BARNSLEY 1 (Shackell 28)
MIDDLESBROUGH 0
LIVE FROM OAKWELL

SKIPPER Jason Shackell was the Reds hero as his headed goal proved to be the different between the teams after an entertaining opening 45 minutes at Oakwell.

Reds boss Mark Robins had the rare luxury of naming an unchanged side again for the visit of promotion favourites Middlesbrough as he looked to stretch Barnsley's good early season form to three matches without defeat. After picking up four points from the last two games, confidence at Oakwell was high heading into the game and the buzz around the place was further lifted by the sight of summer signing Jim O'Brien on the subs bench following a troublesome thigh problem. Injured trio Luke Potter (knee), Jamil Adam (thigh) and Liam Dickinson (ankle) were the Reds' only absentees.

Barnsley started well and looked up for the challenge from the opening exchanges. The Reds were bright and purposeful from the off with Adam Hammill firing the first shot in anger on eight minutes after shrugging off Scott McDonald 30 yards from goal. His effort flew well wide of Jason Steele's goal.

The Reds had Boro scrambling on 12 minutes as Andy Gray and Goran Lovre combined brilliantly to free Kieran Trippier but the on loan man flashed a shot over the bar from a tight angle. It was a great move through the heart of the Middlesbrough defence.

The visitors were inches away from grabbing the lead just a minute later after Barry Robson ran into the back of Diego Arismendi to earn a cheap free kick 35 yards from goal. Robson took the kick himself and his dangerous ball caught out the Reds defence and McDonald beat Steele but saw his header come back off the post.

Tarmo Kink then almost capped a fine Boro passing move with a goal on 17 minutes but his effort from 30 yards fizzed with of Luke Steele's post.

Barnsley recovered their composure and Trippier was inches away from getting another effort on goal three minutes later as he stretched to meet Jay McEveley's cross but the ball skipped off the turf and out of play. Hammill brought a save from Jason Steele on 22 minutes with a low effort from the edge of the box after a poor clearance had dropped invitingly for the winger.

Luke Steele showed his class on 25 minutes with a fine, strong handed save to turn Kris Boyd's goalbound shot around the post. The Reds keeper was then alert enough to get his hands to Robson's corner.

Barnsley's opening goal came on 27 minutes and it was straight off the Oakwell training ground as Trippier's deep corner found Jason Shackell beyond the back post and the Reds skipper planted an outstanding header past Jason Steele and into the net.

Hammill's marauding runs inside were giving Boro all sorts of problems and the winger clipped one just over the bar on 29 after finding a yard of space. It really should have been two just seconds later as Gray flicked the ball on to send Lovre clean through but the midfielder was denied by Jason Steele's wonderful save.

Boro were shaken although Kink tried to restore parity on 32 minutes but he was denied by Stephen Foster's courageous block. Luke Steele kept his side in front on 34 minutes as he raced from his goal to produce a world class stop and deny Boyd, who had broken away onto Bailey's through ball.

Boyd was proving to be a big threat for Boro and the big striker did well with his back to goal on 40 minutes as he fashioned an opening but again the Reds had men back to block his effort away.

Barnsley should have put the gloss on a great first half on 44 minutes as Gray fed Lovre and the Serb picked out a fine cross to give Hugo Colace a chance but the midfielder nodded over from eight yards. At the other end Kink blazed his over the bar as Boro broke quickly in stoppage time.

BARNSLEY: Steele, Hassell, Foster, Shackell, McEveley, Trippier, Colace, Arismendi, Hammill, Lovre, Gray.
Subs: Preece, Doyle, Hume, Neumann, Butterfield, Devaney, O'Brien.

MIDDLESBROUGH: Steele, Bates, Robson, Wheater, McManus, Kilgallon, Arca, Bailey, Kink, McDonald, Boyd.
Subs: Coyne, Lita, Miller, Williams, Halliday, Hoyte, Smallwood.

Referee
Keith Hill (Hertfordshire)
Assistant Referees
Peter Bankes (Merseyside) and Paul Marsden (Lancashire)
Fourth Official
Paul Graham (Manchester)

Match Report by Rob Knowles - live from Oakwell Stadium.