Relegation to League One after eight years is becoming more and more of a reality as defeat to Premier League bound Burnley left Barnsley five points adrift of safety with just six games remaining.
The Reds had come into successive home games on the back of a double away day success that had left them just goal difference away from escaping the relegation zone but they have managed to pick up just one point from these two matches at Oakwell.
It leaves them looking to do something NOBODY has ever done before, and survive relegation from the second tier after being 23rd with 40 matches played.
The last side to escape when second bottom was Watford in 1991/1992, the last year that only two sides went down.
Barnsley were also second bottom of this division after 40 games in 2001-2002. They had accrued three more points (39) than they have now (36), but were still relegated with a total of 48.
Barnsley have scored seven goals in their last two away matches but they have now gone four matches since they netted at Oakwell. It is their longest goal-less streak at home for 10 years. They also went four without a goal in February/March 2004.
Ashley Barnes grabbed the only goal of the game. He has scored three goals in his last three appearances against Barnsley for Burnley and Brighton.
His effort after seven minutes last night is the joint second earliest Barnsley have conceded this season, and the joint quickest at Oakwell.
The last time Barnsley came from 1-0 down to win a game was back on the 19th February 2013. Of the 54 league games they have played since, they have conceded the first goal on 29 occasions, losing 23, and drawing six.
Burnley won at Oakwell for only the second time in 19 visits, and completed a league double over The Reds for only the second time in 82 years.
Backed by 2,800 Burnley fans, the attendance at Oakwell last night was 12,904, Barnsley’s highest midweek home attendance for four years. 20,309 packed in for the match with Leeds in September 2010.
Barnsley Team:
Luke Steele
Tom Kennedy
Lewin Nyatanga
Jean-Yves Mvoto
Ryan McLaughlin
Tomasz Cywka
Jacob Mellis (YC)
Stephen Dawson
Martin Woods
Dale Jennings
Chris O’Grady (YC)
Substitutes:
Reuben Noble-Lazarus (for Mellis 60)
Paddy McCourt (for Woods 81)
Unused Substitutes:
Iain Turner, Bobby Hassell, Jack Hunt, Emmanuel Frimpong, Nick Proschwitz.
Match Reports:
Sky Bet Championship results Tuesday 8th April 2014:
BARNSLEY 0-1 Burnley
Blackburn 2-0 QPR
Bournemouth 3-1 Reading
Charlton 3-2 Yeovil
Doncaster 1-2 Bolton
Huddersfield 0-2 Ipswich
Leicester 1-4 Brighton
Middlesbrough 3-1 Birmingham
Nottingham Forest 3-3 Sheffield Wednesday
Watford 3-0 Leeds
Wigan 0-1 Millwall
Blackpool 1-3 Derby
Barnsley lie in 23rd place in the Sky Bet Npower Championship with 36 points from 40 games.
We are 27 points off the Play-Offs 47 points off the Automatic Promotion Places, 53 points off First place and 5 points inside the Relegation Zone.
Up to 9/4/14
Next Up:
On The Road:
Sky Bet Championship Matchday Forty-One: Bolton Wanderers v Barnsley Saturday 12th April 2014: 3:07pm.
Tickets:
Adult: £25.00
Over 65: £18.00
Young Adult: (18-22 yrs) £18.00
Under 18: £10.00
At Oakwell:
Sky Bet Championship Matchday Forty-Three: Barnsley v Leeds United Saturday 19th April 2014. 3pm.
Tickets:
Adults £23.00
Over 65's £16.00
Student (aged 18-20) £16.00
Under 18's £16.00
Under 12's £5.00*
*Under 12's tickets must be purchased with an adult or over 65's ticket