LIVE FROM HOME PARK
PLYMOUTH ARGYLE 0
BARNSLEY 0
IT all ended level after an entertaining 90 minutes at Home Park although the Reds will travel back to South Yorkshire agonising over a succession of missed chances.
It was wet and wild at Home Park as the Reds looked to set the record straight after seeing November's match controversially halted just before the hour with Mark Robins side cruising at 4-1 up. It was a cruel blow for the visitors, who had totally dominated the match but the Reds made three changes following the weekend defeat against Doncaster with Emil Hallfredsson, Jon Macken and Daniel Bogdanovic all coming into the starting eleven. Out went Filipe Teixeira, Anderson and Andy Gray.
There were some extremely furrowed brows ahead of kick off as the Barnsley coaching staff inspected the pitch at Home Park. The playing surface at Plymouth has taken a battering this year and overnight rain meant it could be a treacherous evening under foot for both sets of players.
It was a double revenge mission for Robins' Reds as they looked to right the wrongs of last November's controversial game here at Home Park as well as erase the memory of February reverse up at Oakwell.
Plymouth handed a full debut to Onismor Bhasera at left back after receiving international clearance through for the Zimbabwean-born defender. There was no place in the starting eleven for ex-Red Rory Fallon while Chris Barker, another former Oakwell player, missed out through injury.
There were 162 brave Barnsley souls who had made the 300-plus mile trip back to Home Park.
It was a lively start by Argyle with Yannick Bolasie and Jamie Mackie testing Ryan Shotton and Stephen Foster early on. The Reds would have expected the home side to come out flying with their Championship status hanging by a thread.
Barnsley slowly got a foothold in the game - although that was easier said that done on a wretched pitch - and pushed Plymouth back. Luke Potter's throw on eight minutes almost handed Macken a clear sight of goal but the striker hit a difficult effort high over the bar from 16 yards.
The Reds went agonisingly close to the opening goal on 12 minutes as Adam Hammill's corner had Plymouth at sixes and sevens and allowed Shotton the chance to fire an audacious overhead kick against the underside of the bar and away. It was so, so close to the first goal.
Mackie had the home side's first real chance on 16 minutes as he battled away from Foster before shooting well, well wide from distance. The Home Park pitch almost caught out Luke Steele seconds later as he raced to clear a long punt forward as Mackie closed in but the ball bounced wickedly off the turf and was somehow scrambled clear.
Mackie then had Home Park on its feet on 18 minutes as he raced to the byline before pulling the ball back for Bolasie to strike but the winger crashed his shot against the outside of the post and away.
Plymouth's tactics of hoofing the ball over the top of Foster and Moore for Mackie to chase as it bounced like a rugby ball off the pitch were paying dividends as again a long punt put Steele under pressure on 20 minutes. The Reds keeper was able to slice the ball out of play.
The Reds slowly turned the screw and Hammill's outstanding cross field pass sent Hallfredsson away down the right flank on 24 minutes. The Icelander's cross was dangerous and Macken turned well before bringing an outstanding save from David Stockdale.
Hammill again turned provider on 25 minutes with a swinging cross from the left that Hugo Colace glanced just wide of the target. Hammill was caught very late by Karl Duguid for his troubles.
Plymouth then should have definitely been in front on 35 minutes as Alan Judge's free kick caught out the Reds defence and gave Reda Johnson a free header from inside the six yard box. The big defender had the entire goal to aim at but somehow smashed his effort against the bar. It was easier to score.
Things got worse for the Reds on 39 minutes as Bogdanovic pulled up with a hamstring injury which ended his game early. The Maltese international limped out of the action, putting his participation in the Easter games against Sheffield United and Peterborough in doubt, and was replaced by Iain Hume.
Hume's first taste of the action came seconds later as he raced through onto Colace's pass but Stockdale was quickly out to smother the danger as a deluge opened from the heavens.
Macken got in again behind Argyle on 42 minutes as he raced onto Hammill's pass but found Stockdale in fine form. A late challenge by Bolasie on Shotton gave Hallfredsson the chance to test his aim on 44 minutes. The Icelander was only inches away from finding the top corner with his free kick.
The home side again started brightly after the break with Mackie almost racing through on 47 minutes but a combination of last-gasp challenges by Foster and Shotton were enough to scramble the danger away.
Hume then brought a save of sorts from Stockdale at the other end on 49 minutes after strong and determined play in the area by Macken and Nathan Doyle. Steele had to be quickly off his line seconds later to snatch the ball at the feet of Mackie.
The Home Park pitch caught out Foster on 51 minutes as the Reds skipper slipped trying to clear the ball and allowed Bradley Wright-Phillips to nip in and tee up Mackie. Steele pulled off a fine one-handed save to turn the ball away from the far corner.
Hammill was again taken out after the ball had gone by Bhasera on 54 minutes but referee Mike Russell ignored his pleas for what was an obvious foul. Hallfredsson picked up the first caution seconds later after upending Judge. Bolasie was then booked on 57 minutes for a trip on Hammill.
Barnsley's first big chance to grab the lead in the second half came on 64 minutes as Macken's pass sent Hume in the clear but the striker was denied one-on-one by Stockdale's outstanding low save.
Mackie, Argyle's best player on the night, had the Reds scrambling again on 67 minutes as he raced onto Joe Mason's pass and cut back past Foster. Steele was more than equal to his drive. Judge then managed to get away from Luke Potter for the first time seconds later but drove his shot well wide.
At the other end Hammill had the better of Duguid on 71 minutes to race in behind and drove a low cross past Stockdale but Macken just could not stretch far enough to get a touch at the back post.
Hammill then had the chance to shoot on 73 minutes after cutting in from the left flank but the ball took a wicked bounce off the pitch and his effort flew well, well wide. Hammill was booked for dissent seconds later after kicking the ball away.
Macken again easily beat a weary Argyle offside trap on 78 minutes to send Hume away and in the clear only for Stockdale to deny the striker one-on-one for a second time. Hammill flashed one just over on 79 minutes.
Mackie was always a threat for Argyle and his burst on 83 minutes took a bug deflection from Darren Moore to turn it away from goal. Andy Gray almost won it for the Reds on 89 minutes as he raced between two Argyle defenders to face up Stockdale but his effort flew a foot over the bar.
Bondz N'Gala then could have won it for Argyle in stoppage time as he let fly from the penalty spot following a scramble in the area but Steele was in fine form to turn the ball over the top.
Shotton then picked up a late caution for a needless trip on a flying Mason by the touchline.
PLYMOUTH ARGYLE: Stockdale, Duguid (c), Clark, D. Johnson, Mackie, Wright-Phillips (Cooper 88), R. Johnson, Judge (Noone 73), N'Gala, Bhasera, Bolasie (Mason 61).
Subs: Larrieu, Fallon, Folly, Leonard.
BARNSLEY: Steele, Shotton, Foster (c), Moore, Potter, Hammill, Colace, Doyle, Hallfredsson, Macken (Gray 78), Bogdanovic (Hume 40).
Subs: Preece, Anderson, Butterfield, El Haimour, Thompson.
REFEREE
Mike Russell (Hertfordshire)
ASSISTANT REFEREE
Kevin Johnson (Somerset) and Andy Hendley (West Midlands)
FOURTH OFFICIAL
Lee Swaby (Devon)
Attendance - 7,243
Away - 162
Match Report by Rob Knowles
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