· A first Barnsley goal for American Jonathan Lewis spared the Reds another painful home defeat however a draw pretty much puts to an end any lingering hopes of making the League One play-offs for a third successive season.
· This was the sixth home league game in which Barnsley have conceded the opening goal this season with this and a 2-2 draw with Wycombe back in October the only occasions they have not gone on to lose.
· This was the 17th league game overall in 2024-2025 in which the Reds have gone 1-0 down and only the fifth they have not lost (W2 D3), they had lost each of the previous six prior to this match.
· The Us had took the lead after just nine minutes, the earliest Barnsley have conceded since the 21st December against Leyton Orient (six minutes)
· There has only been three league games this season in which Barnsley have conceded in the opening 10 minutes and two have come against Cambridge.
· It’s a goal that gives Barnsley the joint worst home defensive record in League One this season, alongside rock bottom Shrewsbury conceding 30 goals in front of their own supporters. Only Plymouth (34) have conceded more home goals in the entire EFL so far this season.
· Josh Benson went off after only 19 minutes with yet another injury issue – this is the FIFTH time in his Barnsley career in which he has been substituted in the first half – also at Huddersfield in the EFL Trophy this season and against Charlton in January 2023, Sheffield Wednesday in September 2022 and Ipswich in August 2022. He has also been subbed on and off in the second half on three occasions, against Derby in November 2023 (on the pitch for six minutes) Sheffield Wednesday in the play-off final in May 2023 (17 minutes) and Peterborough in December 2022 (17 minutes). Benson’s last league 90 minutes for the club came way back in October 2022 against Morecambe.
· As mentioned before Barnsley rescued a point in injury time (90+2) the third time they have scored an injury time goal in the league this season, earning a total of four points (1 v Cambridge and Charlton, 2 v Blackpool)
· Mansfield defeated Barnsley in injury time last time out meaning there has been 90+ goals in successive Barnsley games for the second time in 2025 (also v Stevenage and Wycombe in January)
· This was Barnsley’s first stalemate in nine outings and only their eighth from 38 league outings in 2024-2025, only five sides have had less.
· It is however their seventh home draw and only Blackpool (11) have drawn more in front of their own supporters. The Reds only away league draw this season also came against Cambridge.
· A substitute has now scored for Barnsley in two of the last three home games, prior to this they had gone 19 league games since a substitute had netted.
· Barnsley sit 11th in League One on the 23rd March 2025, their lowest placing in the footballing pyramid at this stage of a season for 20 years – they were 13th in League One on the 23rd March 2005.
· Despite not seeing their goal difference suffer they are the only side in the top half of League One who have conceded more than they have scored.
· The official attendance of 10,790 was Barnsley’s second lowest Saturday Oakwell crowd of the season, only against Burton (10,555) have they had a lower weekend turnout.
· Mael de Gevigney collected the Reds first yellow card of the game after 55 minutes, the club had only received one yellow across their previous four matches – the last card showed prior to that run was a red to de Gevigney at Northampton.
· Kelechi Nwakali (90+4) and Jon Russell (90+5) both picked up injury time yellows, meaning Barnsley have now received 16 cards of some colour in the 90th minute or later.
· Russell’s yellow is the first for a Barnsley substitute for 13 games since Conor McCarthy and Sam Cosgrove were booked against Crawley on the 4th January.
· Barnsley have produced identical home and away results against each of their last two opponents (2-1 defeats to Mansfield and 1-1 draws with Cambridge)
· This is the first time both league meetings between Barnsley and Cambridge have ended in a stalemate.
· Prior to this campaign somebody had won each of the last six meetings (Barnsley five of them) and the Reds had done the double over the Us in each of the previous three seasons they had met.
· Overall it is the ninth draw between the two teams, six of which has been 1-1 with the other three being 0-0.
· Barnsley have now lost only of the last nine meetings (W5 D3 L1)
· This is the first season in six that the two sides have met that both teams scored in both meetings.
· It is also the first time in six Oakwell clashes that both teams have scored.
· Barnsley had 74% ball possession, they had 72% in the home meeting last season but have failed to win either.
· Barnsley have had five corners in each of their last three matches.
Barnsley Team:
51. Kieran Flavell
6. Mael de Gevigney
5. Donovan Pines
21. Conor McCarthy
10. Josh Benson
50. Kelechi Nwakali
48. Luca Connell
7. Corey O’Keeffe
8. Adam Phillips
36. Max Watters
40. Davis Keillor-Dunn
Substitutes:
30. Jonathan Bland (for Benson 19)
11. Fabio Jalo (for Connell 62)
44. Stephen Humphrys (for Watters 62)
3. Jon Russell (for Pines 63)
14. Jonathan Lewis (for Phillips 77)
Unused Substitutes:
27. Adam Hayton, 33. Clement Rodrigues.
Cambridge Team:
13. Nathan Bishop
26. James Gibbons
5. Michael Morrison
6. Kelland Watts
33. Scott Malone
22. Josh Stokes
28. Ben Stevenson
10. Elias Kachunga
4. Paul Digby
7. James Brophy
29. Dom Ballard
Substitutions:
11. Sullay Kaikai (for Ballard 66)
9. Dan Nlundulu (for Stokes 79)
Unused Substitutes:
1. Jack Stevens, 2. Liam Bennett, 15. Jubril Okedina, 38. George Hoddle, 18. Ryan Loft.
Sky Bet League One Results:
BARNSLEY (11th) 1-1 Cambridge United (23rd)
Brophy 9
Lewis 90+2
Crawley Town (22nd) 1-0 Bristol Rovers (20th)
Doyle 19
Lincoln City (12th) 0-0 Exeter City (16th)
Northampton Town (19th) 0-2 Blackpool (10th)
Fletcher 20
Ennis 61
Peterborough United (15th) 3-0 Charlton Athletic (4th)
Hughes 38
Odoh 43
Mothersille 79
Wrexham (2nd) 1-0 Stockport County (5th)
Rodriguez 29
Barnsley lie in 11th place in Sky Bet League One with 53 points from 38 games. We are 8 points off the Play-Offs, 21 points off the Automatic Promotion Places, 30 points off First Place and 17 points above the Relegation Zone.
Up to 23/3/25
Next Up:
On The Road:
Sky Bet League One Matchday Thirty Nine: Wigan Athletic v Barnsley, Saturday 29th March 2025. Kick Off: 3pm
At Oakwell:
Sky Bet League One Matchday Forty: Barnsley v Exeter City, Tuesday 1st April 2025. Kick Off: 7:45pm