BARNSLEY 0
BRISTOL CITY 2 (Maynard 27, Sno 42)

BARNSLEY really should have been four goals to the good before being hit by a first half suckerpunch by a well organised Bristol City side.

Reds boss Mark Robins again changed things around in a bid to bounce back from Tuesday's last-gasp disappointment at Nottingham Forest. In came Jamal Campbell-Ryce and Andy Gray with Anderson de Silva and Jon Macken dropping to the bench. Bristol City named ex-Reds loan star Lewin Nyatanga in the heart of their defence.

It was a scrappy opening but things almost went Barnsley's way on eleven minutes when Ryan Shotton's free kick skipped through off the went surface to Stephen Foster and the Reds skipper brought a fine diving save from Dean Gerken.

Gerken really earned his money just seconds later as he somehow managed to turn Emil Hallfredsson's 30-yard thunderbolt against the underside of the cross bar. Iain Hume could not put the rebound into the back of the net.

Barnsley went even closer on 16 minutes when Adam Hammill skipped past Jamie McAllister before pinging a fine cross to the back post that left Gerken stranded but Campbell-Ryce put his deflected shot into the turf and over the bar. The Reds could and should have been in front from Hume's corner seconds later as Shotton lost his marker to attack the ball 12 yards out the defender somehow missed his free header.

Hallfredsson again put his boot through the ball on 20 minutes after cutting in towards the edge of the box. This time his shot flew well wide of Gerken's goal.

Barnsley had a big shout for a penalty waved away on 26 minutes when Nyatanga made a complete mess of clearing Shotton's low cross and looked to handle the ball on the ground. Referee Andy Haines gave nothing.

The Reds, who had battered Bristol City for the opening 27 minutes, were suddenly behind as both Foster and Darren Moore made a complete mess of clearing Gerken's long punt forward and Nicky Maynard was able to nip in and plant a low shot past Luke Steele.

Barnsley were almost caught out again five minutes later when McAllister's free kick almost fell to Marvin Elliott in the area but the midfielder could not get enough on his header to turn the ball goalward.

Things went from bad to worse for the Reds on 35 minutes when McAllister hacked straight through Hammill leaving the winger limping badly. Louis Carey almost put City two up just moments later as he let fly from 30 yards but his curling shot was never going to creep in at the far post although Steele was more than a little worried.

The Reds again struggled to deal with City's pace in attack on 42 minutes when Danny Haines nipped down the right hand side and away from Carl Dickinson before crossing low into the middle. The ball dropped nicely for Evander Sno and the midfielder didn't really need a second invitation to smack it back past Steele and into the bottom corner.

BARNSLEY: Steele, Shotton, Foster, Moore, Dickinson, Campbell-Ryce, Colace, Hallfredsson, Hammill, A. Gray, Hume.
Subs: Preece, Bogdanovic, Anderson, Butterfield, Kozluk, Macken, Thompson.

BRISTOL CITY: Gerken, Orr (Skuse 19), McAllister, McCombe, Carey, Elliott, Johnson, Maynard, Sno, Haynes, Nyatanga.
Subs: Hartley, Clarkson, Williams, Sproule, Saborio, Basso.

Referee
Andy Haines (Tyne & Weir)
Assistant Referees
Russell Fletcher (Derbyshire) and Tony Harrington (Cleveland)
Fourth Official
Ryan Johnson (Manchester)

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