Barnsley 2 – 2 Cardiff

Barnsley surrendered a two goal lead and only come away with a point from their home clash with Cardiff City at Oakwell.

The draw ended a run of three league defeats for the reds but felt more like a defeat given that the reds were 2 – 0 up and some decisions and poor finishing went against them.

Barnsley boy Mick McCarthy was in charge of the visitors for the first time and it’s fair to say that Barnsley very rarely get a result against one of his teams.

Mads Andersen headed home a Frieser cross for what was remarkably his first goal for the club to send the reds in to a 1 – 0 half time lead.

Woodrow doubled lead after the break as he headed home a Mowatt free kick. Both crosses and headers for both goals were superb.

It was a slight surprise to see Ismael stick with the same team that beat Norwich in the FA cup. For me it was our best performance of the season against Norwich but I still expected Walton and Sollbauer to come back in for Collins and Sibbick and I feel both should in the next match.

Barnsley did start this match well and were the better of the two sides up until Cardiff scored and we inexplicably lost the plot.

Barnsley started well and had the ball in the back of the net in the seventh minute. Junior Hoilett sliced the ball up in the air in his own box then goalkeeper Alex Smithies dropped it into the net but the referee awarded a foul by Cauley Woodrow, who looked to have been pushed into Smithies by City defender Aden Flint. 

The referee decided there was a foul probably by Woodrow on the goalkeeper but for me the goal should have stood. It did however come as no surprise to see the referee rule it out. Anyone making a challenge with the goalkeeper seems to be wrongly penalised these days.

Cardiff pulled one back from a corner that should never have been awarded but that doesn’t excuse how many failed opportunities to clear that we messed up before the ball ended up in the back of net.

It really was a game of set pieces and Ismael even described Cardiff’s corners as almost as good as a penalty with the quality they possess from them.

You knew Barnsley would need another if they were to win this game as old boy Kiefer Moore was bound to score and so he did with a trade mark header with goalkeeper and defenders in no man’s land.

 Styles had the chance to win it for the reds in injury time but the match winner from Saturday could only blaze is shot over the bar from about ten yards out.

A point that stops the rot and our first draw under Ismael which is a remarkable stat in itself.

Barnsley travel to Nottingham Forest on Saturday who are on a decent run of form despite a lowly league position so it will be another difficult game.

COYR

Reds Ratings:

Collins           5

Sibbick           6

Helik               7

Andersen      7

Brittain           6

Styles             6

Palmer           6

Mowatt           7

Frieser            6

Adeboyejo     6

Woodrow       7