PREVIEW: Barnsley Vs Swansea City

The inside track on the Reds' clash with the Swans

18 October 2019

Barnsley are back at Oakwell this weekend as high-flying Swansea City visit in Sky Bet Championship action - here's the preview.

It's back down to league action for the Reds on Saturday following the October international break - promotion hopefuls Swansea City are in town.

This will be the first match since the departure of Daniel Stendel with caretaker boss Adam Murray making his first appearance in the home dugout.

Former Mansfield Town manager Murray spoke with the press during midweek along with midfielder Alex Mowatt as they looked ahead to the Swansea fixture.

Interviews

Adam Murray Interview

17 October 2019

Subscribers can watch their full pre-match press conference videos over on iFollow Barnsley or by clicking on the videos linked below.

Apologies, this video is unvailable.

The search for a new Head Coach has begun after Stendel's departure. Without a win since the opening day victory over Fulham, the Reds have fallen to 23rd in the Championship table, sat on just six points and two more away from safety after 11 games.

Saturday's visitors from South Wales are at the other end of the table, currently fourth and just a point off the leaders, West Brom going into this match.

Ayew and Roberts celebrate

The Swans are unbeaten on their travels this season but they did fall to a shock 2-1 defeat last time out against bottom club Stoke City on home soil.

Interviews

Mowatt Press Swansea

17 October 2019

Playing what has been described as a 'possession based' game with the mercurial Kosovo international midfielder Bersant Celina pulling the strings, it's been a superb start to club management for former Liverpool academy chief Steve Cooper who took over the Swans in the summer following Graham Potter's defection to Brighton in the Premier League.

Steve Cooper

As part of the England youth setup at U17 level, Cooper led the Young Lions to the final of the 2017 European Championship, where they lost to Spain on penalties, but they gained revenge later in the year by coming from 2-0 down to beat the same opponents 5-2 in the World Cup final in India. They had never previously been further than the quarter finals of the global competition.

Cooper - when speaking to Swansea City's official website - called for calm in his players and controlling possession ahead of their 250-mile trip to Barnsley.

He said: “At times I think we need to show a bit more calmness and play a few more passes to control the game. I feel if we do that, we look a good team and - if we get it right - I would back us against anybody.

“That will be our mentality for this game and the next game, and the one after that. The more times we get it right, the more chance we have of winning.”

One of the youngest sides in the division, Swansea also have a few older heads to lean on including Dutch centre back Mike Van Der Hoorn and the experienced forward Andre Ayew. But it's been the likes of Connor Roberts, Joe Rodon and Matt Grimes who've really come to prominence the last year or so and that young core has given Swans fans the hope that this season could be the one that sees their club return to the top flight.

Hassell celebrates

This weekend sees the Reds meet the Swans for the first time at this level since January of 2011 when the two sides played out a 1-1 draw here at Oakwell as a late Scott Sinclair penalty had cancelled out Bobby Hassell’s early strike for Mark Robins’ men.

Club News

WhatsOnSwansea

17 October 2019

Ignoring our penalty shootout success in Cardiff back in the 2005/06 League One playoff campaign, you have to go back to 1983 for our last league triumph against the Swans, and this is historically a tough fixture for Barnsley with Swansea leading the head-to-head record with 35 wins to the Reds' 24.

Tickets are still on sale for this Category B fixture and you can buy yours online by clicking the linked image below.

If you can't make it to Oakwell on Saturday for this 3pm kick-off for whatever reason, iFollow Barnsley is the place to be where LIVE and uninterrupted commentary will be on air to UK subscribers with our own Matt Bailey on the mic.

Due to this match being televised overseas, there will be no live stream available.

iFollow Barnsley gives you the inside track on the Reds. With a range of benefits including live match video streams, live audio commentary and exclusive club content, sign up today to get closer to the action.

Barnsley U18s welcome Crewe Alexandra to the Oakwell Training Ground on Saturday morning as they look to make it four consecutive wins.

The Professional Development league clash takes place ahead of our first team’s Sky Bet Championship game with Swansea City, so you can make a day of it at Oakwell by also enjoying a variety of entertainment at our Fan Zone in between the two fixtures.

