The Reds registered a third straight league win this evening with a superb performance in difficult circumstances against Oxford United.
In atrocious conditions amidst the latest storm to aflict the UK, it was no surprise to see a lack of quality football as the players tried to get to grip with their surroundings at a wet and windy Kassam.
But it was Neill Collins' side who were enjoying most of the possession and doing most of the running in the early stages.
However, the first real 'moment' arrived when after we'd lost the ball on halfway our hosts broke in a two-on-one situation but after Mark Harris slipped Fin Stevens in on the right, the on-loan Brentford man's shot from 16 yards flew well wide of goal.
The Reds continued to dominate the ball and work their openings and Nicky Cadden was found by a beautiful Herbie Kane pass, on the left, he let fly and rattled the U's woodwork with a ferocious effort from the left edge of the box. It could have been a cross (hard to tell from the press box), but it was the closest either side had come thus far.
Soon after, U's goalkeeper Jamie Cumming's clearance found Devante Cole on the edge of the box but the league's leading scorer rushed the opportunity to shoot, sending the ball well over the crossbar.
On 24 minutes Barnsley produced some quality approach play which eventually saw John McAtee sliding in to meet Cadden's low cross, but the shot missed by a yard or so at Cumming's near post.
Five minutes further on and we did take the initiative. After a second phase following a set-play, Adam Phillips swung in a delicious cross that both Cole and defender Sam Long went for, seven yards out, and the ball flew into the bottom corner. It was awarded to Long, rather than our deadly number 44, but we were ahead with just over 15 minutes of the first half remaining.
Briefly before the break we fashioned another opening as Phillips and O'Keeffe worked room for the latter to cross but after a headed clearance, Jon Russell couldn't quite shape himself to fire home from the edge of the area, instead, blasting the ball into the ground and over the bar.
For the Reds, Phillips received treatment, as did Kane in what was a frantic affair in Oxford, whilst there was another, lengthier stoppage which saw U's defender Long eventually replaced with a head injury, forcing six minutes of added time, but we saw that out with no issues.
HALF TIME: Oxford United 0-1 Barnsley
There was no Phillips as the Reds returned for the second 45. The midfielder succumbing to his earlier injury, replaced by Sam Cosgrove.
Two minutes after the restart we had Liam Roberts to thank. The stopper did exactly that when called upon as Mark Harris took advantage of Jack Shepherd's weak headed back-pass to run through on goal before Roberts' right hand clawed away the eventual shot.
There was very little in the way of opportunities for most of the remainder of the game. The weather became even worse, with the ball regularly caught in the gusty wind.
Changes for both sides came and went. Kane was subbed off, meaning O'Keeffe was positioned in centre midfield. It looked like the Reds would need to cling on for all three points.
But Oxford barely laid an attacking glove on us all evening and had to rely on the long-range efforts of standout midfielder Cameron Brannagan. The former Liverpool youngster did go inches from levelling the contest when one of his myriad strikes from 25 yards crashed against the Reds' crossbar.
In the dying embers of normal time, Cadden found himself in space on the left and cut in to drive a strike inches wide of goal, but as we entered seven minutes of stoppage time, both sides were cancelling each other out, much to Barnsley's delight and as the referee blew time on the contest, Reds players, staff and 307 hardy souls who'd braved the weather celebrated in unison another huge three points on the road.
FULL TIME: Oxford United 0-1 Barnsley
Roberts, O'Keeffe, Williams, de Gevigney, Shepherd, Cadden, Kane (Cotter), Russell, Phillips (Cosgrove), McAtee, Cole (Watters).
Unused: Killip, Łopata, Bland, Atkinson.
