BARNSLEY 1 (Hallfredsson 7)
SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY 2 (Spurr 3, Johnson 21)

IT was a lead neither side probably deserved but the Owls held the half time advantage after an enthralling opening 45 minutes at Oakwell.

Reds boss Mark Robins made two changes as he looked to get back on track with victory over South Yorkshire rivals Sheffield Wednesday. Out went Bobby Hassell and Anderson de Silva while new signing Nathan Doyle and Adam Hammill were given the chance to shoot down the Owls and Oakwell.

The Reds got off to the worst possible start with just three minutes on the clock as Luke Steele and Carl Dickinson made a complete mess of dealing with Michael Gray's near post corner. The ball broke loose in the area and Tommy Spurr was on hand to prod it into an empty net. It was the Wednesday fans left cheering as the Reds shipped another poor goal from a set piece.

It was Wednesday keeper Lee Grant's turn to have a complete nightmare just four minutes later as he totally lost the flight of Emil Hallfredsson's swinging cross in the air and was left red faced as the ball ended up in the back of the net. You need a little bit of luck in derby matches and it was a complete fluke but the Reds were back on level terms.

It almost got even better for the Reds on 12 minutes as Dickinson's clearance beat the Owls defence to send Daniel Bogdanovic clear but the striker was crowded out of it and could only prod the ball at Grant.

Barnsley put the Owls under pressure again a minute later as Beevers was forced to foul Jon Macken on the edge of the box but Hammill's free kick smacked into the wall and Doyle could not keep his effort down on the rebound.

The Reds really should have been in front on 16 minutes when Darren Purse had a nightmare trying to deal with Doyle's clearance and his woeful header left Bogdanovic with a clear run on goal. The Maltese striker uncharacteristically could not find a finish and shot straight at Grant.

Another good chance came and went two minutes later as skipper Stephen Foster rose highest to meet Hammill's corner at the back post but his header cannoned into the deck and bounced agonisingly over the bar.

It was a rip-roaring first half and Tuday's pass put James O'Connor through on 20 minutes but Steele was in fine form to deflect his well-driven shot off the bar and away from danger.

Tudgay was the architect of Wednesday's second goal just moments later as his flick opened the Barnsley defence wide, wide open to put Jermaine Johnson clean through on goal. The winger did not need a second invitation to lash the ball past Steele.

It took 24 minutes but referee Andy Penn courted controversy when Purse blatantly felled Hallfredsson in the area as the Reds midfielder looked to trick his way into a shooting position. It was a clear trip but referee Penn gave nothing. If it wasn't a penalty then why wasn't Hallfredsson booked for diving?

It was a typical blood and thunder local derby and Doyle again tested his shooting boots on 32 minutes as he volleyed high over the bar from the edge of the box. Ryan Shotton picked up the first caution of the afternoon 35 minutes when he was late in on Gray on the touchline.

Barnsley went close to a deserved equaliser on 38 minutes when Foster again rose highest to head a Hammill corner goalward but Beevers was in the right place to head off the line. Just about.

Steele was called to make a save in stoppage time as Johnson threatened to break clear before shooting low from 25 yards. It was a simple stop for the Reds number one.

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

SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY: Grant, Spurr, Buxton, Purse, Tudgay, Potter, Beevers, O'Connor, Johnson, Soares, Gray.
Subs: McAllister, Sodje, Esajas, Lekaj, Simek, Boden, Jameson.

REFEREE
Andy Penn (West Midlands)
ASSISTANT REFEREES
Simon Bennett (Staffordshire) and Lee Metcalfe (Lancashire)
FOURTH OFFICIAL
Paul Davison (Cleveland)

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