Barnsley 2-1 Walsall: Post Match Reaction

Last updated : 29 October 2005 By Rob Miles (barnsley Boy)

" I thought it was comical at the end after looking really comfortable in the first half. The situation probably conspired against us just as much as Walsall when they went down to ten men because they just threw caution to the wind.

It really just summed up how we have been this season and to some extent for a lot of last year as well but we showed a lot of mental strength to regroup and get the winner.

We scored a brilliant goal to start with and we were very pleased to see that but it is something you get from a Jekyll and Hyde side like us- we do play some good stuff at times.

We have to learn to kill teams off. We would have put the game beyond Rotherham if we had shown more composure in the first half and it was again the case today. We should have killed them off but there is always the chance of them getting a goal or fluking something to give them a chance. We have to learn to put teams to bed.

I thought there was some interesting interpretations of the rules out there particularly the well executed rugby tackle on Marc Richards in the second half which would have been cautionable in ice hockey.

We had to regroup after the goal and had to compose ourselves again. I think we did that for five minutes and got back in front but then we went to pieces again. We have to show more composure in the final third and we chose the wrong options a couple of times at the end when we could have finished the game. We were nervous and snatched at things a little.

Walsall were spirited and even though there were six or seven bookings I do not think it ever was in the wrong way. I think they will feel aggrieved not to have got anything from the game but we have to be pleased with getting all three points from a battle like that"

Barnsley Boy says: A fairly critical report from Rick but I can see where he is coming from. A great three points but our failure to put Walsall to bed could have proved fatal. Getting to 5th is excellent. The hard work starts now to stay in that top six.