Swindon dumped
Swindon 0
REDS 1 (Winnall 88)
A dramatic Sam Winnall winner gives the Reds a sixth successive League One victory, as he fires home a Josh Scowen cross with just a minute remaining.
With nothing to choose between the two teams in the dying stages, Scowen took control of the ball out-wide on the right and crossed into the box. Lloyd Isgrove dummied the ball thus creating confusion for Winnall to smash the ball home at the back-post.
Swindon flung balls into the Reds penalty area in stoppage time which created them a chance to equalise, but for the third successive game George Williams blocked an effort on the line send the Barnsley faithful into raptures as the whistle was blown shortly after.
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A relatively even first half in which the first effort on goal took 15 minutes, the teams went in level at half time.
Barnsley arguably had the better chances through Watkins, Winnall and Hourihane but Swindon ‘keeper Lawrence Vigouroux stood strong to deny an opening goal.
After a uneventful start to the match, the Reds had two good chances to take the lead thanks to superb work from Lloyd Isgrove down the left hand-side.
The tricky winger broke from defence, carrying the ball 70 yards before crossing to find Marley Watkins who fired a left footed volley straight at Vigouroux in the Swindon net. The ball came back out to Hourihane who crossed again finding the head of Sam Winnall, but the in-form striker headed over.
Swindon fashioned a chance of their own not long after as Ajose race through one on one with ‘keeper Adam Davies, but the Reds stopper came rushing out of his goal to clear the danger.
Two free kicks from Hourihane and Josh Brownhill were unable to test the Swindon ‘keeper, both from 25 yards, as they went over the bar.
Right on the stroke of half time as the Fourth Official held up two minutes to be added, the Reds broke from a Swindon corner. Good work from Ashley Fletcher down the right hand-side as he played Sam Winnall who broke through midfield before laying the ball to Hourihane, but the Reds Captain fired his shot low into the legs of Vigoroux.
HALF TIME: Swindon 0-0 Reds
The second half began with the Reds nearly taking the lead through Conor Hourihane. The ball fell to his left foot 18 yards-out, but his effort was blocked. The ball then fell to Winnall who tried to find Fletcher at the back-post but the ball just evaded him.
Swindon quickly fashioned their own chance but a fantastic diving save from Davies denied Jonathan Obika, after his left footed strike.
With 20 minutes remaining, Head Coach Lee Johnson brought on Josh Scowen for Fletcher, which was to prove a pivotal substitution.
With very little to choose between the two sides and no clear cut chances being created, the match looked destined for a draw.
The Reds had formed the better chances of the match and showed their quality to take all three points at the end. Scowen crossed into the box from the right where Lloyd Isgrove dummied the ball, where it fell to Sam Winnall at the back-post to smash in the winner.
The Fourth Official added on three minutes of injury time to cause a nervousness in the Barnsley ranks, but they held firm to keep a second successive clean sheet on the road and gain a sixth successive League One win.
Reds XI: Davies (GK), Bree, Long, Mawson, G. Williams, Isgrove, Brownhill, Hourihane (C), Watkins, Winall, Fletcher (Scowen ’68).
Subs: Townsend (GK), McCourt, Khan, H. White, Templeton.
Attendance: 7532 (477 away).
