SEASON REVIEW: 2008/2009 - APRIL / MAY
APRIL 2009 was arguably the biggest month in the Reds recent history as Championship safety hung in the balance.
The Reds had three vital points in their grasp when Jamal Campbell-Ryce headed them into the lead against Nottingham Forest. Campbell-Ryce had a great chance to make it two from the spot but his missed penalty and Rob Earnshaw's late leveller meant another two home points went begging.
The Reds were at Sheffield United on April 7. The game was overshadowed by Chris Morgan's shocking elbow on Iain Hume six months before but the Reds kept their emotions in check to put up a brave fight against the promotion chasing Blades. Barnsley's resistance was broken on 81 minutes when John-Joe O'Toole netted. Arturo Lupoli grabbed a second for the Blades after the multi-ball system mysteriously disappeared to slow the game down.Campbell-Ryce missed from the spot and, although Daniel Bogdanovic grabbed one back, the Reds just did not have enough to get a deserved point.
Barnsley again had a vital win stolen from them at the death at Vicarage Road on April 11 after Jon Macken had put them in front against a poor Watford. Heinz Muller's clanger in stoppage time gifted the Hornets a point.
Easter Monday saw Swansea City swagger into Oakwell as they looked to continue their promotion charge. Ashley Williams put them one up inside two minutes; Jordi Gomez doubled that in the first half and then a real howler from Muller gifted Jason Scotland a third. Bogdanovic's penalty late in the game was not enough.
Barnsley needed to be shaken up and Reds boss Simon Davey did that at Reading the following weekend dropping Muller and Campbell-Ryce. In came Luke Steele and Hugo Colace and the Reds ground out a priceless point at the Madejski Stadium.
The Reds dropped another two points three days later after Bogdanovic had put them into the lead against Coventry City. A very, very controversial late penalty handed the home side a share of the spoils.
Championship safety was again in the Reds grasp when Wolves came to town on April 25. Again the Reds went in front, this time through Macken, but yet again a late leveller gave the visitors a point.
In the end it all came down to the final day on the first Sunday in May. The Reds went to Plymouth looking for a point while Norwich City travelled to relegated Charlton. Barnsley did the business as they came back from a goal down and Adam Hammill and Jamal Campbell-Ryce sparked a party on the South Coast as Championship safety was secured.
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