78)
DANIEL Bogdanovic's double capped a fine battling Barnsley performance to heap more away day misery on Nottingham Forest.
Barnsley manager Mark Robins made two changes to his side as he looked to get back to winning ways against Forest at Oakwell. Back came Luke Steele in goal after suspension while Luke Potter got the nod at left back to replace injured loan star Carl Dickinson. O'Neil Thompson was drafted onto the bench.
It was a tight and tense opening to the game with neither side wrestling any sort of advantage. Chris Cohen fired the first real shot in anger on nine minutes and he volleyed one well, well wide from the edge of the area. It was never going to trouble Steele's goal.
Barnsley grabbed the opening goal on 12 minutes and it was straight off the Oakwell training ground as Nathan Doyle's deep free kick was knocked back by Stephen Foster and Daniel Bogdanovic arrived late to loop an audacious header over Lee Camp and into the back of the net.
Camp was in magnificent form on 16 minutes as he pulled a wonder save right out of the top drawer to turn away Adam Hammill's curler. Hammill's shot looked destined for the top corner before Camp threw himself across goal to claw the ball away.
Steele was almost caught out a minute later as he raced out to challenge Dele Adebola as Cohen's cross broke free but the ball bounced a foot or so wide of the post. It was a warning and a lucky escape for the Reds number one.
The game was balanced on a knife edge but was played hard and fair but referee Kevin Friend signalled his intentions early by flashing a needless yellow card at Hammill after the winger had tripped Rob Earnshaw on half way. Hopefully it was not going to be one of those nights from the Leicestershire official.
Barnsley had another let off on 20 minutes as Adebola chipped one wide of the far post from 25 yards after a mix up between Foster and Ryan Shotton. Guy Moussi then fired well, well wide of the mark on 23 minutes after the Reds had struggled to deal with Radoslaw Majewski's free kick after Earnshaw had hit the deck very easily again.
Hammill's evening was over on 25 minutes as he limped out of the action to be replaced by Emil Hallfredsson.
Forest pressed and pressured but the Reds stood firm. There was a worry on 33 minutes as Earnshaw found half a yard but Bobby Hassell was quickly across to slam the door shut.
Barnsley should have been further in front on 43 minutes as Forest again made a complete mess of dealing with a long free kick into the area. This time Hassell's pass fell for Hugo Colace but the midfielder could not find the corner with his effort. Filipe Teixeira then should have done better in stoppage time as he found a yard of space inside the area but curled a shot well wide.
The Reds could have been two up inside five minutes of the restart as Colace almost forced Hallfredsson's corner over the line. Hassell put the ball back into the danger area for Foster to battle for and the loose ball fell nicely for Bogdanovic but the striker could not apply a finish from close range.
Barnsley almost got in again on 53 minutes when Hallfredsson burst through the Forest midfield before playing in Jon Macken but Camp was quickly out to smother.
Majewski had Steele scrambling seconds later as he let fly from the edge of the box and his right-footer smacked the upright before bouncing wide. It was a narrow escape. Cohen then volleyed well wide from the edge of the box on 57 minutes as the game swung from one end to the other.
Forest raged as a couple of contentious decisions went against them but they still could not find a way through a valiant Barnsley rearguard. Majewski again let fly from distance just after the hour mark but his shot flew well wide of the target.
Macken then fought a seemingly impossible battle against Kelvin Wilson and James Perch on 63 minutes down the right wing before breaking through into the area but his cross smacked into the last defender.
Teixeira then refused to give in seconds later and his tenacity opened up the Forest defence to create the second. The winger burst into the box only to have his run checked by Earnshaw's clumsy trip. Bogdanovic strode up confidently and there was really only ever going to be one outcome as his penalty flew past Camp and into the back of the net.
Forest were on the verge of losing their cool and Majewski was lucky to escape with just a booking after tripping Teixeira before swinging out at the Reds winger. Teixeira got his own back on 71 minutes to pick up a booking of his own.
Steele produced a fine save on 75 minutes to parry Majewski's well-struck shot away from goal. The Reds keeper again had to save seconds later as Cohen let fly but was again in the right place to make a comfortable stop.
Steele was again on the top of his game on 78 minutes as he reacted brilliantly to deny Dexter Blackstock from point blank range after the Forest sub was given a free header from Majewski's cross. Blackstock reacted quickest to prod the loose ball over the line.
It was the Reds turn to feel aggrieved as substitute Iain Hume was bundled to the ground on half way on 85 minutes and picked up a booking for protesting. Forest then could have levelled it on 86 minutes as Blackstock again rose highest in the area to meet Nathan Tyson's cross but planted his header well wide of the target.
Barnsley they felt equally hard done again by on 90 minutes as Cohen ducked his head into Colace's challenge and ended up with a free kick. The Reds had few complaints about the referee though seconds later as Earnshaw barged into Steele before prodding the loose ball into an unguarded net only to have the goal ruled out for a foul.
BARNSLEY: Steele, Hassell, Foster, Shotton, Potter, Teixeira, Colace, Doyle, Hammill (Hallfredsson 25), Macken, Bogdanovic (Hume 73).
Subs: Preece, Anderson, Butterfield, Gray, Thompson.
NOTTINGHAM FOREST: Camp, Perch, Morgan, Wilson, Adebola (Blackstock 73), Earnshaw, Cohen, Gunter, Moussi (Anderson 82), Boyd (Tyson 67), Majewski.
Subs: Chambers, Garner, McGoldrick, Smith.
REFEREE
Kevin Friend (Leicestershire)
ASSISTANT REFEREES
Nigel Bannister (East Yorkshire) and Gary Stott (Manchester)
FOURTH OFFICIAL
Anthony Taylor (Cheshire)
Match Report by Rob Knowles.
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