The Reds will go in search of their seventh win in a row when they travel to Leyton Orient for the first time in 33 years on Tuesday night.
Saturday’s win at Oldham was the Club’s sixth success on the bounce and despite conceding for the first time in six games, Lee Johnson’s side moved into the League One play-off places.
Victory at SportsDirect.com Park was the Club’s third in a row away from Oakwell since their 5-1 loss at Crawley, while the game also saw the Reds score three on the road for the first time this season.
Tuesday evening’s hosts Leyton Orient also found their scoring boots on Saturday, as they swept aside fellow strugglers Yeovil Town 3-0 at the Matchroom Stadium.
The O’s remain in the relegation places despite that win but with three victories in their last five games – two of which have been at home – Orient have shown that they are more than up for the fight this season.
Previous Meetings
Barnsley and Leyton Orient met for the first time in 32 years back in December as the O’s travelled to South Yorkshire.
It would prove to be a difficult afternoon for the Leyton-based Club however, as goals from Conor Hourihane and Devante Cole secured a 2-0 success for 10-man Barnsley, who had ‘keeper Ross Turnbull sent off in the second-half.
That win was the Reds’ third in a row in this fixture, with the most recent clashes between the two sides – prior to this season – coming all the way back in the 1981-82 campaign when Barnsley completed the double with a 3-1 triumph in London and a 1-0 success at Oakwell.
It has not been all plain sailing for the Reds though, with Orient securing two wins in this fixture during the 1969-70 campaign following a 4-2 home win and a 2-1 victory in South Yorkshire.
Team News
Lee Johnson will have to decide whether or not striker Sam Winnall is fit enough to start from the off when the Reds travel to Leyton Orient on Tuesday evening.
The forward – who has not started a game since November – has made three substitute appearances of late, including two 30-minute cameos in his last two outings.
On-loan Stoke City man George Waring continues to lead the line in Winnall’s absence however and despite failing to score on Saturday, the front man has four goals in his last four appearances for the Reds.
For Orient, star midfielder Romain Vincelot has been ruled out for the rest of the season after suffering knee ligament damage and was absent for Saturday’s win against Yeovil.
Midfielder Lloyd James remains on the sidelines with a broken leg, but on a positive note for boss Fabio Liverani, winger Ryan Hedges returned to the O’s side on Saturday and netted in the Club’s vital win against the Glovers.
Man in the Middle
Surrey-based referee Gavin Ward will take charge of his fourth Barnsley game on Tuesday night. The official oversaw the Club’s 1-1 draw at Yeovil earlier in the season as Martin Cranie’s own goal earned the Glovers a point, while in the 2010-11 season, Ward ruled over Barnsley defeats at both Norwich and Swansea. Tuesday’s hosts Leyton Orient also have a mixed set of results in Ward’s company, with the O’s winning five and losing five when Ward has been in charge.
Both sets of players will have to be on their best behaviour at the Matchroom Stadium, with Ward handing out 103 yellow cards and six reds in 27 games so far this season. The official – who will be assisted by linesmen William Bull and David Rock as well as fourth official Dean Treleaven – dismissed Watford’s Gabriele Angella, Southend’s Cian Bolger and Bradford City ‘keeper Jordan Pickford in three consecutive games at the end of last year, while in his most recent outing, Ward brandished seven yellow cards and sent off Notts County’s Liam Noble as his side suffered a 3-0 loss at Swindon.
Their Star Man
Former Barnsley striker Chris Dagnall leads the goal scoring charts for Tuesday night’s hosts; having bagged 12 times in 31 appearances this season. Despite only finding the back of the net on three occasions in his first 14 games, the Liverpool-born front man sparked into life with six goals in seven games at the turn of the year including a brace as the O’s defeated Crawley 4-1 at the Matchroom Stadium.
A brief lull in his goal scoring form followed but the 28-year-old – who spent two years with the Reds between January 2012 and January 2014 – has rediscovered his scoring boots of late; netting three times in his last four games including an early opener on Saturday as the O’s beat Yeovil. Dagnall – who joined Orient from Barnsley just over a year ago – is worth more than just goals to Fabio Liverani’s side however, with the attacker also claiming eight assists to his name this season.
