BOURNEMOUTH PREVIEW

12 March 2021

Next up for the Reds is a long trip south to Bournemouth on Saturday as they look to continue their incredible form against the side just below them.

Having seen their outrageous winning sequence ended in midweek against Wayne Rooney's struggling Derby County, this weekend sees Barnsley head to the South Coast to take on Bournemouth in a 3pm kick-off.

Wednesday night's weather-affected 0-0 draw with the agricultural Rams did extend the Reds' unbeaten run to a tenth game however, and as the old saying goes, if you can't win, don't lose.

It wasn't for lack of effort at Oakwell. The visitors didn't have a shot at goal for the first hour and Barnsley ought to have gone ahead straight after half-time but for the away side's 'keeper making a smart save to deny Conor Chaplin who really shouldn't have given him the opportunity to thwart him.

But a fine one-on-one Brad Collins save denied the Rams, as did the woodwork when a deflected effort rebounded off the inside of a post and out of play as Rooney's outfit looked to steal the points.

The former England striker added his name to a recent list of opposition players/staff who've decided to excuse their incessant use of the long-ball as 'matching up' the Reds, when speaking to the press.

Questionable remarks from people at the wrong end of the Sky Bet Championship table.

At the right end, the Reds solidified their position in sixth with that Rams draw. Moving onto 58 points - which is the total accrued by Paul Heckingbottom's highly-rated 2016/17 squad - with a further 11 games to play leaves Valérien Ismaël's charges in a great position as we approach the 20/21 campaign's run-in.

And next up is a trip to the Vitality Stadium to visit the Cherries for the first time in eight years. Amazingly, we go there in front of a side who thumped the Reds 4-0 at Oakwell in the reverse fixture.

After that clash, Bournemouth sat at the summit, 11 points ahead of Barnsley, with Ismaël's side in 15th on 19 points. Which shows how well we've done in the last couple of months. Extraordinarily well.

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MATCHDAY RECAP: BOURNEMOUTH (H) w/music

Our bitesized review of the Reds against the Cherries - with an instrumental backing track.

The Reds are two points ahead of the Cherries, but are in great form away from home. Unbeaten in four on their travels, only conceding once, three wins and a goalless draw.

Bournemouth's form since the turn of the year has really dropped off, which saw the departure of previous coach Jason Tindall. They've lost more games than they've won in 2021, but have begun to turn it around a little in recent weeks.

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WATCH REDS AT BOURNEMOUTH

11 March 2021

Now under the tutelage of another former England international in Jonathan Woodgate, our hosts this Saturday will be hoping their 17-year unbeaten record against the Reds continues.

We'll be bringing you live coverage on iFollow Barnsley from the Vitality Stadium with Matt Bailey and Callum Cooper on commentary duty from just before 3pm.

Match Reports

REDS FIGHT BACK IN CHERRIES WIN

13 March 2021

The Reds leave the South Coast with a huge three points as a stirring second half fightback seals the deal at Vitality Stadium.

In what started as a very scrappy and somewhat understandably cagey affair, often played in varying conditions, the game sprung into life when Michał Helik continued his red-hot scoring form to give the Reds the lead on 16 minutes.

An outswinging Alex Mowatt corner from the left was headed on by Mads Andersen at the near post and his defensive partner Helik arrived late at the far stick to steer home a volley from no more than a yard out.

Barnsley were galvanized by that early strike and began to dominate proceedings, forcing a number of set plays and penning in their highly-rated hosts.

However, that deserved lead was quickly cancelled out by the Cherries as after breaking from a Reds corner, the Dorset outfit levelled up with Arnaut Danjuma slotting home a low Junior Stanislas cross from six yards out, as defenders looked for an offside flag that never came.

Bournemouth gained control of the half from that point and very nearly forged ahead when Stanislas found himself in space to connect with a Jefferson Lerma cross, cracking a terrific volley from 14 yards out towards goal only for Brad Collins to push the stinging effort onto the bar.

The home side though did go in ahead at the break. In the second minute of added time at the end of the first 45, another quick counter, a low, first-time cross from Danjuma freed Dominic Solanke centrally for a simple, low finish inside the six yard box.

An angry Valérien Ismaël stormed towards the changing room as the whistle blew for half-time.

HALF-TIME: Bournemouth 2-1 Barnsley

Valérien went to his bench during the interval, bringing on all of Carlton Morris, Callum Styles and Herbie Kane, with Conor Chaplin, Jordan Williams and Romal Palmer making way as the Frenchman looked for a reaction at Vitality Stadium.

The moves paid dividends as the Reds began to dominate with Mowatt and Dominik Frieser going close, as did substitute Kane with a 25-yarder piledriver before on the hour-mark, finally reaping the rewards of that pressure.

It was a well-worked Reds move that saw us level. Helik's low pass on halfway was used well by Kane, Frieser nodded into space that Morris took advantage of by slipping in Cauley Woodrow wide right, and his low, deflected cross was turned in expertly by the Iceman with his weaker left foot, eight yards out to level up the match.

Woodrow then bent an effort just wide whilst Daryl Dike was introduced; goalscorer Frieser made way for the American.

The industrious Kane saw a 25-yard free-kick pushed behind by Asmir Begovic before the winner soon arrived as Morris did what he does best, getting on the end of another delicious Mowatt set-play and glancing home a header for a priceless victory!

FULL-TIME: Bournemouth 2-3 Barnsley

Collins, Brittain, Sibbick, Helik, Andersen, J.Williams (Styles), Mowatt, Palmer (Kane), Woodrow, Chaplin (Morris), Frieser (Dike).

Unusedd: Walton, Oduor, Halme, Sollbauer, Adeboyejo.