The Reds will be doing all they can to end the Club’s disappointing run of form when they travel to Oldham on Saturday.
Last weekend’s defeat at home to Port Vale was Barnsley’s eighth in a row in the league which leaves them sitting second bottom and two points adrift of safety.
Victory against York in the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy quarter-final failed to act as a catalyst for improved league form and that loss against the Valiants now means Lee Johnson’s side have failed to pick up a win in the league since late September.
This season’s draw specialists Oldham meanwhile sit five points above Barnsley in 18th place following their 2-1 success at Chesterfield last weekend.
That victory means the Latics – who have drawn 10 of their 17 games this season - have lost just one of their last five league matches and with two draws and two wins making up their last five results in League One they have seen a big improvement in form following their 11 match winless run.
Both of their recent victories have come on the road however - which has extended the Club’s unbeaten away record this term - but with the Lancashire outfit losing four of their last six home games and winning just once at SportsDirect.com Park in the league all season, Barnsley will take heart as they push for a much needed win.
Previous Meetings
The Reds will be looking to extend their unbeaten League run against Oldham to six games when they visit SportsDirect.com Park on Saturday afternoon.
Despite last season’s penalty shootout defeat against the Latics in the Football League Trophy, Barnsley completed a second consecutive league double against the Lancashire side.
In February a first-half Kane Hemmings strike was enough to secure a 1-0 victory against Lee Johnson’s side, while a month later and the Reds – now managed by Johnson – earned a 3-1 away win, including a brace from defender Lewin Nyatanga.
Those victories extended Barnsley’s winning run against the Latics to four games following the Club’s double in the 2005-06 campaign which saw the Reds win 4-0 at Oakwell, before a 3-0 triumph across the Pennines in Lancashire.
A 2-2 draw between the sides at Oakwell in the previous 2004-05 season was the beginning of Barnsley’s mini unbeaten league run, but that campaign also witnessed Oldham’s most recent league victory in this fixture when late goals from Chris Killen and Scott Vernon earned them a 3-2 home success.
Team News
Head coach Lee Johnson may opt to make changes as he takes his Barnsley side to former Club Oldham for the second time since his move to Oakwell.
Sam Winnall – who netted the Reds consolation goal last weekend against Port Vale – will be pushing to start from the off, while Michael Smith and Simeon Jackson will also be eager to show Johnson that they are more than capable of firing the Club back up the League One ladder.
The Reds remain without midfielder Josh Scowen however, with the former Wycombe man out for 10-12 weeks with a knee problem.
On a brighter note Reece Wabara returns to face his former Club following suspension, while the game could also see new Barnsley loan signing Aidy White make his debut for the Reds after the left-back joined from Rotherham earlier this week.
Also strengthening the back line is new signing Kevin Long, who joined on loan for a month from Burnley this morning.
Hosts Oldham will have captain Liam Kelly in their side, after the midfielder returned to action last Saturday after serving a suspension.
Lee Croft could also be set for a comeback after struggling with a knock of late but the game could come too soon for forward Jake Cassidy, who has missed recent games because of an ankle problem.
Man in the Middle
Graham Salisbury will take charge of a Barnsley game for the second time this season when they face Oldham on Saturday. The official was at the helm when the Reds faced Scunthorpe in August, with the Lancastrian awarding both sides a penalty as they played out a 1-1 draw before Barnsley progressed on penalties.
That match was the 15th Reds game that Salisbury has been in charge of, with the Tykes winning seven, drawing four and losing four in his company. Last season, the referee – who has brandished five red cards in 15 games this season – oversaw two Barnsley games including their 2-1 home win against Port Vale in January and their 1-1 draw at Notts County in April.
Salisbury is also a familiar face to Oldham fans, having taken charge of the Latics on six previous occasions. The most recent of those meetings came back in January 2014 when the Club suffered a disappointing 3-0 loss at home to Wolves. That was the Lancashire outfits’ fourth defeat when Salisbury has been the man in the middle, with their only two victories coming back in 2008 when they defeated Scunthorpe and then two years later when they beat Tranmere 2-1 at Prenton Park.
