Coca-Cola Championship Matchday Five: Barnsley 1-3 Reading

It was bad result and one bad performance too many as the axe finally fell on Simon Davey just after 7pm last night. The club claim it was a mutual decision but either way it was the right one.

For 90 minutes, Davey looked liked a man waiting to be executed. 3-1 down and he still didn't make a substitute until after the 60^th minute (honestly has there been a new rule come in that I haven't heard about) and for the last 30 or so minutes he stood motionless before heading to a mass chorus of "We want Davey Out"- something I'm led to believe continued outside the West Stand after the game.

To be honest The Reds started off against a Reading side without a league goal on their travels, in good form with home debutants Emil Halfredsson and Andy Gray impressing. It was Gray who gave The Reds the lead with 11 minutes gone.

Reading had already survived a strong penalty appeal for handball and when Hugo Colace swung in the resultant corner, Gray met it perfectly to head home. It was a welcome sight- it was Barnsley's first, first half goal of the season, first home goal and the first time they had led in a league match. It was also the first goal from a set-piece in I don't know how long!

Gray almost added another on 23 minutes as he charged down goal-keeper Adam Federici's clearance but the ball went inches wide.

Reading were looking a poor side, completely devoid of ideas and if I'm honest I felt the first victory of the season was on its way- that is until a piece of woeful defending on the half hour mark so Reading equalise.

Luke Steele punched a corner away to the penalty spot where Colace was stood unmarked, but instead of turning and clearing he decided, amazingly, to nonchalantly pass the ball across the area without looking. Jimmy Kebe took advantage, cut past Gray and delivered a strike which Steele could only beat out. Darren Moore stabbed at the ball, leaving Alex Pearce to blast home. A shocking goal to concede all round!

It certainly galvanised the Royals and they went on to dominate the game. They should have gone ahead on 38 minutes. Gylfi Sigurdsson delivered a pass around the once again appalling Rob Kozluk, and Jem Karacan raced onto it, went one on one with Steele but somehow put his effort past the far post.

Steele didn't have such look in the 53^rd minute when he had a real rush of blood to hand Reading the lead.

A long ball from midfield saw Kebe, outpace Moore and race into the area. Kebe was going nowhere but Steele came flying out and sent Malian flying for a dead-cert penalty (I've seen one report say Steele gathered the ball and the penalty decision was appalling- sorry but Steele got the man and it was a spot on decision)

Noel Hunt stepped up to dispatch a very confident spot-kick. The biggest grievance was the actions of Kebe. After going down, he lay prone for several minutes but was then running freely seconds later… just in time to whip in a right wing cross for Reading's third. Kebe swung the ball in and Hunt could not believe his luck as he was six yards out, completely unmarked and gleefully nodded the ball past Steele.

Hunt's actions in celebrating his goals were also reprehensible as, for some strange reason, he decided to gloat the Ponty End after each one.. Maybe the fact his brother had just got a Premier League move and he hadn't had left a bitter taste.

It was then left to Steele to keep the score down, making fine saves to deny Sigurdsson and Michail Antonio who raced onto a woeful back pass from Moore. The closest The Reds came was a Colace free kick which whistled inches wide.

The final whistle was, as usual, occupied with boos and the Davey Out chants at the end were deafening. This time Cryne listened.

P.S- A special mention to Thomas Bird- the Reds mascot yesterday! Hope you had a great day yesterday, despite the result! Thomas is currently playing for Rotherham's Academy and has been scouted by Barnsley. Hopefully the next time he's leading the team out he will be our captain!

Player Ratings:

Luke Steele: Made a rash decision to bring down Kebe for the penalty but if it wasn't for him Reading would have grabbed a bagful in the second half. 7

Mounir El Haimour: Much derided, and wasn't brilliant. Easily though The Reds best defender. Made some great tackles. 6

Stephen Foster: Failed to inspire his side in a difficult afternoon for the defence. 5

Darren Moore: Pathetic attempt to clear before the first goal, outpaced by Kebe in the lead up to the penalty and nearly let Antonio in at the end with a terrible back pass. Awful afternoon. 3

Rob Kozluk: I wish he would just join Neil Warnock. Doesn't look bothered, beaten every time by his man and makes rash tackles. 2

Jamal Campbell-Ryce: Another one who can follow Davey out of the door. Yes, bizarrely still being played in the centre of midfield but the play now seems to break down when the ball comes to in. Just puts his head down and tries to beat every man when a simple pass is required. Has no impact on games. 2

Hugo Colace: Usually never puts a foot wrong, but couldn't put one right yesterday. A dreadful pass to set up Reading's equaliser! It's a cardinal sin to pass the ball across your own box without looking, then he let Hunt go for the third goal and failed to time a tackle right all afternoon. Hopefully its rustiness from his injury. Subbed. 1

Emil Halfredsson: Somebody who can be proud of his performance. Made some surging runs and looks very good on the ball. Decent left foot too which we have missed in the middle of the park since Howard left. 8

