Reds versus Glovers
The Reds will look to extend their unbeaten home league run to three games when they face a struggling Yeovil side at Oakwell on Saturday afternoon.
Despite back-to-back defeats against Preston and Middlesbrough over the festive period, Danny Wilson’s side will draw confidence from their previous two League One encounters in front of their home faithful where they picked up four points.
A 1-1 draw against Doncaster and a 2-0 triumph over Leyton Orient means Barnsley have now lost just one of their past five Oakwell games, but with their form on the road not as consistent the Reds go into the clash against Gary Johnson’s Glovers having picked up just four points from their last 18 in League One.
Wilson’s men will be able to take heart from recent meetings with the Somerset-Club however, having lost just once in four clashes which came back in December 2005.
In South Yorkshire the Reds picked up a narrow 1-0 victory in the same 2005-06 campaign courtesy of a Robbie Williams penalty, while in the only other meeting at Oakwell it ended 1-1 after Marcus Tudgay’s spot-kick cancelled out Joel Grant’s 10thminute opener last season.
Back in August it ended all square between the sides at Huish Park and the Glovers will be desperate for a similar result this weekend, with Johnson’s outfit going into the game on the back of four straight defeats.
That form – which has seen them lose 10 of their last 14 League One games – leaves the Glovers sitting rock bottom of the division; having won just five games all season.
A much improved performance against Premier League giants Manchester United in the FA Cup last Sunday has given the Yeovil supporters some hope however and with just one defeat in four away league games, as well as recent victories at both Notts County and Oldham, boss Johnson has plenty of reasons to be positive.
Team News
Danny Wilson could hand new loan signing Alex Kiwomya both his Barnsley and Football League debut when the Reds welcome Yeovil to Oakwell on Saturday afternoon.
The young Chelsea forward was unable to feature against Middlesbrough last weekend with his move not completed in time but the England U18 international is in contention to make his bow against the Glovers.
Meanwhile another Barnsley loanee, Peter Ramage, looks set to make his 17thappearance of the season after extending his move from Crystal Palace until the end of the campaign.
In defence youngsters Mason Holgate and George Smith could feature once again alongside Ramage, with both James Bree and Joe Dudgeon struggling for fitness.
For the visitors, striker Kieffer Moore – who missed a glorious chance for the Glovers against Manchester United last weekend – and midfielder Kevin Dawson both returned from injury against the Red Devils and should start again at Oakwell.
The Somerset-Club will have to wait on the fitness of winger Joel Grant however, who remains doubtful; having not featured in over a month.
Man in the Middle
Merseyside-based referee Peter Bankes will take charge of his first Barnsley game on Saturday afternoon; having only officiated his first Football League fixture just under a year ago. More often seen running the line in the Premier League, Bankes made his Football League bow as the man in the middle for Plymouth’s home draw against Mansfield last February and after overseeing further League Two clashes earlier this season, several League One games followed, with the meeting at Oakwell set to be the referee’s sixth outing in the third tier.
The most recent of those games however was one which went down very well with Saturday afternoon’s visitors Yeovil, as Bankes took charge of the Glovers’ impressive 4-0 triumph at Oldham in which Stephen Arthurworrey opened the scoring. In that clash the official dished out just two yellow cards and despite brandishing three red cards this season – including one to Crewe’s George Ray in his side’s home defeat against Sheffield United in October – Bankes has been rather lenient; handing out 47 cautions in 14 games.
Their Star Man
Glovers’ striker Kieffer Moore hit the headlines for all the wrong reasons six days ago after the giant forward missed a glorious chance to put Yeovil ahead against Manchester United in the FA Cup. Despite that criticism the Torquay-born attacker left the United defence knowing they had been in a battle and with four goals to his name this season the former Truro City man has been the shining light in a rather disappointing season so far for the Glovers.
Plucked out of non-league football in July 2013 from Dorchester Town, Moore hit five in his first campaign at Huish Park including back-to-back strikes against Leyton Orient and Burnley, as well as the opener in a 1-1 draw against Bournemouth. So far this term, the 22-year-old has taken his Yeovil tally to nine; finding the back of the net against both Scunthorpe and Crewe earlier in the season, while more recently the Glovers’ top goal scorer has added gloss to the Club’s victories over Oldham and Accrington Stanley to make it two in his last three appearances.
Mutual Man
Explosive winger Michael McIndoe arrived at Oakwell in July 2006 following a move from South Yorkshire rivals Doncaster, where he scored 35 goals in three successful seasons. Following his Barnsley debut against Cardiff it did not take the former Luton Town man long to notch for the Reds; hitting the Club’s first as they fought back from 2-0 down to incredibly beat Hull 3-2.
In his short stay with the Club, the former Scotland B international found the back of the net another four times including a double at Burnley as well as a consolation strike against MK Dons. It was McIndoe’s final goal for the Club which stands out however, as the Scottish attacker struck a 62ndminute equaliser against bitter rivals Leeds, before Brian Howard netted the winner 14 minutes from time.
Despite making a positive impression at Oakwell, McIndoe joined Wolves on loan in November 2006 ahead of a permanent move to Molinuex two months later. After spending the rest of the campaign in the West Midlands, the Edinburgh-born winger was on the move again and enjoyed spells with both Bristol City and Coventry before his release in May 2011.
Before becoming a Reds player just over eight years ago the much travelled wide man spent two-and-a-half seasons with Saturday’s visitors Yeovil. Following periods at both Luton and Hereford the now 35-year-old landed at Huish Park in January 2001 with a growing reputation, which was enhanced even further after a debut goal against Boston. Two more goals in that 2000-01 campaign meant an unspectacular start to his Yeovil career for a 22-year-old McIndoe, but that was soon rectified; netting nine times in his second season, which included an appearance in the FA Trophy final which saw the Glovers beat Stevenage 2-0 to pick up their first major trophy.
Things would get even better for the Scotsman a year later though, as Yeovil were promoted to the Football League for the first time in their 108 year history; following a remarkable campaign in which they scored 100 goals and were crowned Champions of the Conference after winning the title by a staggering 17 points. The players were heroes but McIndoe was one of the leading stars, as he hit 12 goals including a brace against Telford. That form did not go unnoticed however and immediately after that promotion the winger made his first switch to South Yorkshire and to Doncaster.
