Barnsley ended a regular season home campaign with defeat for the first time in eight years which ensures they will finish bottom of a division for the first time in 57 years.
The last time Barnsley lost their final home game of the season (not including play-offs) was 2013-2014 when the season concluded with a 3-2 home defeat to QPR - another season the Reds were relegated to League One.
They are now four points off 23rd place Peterborough so therefore will finish rock bottom of the Championship - the first time they have come last in any league since 1964/1965 when they finished 24th in the Third Division. They collected 29 points that season which is one less than the 2022 team's current tally however it was only two points for a win back then.
The most points Barnsley can accrue this season now is 33 so will definitely gain their least amount of points since the introduction of three points for a victory, beating the previous tally of 35 set in the Premier League season of 1997-1998 - however only 38 games were played. Their previous lowest after 46 games was 39 in 2013-2014.
This is the fourth time Barnsley will have finished bottom of a league, also doing so at this level in 1958/1959 and 1952/1953.
The Reds finish this Oakwell campaign with only five wins and 22 points – it’s their lowest number of home wins since 2017/2018 (also 5) and their lowest ever points tally in the 3 points for a win era - last accruing such a low number of home points when they won six and drew 10 to gain 22 in 1971/1972.
This game was the third time this season Barnsley have lost a match in which they opened the scoring (also at home to Nottingham Forest and away at Bristol City) the most times it has happened in a season since 2016-2017 when it happened on five occasions.
Daniel Johnson grabbed a brace for Preston, his second and third goals against Barnsley this season having netted in the corresponding fixture in December, he has scored a total of six goals against Barnsley for Preston in his career.
Barnsley have now lost five of their last six meetings with Preston, conceding 15 goals in those six games.
They have lost three successive meetings with Preston for the third time (also doing so in the first three meetings between 1901 and 1902 and then again between 1951 and 1971.
This was Preston's second victory in their last three trips to Oakwell.
Preston enjoyed 70% ball possession, only Swansea (79%) have enjoyed more as an opponent at Oakwell this season.
There were 34 shots in the game, the most at Oakwell this season.
Barnsley Team:
1. Jack Walton
15. Jasper Moon
32. Jason Sraha
5. Liam Kitching
23. Will Hondermarck
33. Matty Wolfe
21. Romal Palmer
4. Callum Styles
29. Victor Adeboyejo
37. Aiden Marsh
14. Carlton Morris
Substitutes:
22. Clarke Oduor (for Palmer 25)
9. Cauley Woodrow (for Marsh 67)
38. Jordan Helliwell (for Hondermarck 75)
Unused Substitutes:
18. Isaac Christie-Davies, 34. David Bremang, 39. Amir Arielly, 51. Kieren Flavell.
Preston Team:
12. Daniel Iversen
2. Sepp van den Berg
5. Patrick Bauer
6. Liam Lindsay
4. Ben Whiteman
44. Brad Potts
13. Ali McCann
8. Alan Browne
11. Daniel Johnson
19. Emil Riis
21. Cameron Archer
Substitutions:
41. Bambo Diaby (for Lindsay 45)
39. Mikey O'Neill (for Archer 79)
24. Sean Maguire (for Riis 85)
Unused Substitutes:
25. Connor Ripley, 3. Greg Cunningham, 15. Joe Rafferty, 31. Scott Sinclair
Preston manager Ryan Lowe said:
“It was a good day all round, obviously wearing the hats for the fans, Gentry Day and three points.
“I thought the performance was very good in spells. We created plenty of chances, loads of passes, loads of entries into their half and I think we could have scored a few more goals to be a little bit critical, but I’m really pleased.
“The lads have given us a reaction from the last couple of losses and I said I want to finish the season on a high and certainly that’s what we’ve started from today and hopefully we can continue next week.”
Match Reports:
Sky Bet Championship Results
FRIDAY 29TH APRIL 20222
Queens Park Rangers (12th) 1-3 Sheffield United (5th)
Austin 31
Nidaye 54
Robinson 73
Hourihane 90+4
SATURDAY 30TH APRIL 2022
BARNSLEY (24th) 1-3 Preston North End (14th)
Marsh 16
Johnson 23
Johnson 54
Riis 74
Blackburn Rovers (9th) 0-3 AFC Bournemouth (2nd)
Solanke 21
Billing 70
Billing 79
Blackpool (16th) 0-2 Derby County (22nd)
Ebiowei 73
Cashin 82
Bristol City (17th) 5-0 Hull City (18th)
Weimann 5
Semenyo 33
Martin 35
Martin 54
Weimann 82
Cardiff City (19th) 1-1 Birmingham City (20th
Bela 22
Vaulks pen 82
Coventry City (11th) 1-2 Huddersfield Town (4th)
Toffolo 45
Anjorin pen 79
Gyokeres 90
Middlesbrough (7th) 3-1 Stoke City (13th)
Crooks 21
Baker og 25
Crooks 72
Powell 90+4
Millwall (8th) 3-0 Peterborough United (23rd)
Afobe 53
Knight og 73
Saville 76
Nottingham Forest (3rd) 5-1 Swansea City (15th)
Christie og 22
Obafemi 28
Surridge 48
Surridge 52
Surridge 69
Mighten 84
Reading (21st) 0-1 West Bromwich Albion (10th)
Grant 78
MONDAY 2ND MAY 2022
Fulham (1st) 7-0 Luton Town (6th)
Cairney 29
Tete 39
Carvalho 54
Mitrovic 62
De Cordova Reid 65
Seri 79
Mitrovic 90+2
Barnsley lie in 24th place in the Sky Bet Championship with 30 points from 45 games. We are 42 points off the Play-Offs, 52 points off the Automatic Promotion Places, 60 points off First Place and 11 points inside the Relegation Zone.
Up to 02/05/22
Next Up:
On The Road:
Sky Bet Championship Matchday Forty Six: West Bromwich Albion v Barnsley, Saturday 7th May 2022. Kick-Off: 12:30pm
At Oakwell:
League One 2022/2023