Match Reports

REPORT: Barnsley 1-1 Swansea City

The Reds fight back to claim a valuable point at Oakwell against the high-fly

19 October 2019

The Reds came from behind to earn a well-deserved 1-1 draw with promotion favourites Swansea City at Oakwell on Saturday afternoon, as the Sky Bet Championship action resumed after the international break.

With Adam Murray, in caretaker charge, he named Kenny Dougall in the starting line-up, as the midfielder marked his return from injury following a broken leg last season. Central defender Bambo Diaby also came back into the side as he replaced Ben Williams, with the Reds operating with wing-backs in this one.

The Reds hadn’t beaten Swansea in any of their past meetings in the Championship prior to today, but Adam Murray’s side did look promising from the outset, as they searched for their first win since the opening day of the season.

Cauley Woodrow drew a decent save from Freddie Woodman inside five minutes, before Jacob Brown cut in from the left flank and shot just past the post.

Woodrow again looked dangerous up front for the Reds, as he forced Woodman into another good save down in his left corner, but the goalkeeper could only parry as far as the onrushing Cameron McGeehan, who couldn’t quite keep his follow-up effort below the bar.

Alex Mowatt then headed over from a Dimitri Cavaré cross, before Swansea had their first real opportunity of the game 20 minutes in when André Ayew stung the palms of Brad Collins.

McGeehan came inches away from breaking the deadlock after 25 minutes when good link up play between Cavaré and Conor Chaplin created an opportunity for the midfielder to shoot, but his effort landed just wide of the target.

A quiet ten minutes followed as neither side could fathom anymore clear-cut opening before the break.

HALF-TIME: BARNSLEY 0-0 SWANSEA CITY

After the restart, Ayew had a chance for the Swans when he got on the end of a deflected cross by Jake Bidwell. However, as he brought the ball under control, Collins charged off his line to narrow down the angle and block the shot away with his body.

Moments later, up the other end, McGeehan had another big opportunity for Barnsley when he rushed onto the end of a free-flowing move inside the area, but his side-footed shot was blazed over the crossbar.

With an hour played, Sam Surridge saw his one-on-one denied by the left foot of Collins, as the goalkeeper made himself big to prevent the visitors from taking the lead.

Just seconds later, Collins was called into action again when he made a fantastic reaction save from point blank range to block away a Bersant Celina header.

However, despite all of the hard work, the deadlock was finally broken in the 65th minute as goal-line technology intervened and awarded the Swans an opening goal when it deemed Ayew’s header from close range to have crossed the line.

Although, the Reds weren’t behind for long, as Mowatt quickly restored parity just five minutes later when he brilliantly fired home a Chaplin cross from the right.

In an attempt to go on and win the game, Murray handed attacker Elliot Simoes his Barnsley and Sky Bet Championship debut in the 79th minute.

The debutant was then involved in the next Barnsley attack, as he played the ball square for Mowatt, who hit a curling shot from distance which went centimetres over.

In the 89th minute Woodrow nearly gave the Reds all three points when he cut inside from the left and hit a low effort which nestled towards the bottom right corner, however, Woodman got down low to parry it away.

The fourth official then indicated an additional five minutes at the end of the game, but it wasn’t enough time for either side to find a winner at Oakwell.

FULL-TIME: BARNSLEY 1-1 SWANSEA CITY

REDS XI: Collins, Dougall, Diaby, (Andersen, 90), Brown, McGeehan (Simoes, 79), Woodrow, Chaplin, Cavaré, (Williams, 83), Sibbick, Halme, Mowatt (C).
UNUSED SUBSTITUTES: Walton, Bähre, Thomas, Oduor.

SWANSEA XI: Woodman, Rodon, Van Der Hoorn, Grimes, (C), Celina, Carroll, Surridge, (Bastón, 77), Ayew, Bidwell, Naughton, Byers (Garrick, 83).
UNUSED SUBSTITUTES: Nordfeldt, Peterson, Routledge, Wimot, Roberts.

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