MILLWALL PREVIEW

30 September 2021

Everything you need to know about our weekend clash with the Lions here at Oakwell!

As we finally leave a poor September behind - a month in which the Reds failed to win or score from open play - we now look for better fortune on the 2021 calendar.

The fixture list has thrown up another home game before we head off into the October international break, as London outfit Millwall arrive at Oakwell this Saturday for a 3pm kick-off in the Sky Bet Championship.

J WILLIAMS 1.jpg

It's a division the Reds are slowly sliding down right now, winless in their last eight league fixtures and coming into the weekend off the back of poor defeats against fellow strugglers Blackpool and Nottingham Forest.

The most recent being the 3-1 reverse on home soil against the Tricky Trees on Wednesday night. Defeated despite holding a 1-0 advantage going into the final third of the game. It stretched our poor Oakwell form in midweek games at this level, and made it nine years without a Championship home victory in the month of September.

Captain, Cauley Woodrow grabbed his third goal of the season from the penalty spot against Forest, after he'd been felled inside the box. It was a game of little quality, but after the interval, the visitors changed shape and began to catch the Reds on the break, and earned themselves a rare three points.

Reds coach, Markus Schopp was without his two assistants - serving suspensions - and also lost Josh Benson in the pre-match warm-up. It's been that kind of season so far, and with Barnsley now 21st in the table after ten games, a result this Saturday is much-needed going into the latest two-week hiatus.

Making the long trip north this weekend are a Millwall side who jumped four points above the Reds with a midweek home victory over Bristol City. In an evenly-contested affair with the Robins, long-serving talisman Jed Wallace struck a decisive penalty on the hour-mark to confirm the Lions' second win of the season.

Led by former Stoke City manager Gary Rowett, the Lions are yet to win on the road this term, but they've been draw specialists so far during 21/22, with six of their ten fixtures ending all square.

They've lost just two games, and those were back-to-back losses against Fulham and Cardiff City, way back in August. That makes them six games unbeaten as they head to Oakwell looking to grab a rare win in South Yorkshire.

Barnsley edged this clash last season when Michał Helik volleyed home a second half winner in a 2-1 victory. In fact, we've won seven of the last 11 meetings between the clubs in all competitions.

Lancashire official David Webb is the man tasked with controlling proceedings on Saturday. The vastly-experienced referee last visited Oakwell on Boxing Day of last year as we saw off Huddersfield Town in the Yorkshire derby.

BUY TICKETS

This is a category B fixture and was last month designated an all-ticket clash, with no sales after 5pm on Friday afternoon.

In terms of streaming the fixture, a reminder that the EFL has returned to the position held pre-pandemic, where any games kicking off between 2.45pm and 5.15pm on Saturday afternoons are prohibited.

However, supporters in the UK are able to buy audio passes via iFollow Barnsley.

Our overseas fans can enjoy live streaming of the game, with a match pass priced at £10.

For further information on iFollow for this season, and how to activate seasonal subscriptions, please click the link below.

iFollow

Match Reports

REDS FALL TO LATE MILLWALL GOAL

2 October 2021

Barnsley suffered an agonising late defeat at home to Millwall in the Sky Bet Championship on Saturday afternoon.

Murray Wallace’s late header was all that separated the two sides in a game that the Reds deserved to claim at least a point from, such was their spirited performance.

There were chances aplenty in the opening exchanges, with the recalled Aaron Leya Iseka bringing a fine save from Bartosz Białkowski before Brad Collins, at the other end, was tested by Lions loanee Benik Afobe.

Barnsley looked dangerous from set-pieces, however, and a flurry of corners saw Liam Kitching, Michał Helik and Ben Williams all have efforts blocked by the visiting defence, while our Polish centre-back also skewed a rebound narrowly wide.

It was end-to-end and the Lions had another opportunity, this time as midfielder George Evans took aim from range but his attempt whistled past the upright.

Just before the midway point, the Reds had a glorious chance to open the scoring through Devante Cole – and it was all of his own making as he robbed Jake Cooper of possession but found Białkowski in his way when one-on-one.

We continued to look livelier in the final third, as Leya Iseka wriggled free of a couple of challenges before unleashing a thunderous drive from distance that soared just wide, but we went in level at the break.

HALF-TIME: Barnsley 0-0 Millwall

The Lions came out brightly after the interval and only a magnificent, last-ditch sliding tackle from the impressive Kitching prevented Lions playmaker Jed Wallace from pulling the trigger when clean through on goal.

Chances were few and far between in a cagey second half, but the visitors almost benefited from a goalmouth scramble as Cooper’s prodded effort was stabbed clear by Helik with bodies flying everywhere.

Former Reds striker Tom Bradshaw was introduced from the bench and he came close to breaking the deadlock, only to be denied by a fine Collins save.

From the resulting corner, Matt Smith – only introduced as a substitute himself moments earlier – planted a firm header straight at the Reds’ stopper as Millwall looked to seize the initiative late on.

Despite enjoying more clear-cut opportunities in the first half, we were restricted to long-range efforts by the visitors after the break, with Callum Brittain and Cauley Woodrow both blazing into the Ponty End.

With time ticking away, Callum Styles did magnificently well to shake of a challenge 40 yards from goal, before bursting forward and playing a slide-rule pass for Brittain, just inside the box to the right who lashed high and wide of the near post.

But the killer moment arrived one minute from time, as the visitors struck gold with Wallace rising highest to head home a corner and send Millwall back to south-east London with all three points.

FULL-TIME: Barnsley 0-1 Millwall

Collins, Moon, Helik, Kitching, Brittain, Palmer (Sibbick, 54), Styles, B Williams, Leya Iseka (Frieser, 69), Cole (Adeboyejo, 66), Woodrow.

Unused: Walton, J Williams, Gomes, Oduor.

Ticket News

TICKETS | MILLWALL (H)

23 September 2021

Our October clash with the Lions here at Oakwell has been designated an all-ticket fixture.

The Reds welcome Millwall to Oakwell on Saturday 2 October in a 3pm kick-off.

This is a category B fixture and has been designated as an all-ticket clash, with no sales after 5pm on Friday 1 October.

There will be no internet sales for those who registered their internet account after August 2019. Those supporters who registered their online account after this date will need to order via the box office, (01226 211183), so a manual booking history check can be performed. Sorry for any inconvenience caused.

Tickets for this game are on sale now to those with a previous checkable booking history with Barnsley Football Club.