Barnsley remain unbeaten three games into the 2023-2024 season (excluding penalty shootouts) but failed to win a league match in which they had opened the scoring for only the fifth time in 33 such matches (W28 D5) although last losing from a 1-0 lead in the final home game of 2021-2022 against Preston (1-3)
This start gives them an identical start to the 2021-2022 season when they won one and drew one of their opening two league matches and lost a League Cup tie on penalties.
This is the first time Barnsley have scored in their opening three games of a season since 2018-2019.
Barnsley have opened a league campaign with a win and a draw in 2023-2024 and 2021-2022, prior to this the last time they had four points from two games was 2004-2005 (they had the full six points in 2018-2019)
Just like the last time Barnsley scored seven goals in a league game (v Huddersfield in 1998) they went on to draw their following league matche (0-0 v Watford in 1998)
Barnsley have failed to win any of their last five opening away league fixtures of a season (D2 L3) - their 2-0 victory at Bradford in 2018-2019 is their only opening away league game victory in nine (W1 D2 L6)
Nicky Cadden's opener was Barnsley's earliest goal since Devante Cole netted after four minutes in a 5-0 win over Morecambe on the 1st April.
It is Barnsley's earliest away goal since James Norwood also netted after seven in a 4-0 win at Cheltenham on the 18th February.
This draw edges the two clubs every closer to having achieved each result an equal amount of times - this was the 11th draw between the clubs to go alongside 12 wins apiece.
They have drawn each of the last two meetings at the MEM.
Barnsley have lost just one of the last nine meetings spread over 31 years (W5 D3 L1)
However they have now won only one of the last 13 trips to the blue half of Bristol (W1 D5 L7) a 5-1 victory in November 1992.
Barnsley Team:
1. Liam Roberts
2. Jordan Williams
4. Kacper Lopata
5. Liam Kitching (c)
17. Barry Cotter
8. Herbie Kane
3. Jon Russell
7. Nicky Cadden
20. Callum Styles
44. Devante Cole
36. Max Watters
Substitutes:
16. Andy Dallas (for Watters 59)
14. Oli Shaw (for Cole 75)
15. Kyran Lofthouse (for Russell 90+7)
38. Theo Chapman (for Cotter 90+7)
Unused Substitutes:
41. Jack Shepherd, 23. Ben Killip, 43. Charlie Winfield.
Bristol Rovers Team:
33. Matthew Cox
30. Luca Hoole
17. Connor Taylor
25. Tristan Crama
3. Lewis Gordon
6. Sam Finley (c)
8. Grant Ward
11. Luke Thomas
21. Antony Evans
10. Aaron Collins
9. John Marquis
Substitutions:
4. Josh Grant (for Gordon 73)
7. Scott Sinclair (for Finley 73)
18. Ryan Loft (for Collins90+3)
23. Luke McCormick (for Evans90+3)
Unused Substitutes:
2. James Connolly, 35. Matthew Hall, 44. Ryan Jones.
Match Reports:
Sky Bet League One Results:
SATURDAY 12TH AUGUST 2023:
Bristol Rovers (15th) 1-1 BARNSLEY (5th)
Cadden 7
Sinclair 81
Burton Albion (21st) 0-3 Derby County (9th)
Collins 7
Hourihane 78
Washington 84
Cheltenham Town (20th) 0-3 Bolton Wanderers (1st)
Charles 15
Smith og 30
Charles 33
Exeter City (7th) 0-0 Blackpool (8th)
Fleetwood Town (17th) 0-2 Cambridge United (2nd)
Digby 31
Ahadme 59
Leyton Orient (22nd) 0-4 Portsmouth (6th)
Pack 23
Bishop 44
Beckles og 51
Yengi pen 90+3
Lincoln City (10th) 3-0 Wycombe Wanderers (23rd)
Hackett-Fairchild 68
Bishop 73
Mandroiu 85
Oxford United (12th) 1-0 Carlisle United (16th)
Harris 76
Peterborough United (4th) 1-0 Charlton Athletic (11th)
Kyprianou 45+1
Port Vale (14th) 1-0 Reading (19th)
Garrity 72
Stevenage (3rd) 2-0 Shrewsbury Town (13th)
Pressley 58
Reid 87
Wigan Athletic (24th) 2-1 Northampton Town (18th)
Hoskins 24
Hughes 72
McManaman 79
Barnsley lie in 5th place in Sky Bet League One with 4 points from 12 games. We are Goal Difference inside the Play-Offs, 2 points off the Automatic Promotion Places, 2 points off First Place and 4 points above the Relegation Zone.
Up to 13/8/23
Next Up:
At Oakwell:
Sky Bet League One Matchday Three: Barnsley v Peterborough United, Tuesday 15th August 2023. Kick Off: 7:45pm
On The Road:
Sky Bet League One Matchday Five: Wigan Athletic v Barnsley, Saturday 26th August 2023. Kick Off: 3pm