LIVE FROM OAKWELL
BARNSLEY 0
DERBY COUNTY 0
IT may have only been a point but in the end it was enough to secure the Reds' Championship status for another season with three games to spare.
Barnsley manager Mark Robins made changes to his side following the entertaining draw with Peterborough on Easter Monday as the sun shone down on Oakwell. Spirits were high as the Reds entered the final furlong of the season without the pressure of scrapping in a relegation battle for the first time since winning promotion back to the Championship in 2006.
Back came Ryan Shotton following suspension with Darren Moore taking a well-earned rest on the bench after playing through the pain in recent weeks. Iain Hume also missed out for family reasons so Daniel Bogdanovic returned from injury to start up front alongside Jon Macken. There were also returns for Filipe Teixeira and Nathan Doyle with Martin Devaney and Jacob Butterfield dropping to the bench.
It was fast and frantic from both sides in the early stages and the Reds almost drew first blood on 14 minutes as Adam Hammill's cross bounced around in the area and fell to Jon Macken but the striker saw his shot well blocked away. Hammill then let fly from the edge of the box seconds later but shot straight at Stephen Bywater.
Hammill turned provider again on 16 minutes as his corner found Stephen Foster but the Reds skipper could not get his header on target and the ball looped onto the roof of the net. Bogdanovic fired a warning across the Derby bow on 20 minutes as he sent an overhead kick a foot or so over the top from Bobby Hassell's long throw.
Derby's first real sight of Luke Steele's goal came on 24 minutes as Russell Anderson met Robbie Savage's deep free kick but his header flew high over the top.
Teixeira split Derby wide open a minute later as his cute pass put Hammill away in behind Jay McEveley and the winger let fly from 18 yards out but his effort smashed into the sidenetting.
Another Hassell long throw had Derby scrambling on 26 minutes and the Rams allowed the ball to drop nicely for Doyle on the edge of the area but the midfielder's volley was nowhere near the target.
Steele made the first real save of the game on the half hour as he managed to claw away Shaun Barker's header after the Rams' defender had met Michael Tonge's corner. It was a decent header and a good stop by the Reds number one.
The Reds should have been in front on 34 minutes as Hugo Colace met Hammill's deep free kick to nod the ball back into the path of Bogdanovic 15 yards out but the Maltese striker skied his shot high over the bar with the goal gaping.
It's hard to give referees the benefit of doubt these days but Paul Taylor definitely left the home crowd and bench aggrieved with a string of very debateable decisions that went the way of Derby as the first half went on. Mind you, he did the same to the Rams when Nicky Hunt's clearance out of play blatantly smacked into Bogdanovic but the Reds were given the throw in.
Shotton then could have had a penalty in stoppage time as he was bundled to the ground as he went for Hammill's free kick. It would have been a soft one and referee Taylor was having nothing of it. Hammill smacked the loose ball wide from the edge of the box.
The second half started in much the same vein although it was Derby who had the first sight of goal on 52 minutes as Hulse did well to meet Tonge's corner but flashed a header miles wide of the far post. Hulse then should have done a lot better three minutes later as he met another Tonge cross ten yards out but planted his header straight at Steele.
Hammill's frustrating afternoon was over on 56 minutes as he made way for Devaney. The Reds were almost caught out seconds later as Steele's wayward clearance dropped for Tomasz Cwyka and the Rams forward lobbed it back unchallenged towards the empty net only for Luke Potter to arrive in the nick of time to scramble it away. It was a wonder clearance by the youngster.
Steele's shaky spell continued on 57 minutes as he dropped a deep cross on the line but Hassell was well placed to clear. Steve Davies could have done better with the rebound from 18 yards but screwed a shot well wide of the target.
Foster picked up the first caution of the afternoon on 61 minutes for a trip on Davies as the Rams looked to break on the counter attack. The challenge was needed as well as the Rams had men over and were threatening.
Devaney almost had an instant impact on the game on 65 minutes as he beat his man to meet Hassell's deep cross but the winger planted his header a foot or so over the top of the bar.
Bogdanovic's hamstring curse struck again three minutes later as he pulled up after challenging with Barker deep in the area. It meant an early end to the striker's afternoon and he was replaced by Andy Gray.
Teixeira and Macken finally sparked some life into the second half on 80 minutes as they managed to get in behind Derby but the Rams defence were able to smother away the danger. Macken's flick then almost put in Gray a minute later but the Reds sub dragged a difficult chance wide of the target under pressure from Barker.
Shotton did his best to help Derby into the lead on 83 minutes as his slip let in Cywka but the Stoke loanee recovered brilliantly to put the striker off his shot and the ball flew weakly through to Steele. Cwyka then did his best to lift the visiting support seconds later with a decent run past a couple of challenges but blasted a poor effort high and wide from the edge of the box.
Former Sheffield United midfielder Tonge was booked in the final minute after throwing himself to the ground in a vain attempt to win a last-gasp penalty as Potter put in a challenge in the area. Tonge was rightly cautioned for diving.
BARNSLEY: Steele, Hassell, Shotton, Foster, Potter, Hammill (Devaney 55), Doyle, Colace, Teixeira (Butterfield 87), Macken, Bogdanovic (Gray 68).
Subs: Preece, Anderson, Moore, Noble-Lazarus.
DERBY COUNTY: Bywater, Hunt, McEveley, Green, Savage, Barker, Tonge, Davies (Martin 78), Hulse, Cywka, Anderson.
Subs: Porter, Deeney, Sunu, Teale, Moxey, Pringle.
REFEREE
Paul Taylor (Hertfordshire)
ASSISTANT REFEREES
Gary Hilton (Lancashire) and Paul Kettlewell (Lancashire)
FOURTH OFFICIAL
Dean Mohareb (Cheshire)
Attendance - 13,034
Away - 1,994
Match Report by Rob Knowles.
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©WWW.BARNSLEYFC.CO.UK 2010 RNK
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