Barnsley will spend a League One Christmas outside the top six for the first time since 2015-2016 (when they were actually in the relegation zone before going on to win promotion in May) The Reds sat sixth on the festive day in 2018 and then fourth last season.
After going a whole season without coming from 1-0 down to win in 2022-2023, Barnsley have now achieved it twice in 2023-2024 – the first time it has occurred twice in a season since 2020-2021 (4)
Ironically both of Barnsley’s come-from-behind victories this season (which have come in the last three matches) have occurred after falling behind after four minutes.
This was Barnsley’s first come-from-behind victory at Oakwell in 49 home league games, it last occurred in a 2-1 Championship victory over Derby County in November 2021.
Herbie Kane has netted in both come-from-behind victories this season with the winner against Stevenage his fifth goal of the season – his best ever tally for the Reds and one more than he managed in the whole of 2022-2023.
Kane’s goal was Barnsley’s 40th in the league so far this season – only Peterborough (43) and Bolton (41) have netted more in League One.
It is the first time Barnsley have hit the 40 goal mark by Christmas since 1999-2000 when they had 42 goals by Christmas Day and finished on 88.
Barnsley have now lost only one of their last six matches immediately before Christmas (to Swansea in 2020) and have won four of those last six (D1)
Barry Cotter’s 97th minute yellow card was the sixth time a Barnsley player has received a card of some colour this season in injury time but Barnsley’s latest since Brad Collins was also booked after 97 minutes against Shrewsbury in November 2022.
This was the first ever meeting between Barnsley and Stevenage and ended a 13 match unbeaten run for the Boro in all competitions (W7 D6) with this only their fifth league defeat since winning promotion.
Barnsley Team:
1. Liam Roberts
26. Jamie McCart
2. Jordan Williams
6. Mael de Gevigney
22. Corey O’Keeffe
30. Adam Phillips
48. Luca Connell
8. Herbie Kane
20. Callum Styles
45. John McAtee
44. Devante Cole
Substitutes:
9. Sam Cosgrove (for Phillips 59)
17. Barry Cotter (for O’Keeffe 59)
3. Jon Russell (for Connell 75)
7. Nicky Cadden (for Cole 85)
12. Fabio Jalo (for McAtee 85)
Unused Substitutes:
23. Ben Killip, 4.Kacper Lopata.
Stevenage Team:
1. Taye Ashby-Hammond
6. Dan Sweeney
5. Carl Piergianni
15. Terence Vancooten
17. Finley Burns
3. Dan Buter
2. Luther Wildin
8. Jake Forster-Caskey
29. Kane Hemmings
19. Jamie Reid
11. Jordan Roberts
Substitutions:
10. Nick Freeman (for Roberts 77)
9. Elliott List (for Reid 77)
20. Aaron Pressley (for Hemmings 77)
18. Harvey White (for Forster-Caskey 87)
Unused Substitutes:
12. Krisztian Hegyi, 4. Nathan Thompson, 23. Louis Thompson.
SkyBet League One Results:
FRIDAY 22ND DECEMBER 2023:
Cambridge United (13th) 2-0 Exeter City (20th)
Ahadme pen 17
Kachunga 84
SATURDAY 23RD DECEMBER 2023:
BARNSLEY (7th) 2-1 Stevenage (6th)
Wildin 4
McAtee 32
Kane 70
Blackpool (8th) 3-1 Bristol Rovers (12th)
Norburn 21
Marquis 25
Beesley 46
Rhodes 82
Bolton Wanderers (3rd) 3-2 Leyton Orient (16th)
Dacres-Cogley 3
Charles 7
Thomason 10
Forde 55
Archibald 60
Carlisle United (23rd) 0-1 Cheltenham Town (24th)
Sercombe 27
Charlton Athletic (11th) 1-1 Burton Albion (19th)
Jones 19
Sweeney 90+1
Northampton Town (10th) 2-1 Oxford United (5th)
Bowie 50
Brannagan pen 62
Simpson 90+7
Portsmouth (1st) 1-1 Fleetwood Town (22nd)
Bishop pen 45+3
Earl 63
Reading (21st) 2-0 Wigan Athletic (18th)
Azeez 34
Smith 50
Shrewsbury Town (14th) 1-2 Peterborough United (2nd)
Shipley 58
Jones 64
Kyprianou 77
Wycombe Wanderers (17th) 1-1 Port Vale (15th)
Sadlier 51
Garrity 90
Barnsley lie in 7th place in Sky Bet League One with 38 points from 21 games. We are 2 points off the Play-Offs, 6 points off the Automatic Promotion Places, 11 points off First Place and 20 points above the Relegation Zone.
Up to 25/12/23
Next Up:
On The Road:
Sky Bet League One Matchday Twenty Two: Port Vale v Barnsley, Tuesday 26th December 2023. Kick Off: 3pm
At Oakwell:
Sky Bet League One Matchday Twenty Four: Barnsley v Wigan Athletic, Monday 1st January 2024. Kick Off: 3pm