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Match Reports

REDS TAKE ALL THREE POINTS ON EASTER MONDAY

1 April 2024

Match Reports

REDS TAKE ALL THREE POINTS ON EASTER MONDAY

1 April 2024

Barnsley again fought back from behind to claim a victory away at Burton Albion this afternoon.

After finding themselves a goal down at the break, John McAtee's brace and a first goal of the season for Luca Connell saw the Reds register a 12th away league win of the campaign.

With a change in system and three personnel changes from Good Friday's home defeat against Cambridge United, it was clear that Neill Collins was looking for something different from his side heading into this one against another outfit fighting for their Sky Bet League One lives.

There was an early chance for the Reds as with four minutes on the clock space opened up inside the box allowing Sam Cosgrove to shape to shoot only for Brewers' skipper John Brayford to slide in at the nick of time to block the eventual strike. 

Our hosts looked threatening however, attacking at pace and Mason Bennett soon forced Liam Roberts into a one-handed stop before the former Derby County man left the pitch with an injury, replaced by Deji Oshilaja.

An in-swinging Corey O'Keeffe free-kick from the right was delivered perfectly towards the six yard box but rather than finding Cosgrove in front of goal, Jon Russell got ahead of him and headed the ball high and wide.

Whilst enjoying most of the ball, the Reds had to be wary as Burton broke the offside trap on a couple of occasions, and on the half-hour mark this saw Joe Hugill scamper clear but his well-struck shot from 20 yards out dropped a foot wide of goal.

But the home side did find the net soon after when on 37 minutes, they robbed the Reds in midfield before Joe Powell ran at the back-pedalling Barnsley defence before drilling home with power, low and into the bottom corner from the edge of the box.

HALF-TIME: Burton Albion 1-0 Barnsley

The Reds boss looked to his bench during the interval, fetching on both McAtee and Adam Phillips and reverting to the shape most accustomed to across the season thus far. This would pay dividends within 10 minutes of the restart, as both subs were involved in Barnsley's leveller.

With 54 minutes on the referee's watch a Connell cross towards the far stick saw Phillips crash his header against the post but the ball fell kindly for the waiting McAtee who slammed home high and into the roof of the net from 10 yards.

Just 10 minutes later, the Reds forged ahead. After defending their own box, Cosgrove held his man off just before the halfway line and played the ball in behind the last defender allowing McAtee to scamper away and the forward spotted goalkeeper Sam Crocombe rushing from goal so curved the ball around him and into the corner, some 25 yards from goal. 

Collins' side were well on top now, confidence restored and on 68 minutes, Connell put the game to bed when he found his way into the left side of the box and fired home, low and hard into the bottom of the opposite corner.

There were nearly moments for both sides as the last 20 minutes ebbed away, but an important victory was gained by Barnsley, again coming from behind and in doing so, registering a couple of club records. A 42nd away point is the most picked up in one season and this 11th unbeaten away game in the league is the longest earned across a single campaign. Whilst that 12th away league victory equalled another long-standing club record.

We remain on our travels next weekend, journeying to Charlton Athletic on Saturday, and tickets for that clash at the Valley are available by clicking here.

FULL-TIME: Burton Albion 1-3 Barnsley

Roberts, Williams, de Gevigney, McCart, Earl, O'Keeffe (Phillips), Connell (Grant), Russell, Cadden, Kane (McAtee), Cosgrove (Cole).

Unused: Killip, James, Cotter.


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