Reds 0
Burton Albion 0
It's all-square at Oakwell with clear-cut chances few and far between for both the Reds and Burton Albion.
The Reds dominated the early possession and almost opened the scoring on 12 minutes.
James Bree won a free kick on the flank and George Smith’s inswinging delivery flashed inches wide of the far post via a deflection. Marc Roberts guided Joe Rothwell’s header at goal and after a fumble, Jon McLaughlin
gathered the ball before it rolled in.
Burton had the game’s first shot on target on 16 minutes. A quick counter attack ended with Stuart Beavon driving goalward from the edge of the box with Adam Davies saving comfortably.
Two minutes later, Barnsley’s Josh Scowen broke clear through the middle and sent a rasping 25 yard effort just over the crossbar.
Burton could have taken the lead twice in the space of six minutes.
Duffy connected with Nasser El Khayati’s cross only for Davies to superbly tip the ball around the post.
Then, El Khayati himself stung the palms of Davies with a low left-footed effort from the edge of the box after cutting inside from the left.
James Bree stepped up Barnsley’s search for an opener on 38 minutes. He drove down the right-wing and delivered a teasing cross that was just too high for Marley Watkins El Khayati sent a powerful shot skidding past the near post while the Tykes denied Naylor from six yards with an excellent block from Roberts.
Lucas Akins sliced wide from Beavon’s delivery under pressure from Roberts as the sides went in level at the break.
Teams
Subs: Townsend, Hourihane, Wilkinson, Crowley, R.Williams, Digby, G.Williams.
Burton Albion: McLaughlin, Edwards, Cansdell-Sherriff, Mousinho, Weir, Beavon, Akins, El-Khayati, McRory, Naylor, Duffy.
Subs: Reilly, Butcher, O'Connor, Thiele, Binnom-Williams, Palmer, Matthews.