Mutual Man
Goalkeeper David Button began his career with Tottenham Hotspur but it was his time away from White Hart Lane which saw the current Brentford stopper don the colours of both Barnsley and Leyton Orient. The 26-year-old completed 13 loan moves during his time in North London, with Orient becoming his 11th loan Club back in August 2011. The ‘keeper made two appearances for the O’s but failed to keep a clean sheet against either Carlisle or Bristol Rovers before a shoulder injury ruled him out for several months and cut short his temporary stay at the Matchroom Stadium.
Following his return to action, the Stevenage-born ‘keeper made eight appearances for Doncaster before joining the Reds in March 2012 as cover for the injured David Preece. Despite suffering defeat on his Barnsley debut, Button kept a clean sheet on his Oakwell bow as the Reds beat Peterborough 1-0 four days later. Six defeats in nine games meant his stay in South Yorkshire was not the happiest but another clean sheet in his final game for the Club against Brighton ensured it was a positive send off for the former England youth international.
That move to Oakwell proved to be Button’s last loan move away from parent Club Tottenham, with a permanent transfer to Charlton Athletic concluded during the summer of 2012. Following a year at the Valley, the shot stopper was looking for yet another Club and in July 2013 he signed on the dotted line at Brentford; for whom he has helped win promotion from League One and remains a regular between the posts in the Championship for the Bees.
Form Guide
Leyton Orient’s last five at home: (LLWLW)
Leyton Orient 0-1 Notts County
Leyton Orient 0-2 Bradford City
Leyton Orient 3-0 Oldham Athletic
Leyton Orient 1-3 Bristol City
Leyton Orient 3-0 Yeovil Town
Barnsley’s last five away: (LLWWW)
Swindon Town 2-0 Barnsley
Crawley Town 5-1 Barnsley
Scunthorpe United 0-1 Barnsley
Gillingham 0-1 Barnsley
Oldham Athletic 1-3 Barnsley
Going to the match?
Leyton Orient plays at the Matchroom Stadium, its address is as follows:
Matchroom Stadium
Oliver Road
Leyton
E10 5NF
How to get there
By Rail:
The nearest tube station is Leyton on the Central Line or Leyton Midland Road overground.
From Leyton Station, turn right down the hill and follow the High Road to Coronation Gardens on your left. Turn down Buckingham Road after the park and the ground is in front of you.
From Leyton Midland Road, turn left towards Leyton and continue down the High Road past Leyton County Cricket Ground until you reach Windsor Road. Turn down Windsor Road and the ground is in front of you.
By Road:
From North: Exit M25 at junction 27 and follow signs to `London (NE), M11' onto the M11 southbound.
After 7.1 miles where the road divides, bear right (s/p A406 N. Circ. Rd West, London N and W) onto the North Circular Road.
Keep in left hand lanes and take first exit after 0.6 miles (s/p Walthamstow and City A104, then Whipps Cross A104, West End (A503)).
At roundabout turn left (s/p Whipps Cross, Bakers Arms, Walthamstow A503) into Woodford New Road A104. At next roundabout (Whipps Cross) after 1.2 miles, take 2nd exit (s/p A104 Bakers Arms, Leyton) and follow road round to left, towards BP station, into Lea Bridge Road.
After 0.5 miles, just after Esso station, turn left at lights (s/p Leyton, Stratford, then Leyton Leisure Lagoon) into Leyton Green Road.
Filter left after 0.3 miles and turn left at T-junction into Leyton High Road. After 1.2 miles ground is down side streets on RHS.
From South/South-East via Blackwall Tunnel: Out of tunnel, continue on A102 following signs to `Stratford, Dalston'. Remain on the A102/A106 for 4.2 miles, following signs for Leyton, passing New Spitalfields Market and over a bridge.
At lights just after Car Superstore, turn left into Oliver Road.
Parking:
Due to being in a highly residential area, there is limited parking in the immediate area. There is limited on-street parking in the streets surrounding the ground though many of the roads have parking for permit holders only so please take care when parking to avoid penalty fines.
By Bus:
Nos. 58, 69, 97 and 158 run along Leyton High Road
