WATFORD PREVIEW

18 January 2021

We are straight back down to business, as the Reds head south on Tuesday night for a midweek encounter with promotion-chasing Watford.

We have a rapid opportunity to put the disappointment of the weekend behind us when on Tuesday evening Barnsley travel to Vicarage Road to take on Watford in a 7.45pm kick-off.

Saturday night's 2-0 loss at Oakwell against the division's second-placed outfit, Swansea City consigned the Reds to a second successive league defeat since the start of 2021.

Dubious goals in either half from Ben Cabango and Jamal Lowe (the visitors' only efforts on target) were enough on the night for the Swans, as they completed a league double over Valérien Ismaël's side.

That followed up our defeat at league leaders, Norwich City in our last away fixture, as the top two in the Sky Bet Championship proved too much for a Barnsley side sat just on the fringes of the playoffs.

There's no shame in losing to such opposition, but Ismaël will be hoping for a response when he takes the Reds to Hertfordshire to face the Hornets.

Interviews

ISMAËL PRE-WATFORD

18 January 2021

Watford are the only side in the current top six who the Reds have managed to beat so far this term; a 1-0 victory at Oakwell on Halloween at the start of Valérien's reign.

They sit fifth at the moment having seen off Huddersfield Town at Vicarage Road in their most recent fixture and have a fairly new coach in the Hornets dugout, in Xisco Muñoz.

The Spaniard arrived just prior to Christmas and has so far won two and drawn two of his matches in charge.

Our hosts on Tuesday night also lost to Swansea recently, on their last road trip, but they did pull off a shock victory on Boxing Day, beating Norwich 1-0 at Vicarage Road.

Whilst their away form is somewhat patchy, they've only lost the once on home soil. That was a 1-0 defeat against Cardiff City where ex-Red Kieffer Moore struck a first half winner.

Interviews

MORRIS PRE-WATFORD

18 January 2021

That aforementioned success against the Hornets in October was Barnsley's 21st in this fixture, with Watford holding 21 victories too. But it's 13 years since we beat the Golden Boys away from home.

It was a 3-0 victory in 2008 where goals from Kayode Odejayi (x2) and Stephen Foster saw us to a fantastic midweek win on our way to achieving safety that season.

Club News

WATCH REDS AT WATFORD

18 January 2021

We will have live and uninterrupted coverage from Watford on iFollow Barnsley from just before kick-off, with commentary provided by our in-house media and communications team.

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MATCHDAY RECAP: WATFORD (H)

Our bitesized review of the Reds versus Watford from Oakwell.

Match Reports

REDS STUNG BY HORNETS

19 January 2021

Troy Deeney’s first-half penalty was enough to condemn Barnsley to a frustrating defeat against Watford at a windswept Vicarage Road.

Following Callum Brittain’s handball just before the half-hour, Hornets skipper Deeney stepped up to power the spot kick past Jack Walton, who got a hand on the ball but was unable to keep it out.

The result will sting for the Reds, as for the second time in a row they fell to defeat in a game that they dominated for long spells.

Ultimately, however, the lack of any end product cost the visitors dear, as they were unable to convert any of the chances they fashioned.

Conor Chaplin was heavily involved in the Reds’ attack in the first period, firstly narrowly unable to connect with Victor Adeboyejo’s low ball, before he saw his own cross from the right headed over by Cauley Woodrow.

Despite the Reds’ dominance in the opening stages, taking the lead put a spring in the hosts’ step, but a shocking miss from Andre Gray meant they were unable to increase their lead.

On the stroke of half-time, the Hornets broke quickly down the right and Ismaila Sarr found Gray lurking in space ten yards out, but somehow Gray managed to spoon his shot over the bar with the goal at his mercy.

HALF-TIME: Watford 1-0 Barnsley

Valérien Ismaël attempted to give his charges fresh impetus early in the second half with the introduction of new man Carlton Morris, and the former Norwich forward almost offered an instant impact.

Morris teed up Woodrow for an attempt from the edge of the area, but the Reds’ number nine’s shot was deflected wide of the upright as the visitors pressed for an equaliser.

A leveller did almost arrive from the most unlikely of sources, as Hornets goalkeeper Daniel Bachmann was forced to stop Francisco Sierralta waywardly heading Alex Mowatt’s pinpoint cross into his own net.

Boss Ismaël continued to vocally lead the Reds’ effort from his technical area, but neither side was able to fashion any real chances as the game descended into a scrappy affair in the closing stages.

Despite the defeat, the Reds remain in the Championship’s top half, but will briefly take a breather from league action as they look to return to winning ways when they host Norwich in the FA Cup on Saturday.

FULL-TIME: Watford 1-0 Barnsley

Reds XI: Walton, Sollbauer, Andersen, Helik, Brittain, Mowatt, Palmer (Kane), Styles (Sibbick), Adeboyejo (Frieser), Woodrow, Chaplin (Morris).

Unused: Collins, Moon, Oduor, Omar, Schmidt.