Daniel Bogdanovic: Our best chance of a goal being played on the wing… lunacy! Hopefully Davey's departure puts an end to that! Couldn't get in the game much due to being stuck out wide, when we had TWO wingers on the bench. Subbed. 5

Andy Gray: Promising home debut! Scored with a fine header from a set-piece- something we rarely do and looked a menace in the first half. Petered out after the break. 7

Jon Macken: Spent most of the game arguing about decisions instead of actually getting involved. Another striker wasted out on the wing! Subbed. 5

Substitutes:

Iain Hume (for Bogdanovic 66) The game was long lost by the time Davey decided to bring Hume on. Buzzed about but was starved of service. 6

Adam Hammill (for Macken 75) Another who has disappointed greatly so far this season. 4

Kayode Odejayi (for Colace 81) The guy's not good enough, we all know that and I have criticised him and the decision to play him countless times, but there is NO excuse for fans booing a player coming onto the pitch. To hear my fellow supporters booing when Odejayi came on and then all mock cheering when he won a header was disgusting. We all have a grievances with Davey and I imagine this booing was because of Davey and the fact we were 3-1 down but it was still unacceptable. And yeah he didn't do anything when he came on. 5

Unused Substitutes:

David Preece, Anderson De Silva, Martin Devaney, O'Neil Thompson

Sponsor's Man of the Match: Emil Halfredsson.

BarnsleyBoy's Man of the Match: Emil Halfredsson: Agree with the sponsors this week. The one bright spot in the game.

READING: Federici, Rosenior, Mills, Gunnarsson, Hunt (Long 83), Kebe (Antonio 73), Robson-Kanu (Rasiak 66), Karacan, Bertrand, Sigurdsson, Pearce.
Subs: Cisse, Tabb, Kelly, Hamer.

Most Impressed by Reading's: Jimmy Kebe: His antics were in bad taste but he gave our defence the run around.

Ref Watch: Michael Oliver: Not a bad game, got the major decisions correct. 8

Coca Cola Championship Results Saturday 29^th August 2009:

BARNSLEY 1-3 Reading

Blackpool 3-0 Coventry

Bristol City 2-1 Middlesbrough

Doncaster 2-0 Cardiff

Ipswich 1-1 Preston

Nottingham Forest 3-2 Derby

Plymouth 1-3 Sheffield Wednesday

Scunthorpe 0-1 QPR

Sheffield United 2-2 West Brom

Swansea 1-1 Watford

Barnsley lie in 24th place in the Coca-Cola Championship with 1 point from 5 games.

We are 8 points off the Play-Offs, 9 points off the Automatic Promotion Places, 10 points off First place and inside the Relegation Zone by 1 point.

Up to 30/8/09

Next Up:

On The Road:

Coca Cola Championship Matchday Six: Watford v Barnsley Saturday 12^th September 2009 Kick-Off 3pm

Tickets:

ADULTS - £22.50
SENIOR CITIZENS (OVER 65) - £12.50
STUDENTS (UNDER 25s WITH VALID NUS) - £12.50
YOUNG ADULT - (16-19) - £12.50
JUVENILES (UNDER 16) - £9.50

Official Reds On The Road coaches will be making the trip to Vicarage Road. Coaches will depart Oakwell at 9:45am on the day of the game and the fare is £23.00.

Coca-Cola Championship Matchday Seven: Derby County v Barnsley Tuesday 15^th September 2009 Kick-Off 7:45pm

Tickets:

Adults £24.00
Senior Citizens (60 and Over) - £14.00
Juveniles (16 and Under) - £9.00

Official Reds on the Road coaches will be making the trip to Pride Park. Coaches will depart Oakwell at 5pm on the day of the game and the fare is £13.00.

At Oakwell:

Coca-Cola Championship Matchday Eight: Barnsley v Swansea City Saturday 19^th September 2009 Kick-Off 3pm.

Tickets:

East Stand and West Stand Upper Tiers

Adults £21.00

OAP/Juvenile £12.00

Juveniles (U11) £6.00

Barnsley Chronicle Family Area

Adults £21.00

OAP £12.00

Juvenile £12.00

Juveniles (U11) £6.00

East Stand Lower and West Stand Lower

Adults £20.00

OAP/Juveniles £11.00

Juveniles (U11) £5.00

CK Beckett Stand (Pontefract Road End)

Adults £19.00

OAP/Juveniles £11.00

Juveniles (U11) £5.00

All Disabled Areas £19.00

Helpers FREE OF CHARGE

To book tickets for forthcoming matches simply phone the Oakwell Box Office on 0871 2266777. Alternatively call at the Box Office in person; contact the Box Office by fax on 01226 211444 or e-mail boxoffice@barnsleyfc.co.uk. Please note that Juvenile U11 tickets must be purchased in advance from the Oakwell Box Office and this price will not be on sale on the turnstiles under any circumstances.

Man of the Match: Emil Hallfredsson