Their Star Man
Danny Philliskirk leads the goal scoring charts for Saturday’s hosts Oldham this season, as he looks to rekindle the kind of form which saw him light up League One following his move from Coventry to the Latics in August 2013.
Signed by Reds boss Lee Johnson, the Chelsea academy graduate netted 12 times in 47 appearances during the 2013-14 campaign including a brace on his debut in a Johnstone’s Paint Trophy victory at Shrewsbury. As Philliskirk continued to flourish under the guidance of Johnson, the former Oxford and Sheffield United man scored five times in the first half of last season but following his manager’s departure to Oakwell, the 24-year-old bagged just once in the final months of the campaign.
Despite that, the attacker began this season brightly, finding the back of the net twice in his first three games including a winner against Fleetwood, which came three days after the ex-England youth international netted a consolation against Middlesbrough in a League Cup defeat.
The versatile front man then went 11 games without a goal as the Latics struggled for form and underwent a managerial change. Following the appointment of former England international David Dunn as the Club’s new boss in early October however, Philliskirk has returned to form; striking in consecutive games against Sheffield United and Swindon last month, before netting twice in the last seven days against Chesterfield and then Mansfield.
Mutual Man
In July 2013 French defender Jean-Yves M’voto penned a two-year deal with the Reds; joining the Club on a free transfer from Saturday’s hosts Oldham despite being heavily linked with a move to South Yorkshire rivals Doncaster. M’Voto – who first came to England when he signed for Sunderland in 2008 – made his Barnsley debut in a disappointing 4-0 home defeat against Wigan and following a red card in his fifth appearance for the Tykes at Blackburn, it represented a difficult start to life at Oakwell for the giant centre-half.
As often is the case in football, things would improve for M’Voto and the Frenchman went onto make 30 appearances in the 2013-14 campaign; netting two goals in four games towards the end of the season.
The first of those came in a 2-1 win at Charlton but despite that victory and another goal for M’Voto at Middlesbrough, a 3-1 loss at the Riverside condemned Barnsley to relegation.
With the Reds eager to bounce straight back from League One, M’Voto was seen as a key part of the squad but following several injuries and suspensions, the defender made only 16 appearances for the Club last season. He did however help the Tykes keep five clean sheets during those 16 outings; one of which came against former employers Oldham in February this year. The Parisian would make his final appearance for the Club six games later in a 2-2 draw at Bristol City, with the imminent arrivals of Marc Roberts from Halifax and Alfie Mawson from Brentford seeing M’Voto released alongside fellow defender Martin Cranie in May.
Before his spell with the Reds, the ex-France U19 international spent three successful years at Oldham. The first of those came during a loan spell from Sunderland in 2010 when the versatile defender helped his new side keep nine clean sheets in 30 appearances. Some fine performances saw Oldham snap up his services on a permanent basis at the end of the season after he was released by his parent Club. The 27-year-old – who is yet to find a new Club since departing Oakwell – would go onto make 93 appearances and score six times over the next two seasons as Oldham survived relegation twice.
In his final campaign for the Club, M’Voto became an asset not only in his own penalty box but also in the oppositions; bagging five times including strikes in victories against Colchester, the MK Dons, Hartlepool and Crawley. Those goals saw M’Voto’s career tally rise to 11 and with both his attacking and defensive capabilities showcased at Oldham and Barnsley it will not be long before the Paris Saint-Germain youth product finds a new home.
Form Guide
Oldham’s last five at home: (DLDLW)
Oldham Athletic 1-1 Wigan Athletic
Oldham Athletic 2-4 Scunthorpe United
Oldham Athletic 1-1 Sheffield United
Oldham Athletic 0-1 Burton Albion
Oldham Athletic 2-0 Mansfield Town (Cup)
Barnsley’s last five away from home: (WLLLL)
Bradford City 1-2 Barnsley (Cup)
Southend United 2-1 Barnsley
Scunthorpe United 2-0 Barnsley
Coventry City 4-3 Barnsley
Altrincham 1-0 Barnsley (Cup)
Going to the match?
Oldham play at SportsDirect.com Park, its full address is as follows:
SportsDirect.com Park
Furtherwood Road
Oldham
Lancs
OL1 2PA
From Season 2015/16 onwards visiting supporters have been relocated to the Zen Office Chadderton Road Stand (‘Chaddy End’) at SportsDirect.com Park. This is the stand at the ‘bottom end’ of the ground and directly opposite the traditional away end where your fans may recall being seated previously. Please also be advised that we recommend that any disabled supporters access the stadium via turnstiles 36-39 from the main car park adjacent to our North Stand which is under development.
The main car park is currently being redeveloped and as such match day parking on site is restricted.
How to get there
From the M62:
Exit at Junction 20 and take the A627M signed Oldham. Exit A627M at Junction 1.
(To supporters’ car park) At the roundabout take the first exit (A663) sign-posted Royton & Oldham Athletic Football Club. After ¼ mile turn right onto Hilber Ave. The entrance to the main car park will be signposted.
(To club offices) At the roundabout take the second exit (A627) sign-posted Oldham. After 300 yards branch left at the traffic lights and follow the road past the B & Q Warehouse. At the mini roundabout turn right for match day parking and left for the Main reception.
From the M60 (Manchester Orbital Motorway)
Exit at Junction 22 and, at the traffic signals turn right onto the A62. At Manchester Street Roundabout take the 1st exit, then merge onto the A627. At Featherstall Road North roundabout take the 2nd exit onto the A627. Continue forward onto Westhulme Way and follow the road past the B & Q Warehouse. At the mini roundabout turn right for match day parking and left for the Main reception.
By Bus:
The nearest bus stops for SportsDirect.com Park are situated outside The Royal Oldham Hospital, at the top of Sheepfoot Lane. Over 30 buses an hour serve these stops during the day, the most frequent being the 409 between Ashton under Lyne, Oldham, Royton and Rochdale.
For public transport information visit www.tfgm.com or contact Traveline on 0871 200 22 33.
By Rail & foot/taxi:
The nearest train station to SportsDirect.com Park is Mills Hill (MIH) train station, Middleton which is approximately 2.1miles from the stadium.
It is approximately a 45 minute walk from the station to the stadium via the following route:
1. Head east on Middleton Rd/A669 toward Mills Hill Rd 0.1 mi
2. Turn left onto Haigh Ln/B6195 Continue to follow B6195 0.8 mi
3. Continue onto Burnley Ln 0.3 mi
4. Slight right to stay on Burnley Ln 0.2 mi
5. At the roundabout, take the 2nd exit onto Chadderton Way/A627 0.4 mi
6. Slight left onto Westhulme Way 0.1 mi
7. Turn left onto Boundary Park Rd 92 ft
8. Turn right onto Kenwood Rd 167 ft
9. Slight right toward Furtherwood Rd 413 ft
10. Turn right onto Furtherwood Rd
Alternatively, a local taxi number is 0161 633 6960 Home & Away Taxis
For public transport information visit www.tfgm.com or contact Traveline on 0871 200 22 33.
By Metrolink & foot/taxi
The closest metrolink station is Westwood which is approximately 1 mile and a 20 minute walk to the stadium via the following route:
1. Once disembarking from the tram walk down the hill/
2. At the first set of traffic lights turn right onto Featherstall Road.
3. Follow this road until reaching a roundabout where there will be a Tesco on your right hand side.
4. Cross the roundabout until you reach a second roundabout.
5. Take the first exit as you approach and you will be walking alongside a dual carriageway.
6. Cross the road at the first set of traffic lights where you be walking towards a B&Q Warehouse.
7. Follow this road past the B&Q and the stadium will be in front of you.
Alternatively, a local taxi number is 0161 633 6960 Home & Away Taxis
For public transport information visit www.tfgm.com or contact Traveline on 0871 200 22 33.
Ticket Information
Tickets are priced as follows:
Adults £22
Over 65 £12
Under 16 £10
Under 12 £5
The Official Club coaches will departs Oakwell at 12.15pm on the day of the game and is priced at £14 per seat.
