Barnsley’s wretched away run against Coventry continued as the Reds lost for only the second time in 17 league outings and for only the 10th time in 35 Championship games under Valerien Ismael to miss the chance to extend their position in the play-offs to seven points.
The Reds were behind at St Andrews after only nine minutes, the earliest they have conceded in 10 outings since Millwall’s Mason Bennett scored after six minutes.
It is the fifth time they have conceded in the opening 10 minutes away at Coventry this century (from 11 trips)
The victory was sealed by a goal from Matt Godden in stoppage time – also the fifth goal scored on 90minutes or later at Coventry by Barnsley this century.
It is only the second goal Barnsley have conceded in the 90th minute or later this season in any competition, with Blackburn’s Adam Armstrong also doing so in February.
Barnsley have failed to score a first half goal in 29 of their 48 games so far this season (all comps) with this the 12th time they have failed to score at all.
Indeed of the 15 defeats they have suffered in all competitions in 2020-2021, they have failed to score in 12 of them.
Half of Ismael’s 10 league defeats as Barnsley manager have come with the Reds losing by at least two goals.
The Reds have suffered as many defeats in their last five league outings (2) as they did in the previous 14.
This was Barnsley’s first Sunday defeat in seven such matches (W4 D1 L1), last being defeated on this day of the week against Brentford in September 2019.
It is now 98 years since Barnsley last won an away match at Coventry – and they have faced them in four stadiums, Highfield Road, Ricoh Arena, Sixfields and St Andrews.
This was the 26th visit since the last win - a 3-2 triumph in August 1923 and was the 19th defeat. They have lost each of the last three and six of the last seven.
This defeat ended Barnsley’s history making six successive away Championship victories and seven away games unbeaten overall.
Despite defeat Barnsley enjoyed their joint most amount of ball possession in a Championship game this season (61% - same as Middlesbrough away in October), in only one game have they enjoyed more in all competitions this season, and that was the opening game, the EFL Cup tie against Nottingham Forest – 62%.
Coventry had 14 shots – the first Barnsley opponents to reach double figures since Bournemouth six games ago (10) and it is the most by an opponent since Brentford had 14 – 14 games ago.
Four of those were on target, the most by an opponent since QPR also had four, nine games ago.
There were only six corners in the game, the lowest in a Barnsley match for 12 matches since Bristol City away (5)
28 fouls were committed, the most since Brentford away 14 games ago (33)
Barnsley Team:
40. Brad Collins
20. Toby Sibbick
30. Michal Helik
6. Mads Andersen
7. Callum Brittain
21. Romal Palmer
27. Alex Mowatt
4. Callum Styles
11. Conor Chaplin
9. Cauley Woodrow
10. Daryl Dike
Substitutes:
14. Carlton Morris (for Chaplin 45)
24. Aapo Halme (for Palmer 57)
28. Dominik Frieser (for Woodrow 57)
Unused Substitutes:
1. Jack Walton, 2. Jordan Williams, 22. Clarke Oduor, 26. Michael Sollbauer, 29. Victor Adeboyejo, 34. Jasper Moon.
Coventry Team:
13. Ben Wilson
2. Leo Østigard
5. Kyle McFadzean
15. Dominic Hyam
29. Julien Da Costa
6. Liam Kelly
25. Matty James
21. Sam McCallum
38. Gustavo Hamer
9. Max Biamou
19. Tyler Walker
Substitutions:
11. Callum O'Hare (for Hamer 60)
12. Viktor Gyökeres (for Walker 60)
24. Matt Godden (for Biamou 74)
Unused Substitutes:
1. Marko Marosi, 4. Michael Rose, 8. Jamie Allen, 20. Amadou Bakayoko, 26. Jordan Shipley, 28. Josh Eccles.
Coventry manager Mark Robins said:
"It was a much-needed win. There are still games to come and points to play for so I wouldn't want anybody thinking it was job done.
"We need to get into the 50s. That has to be the aim.
"We need to put as much distance as we can between us and the teams around us but there are also teams we can catch in front of us and that has to be the challenge for us.
"The quality in the game is bereft a little bit now because the stakes are so high.
"But within it we played some good stuff and we did what we needed to do to."
Sky Bet Championship results
FRIDAY 16TH APRIL 2021
Blackburn Rovers (15th) 2-1 Derby County (21st)
Lawrence 22
Gallagher 42
Elliott 66
Reading (7th) 1-1 Cardiff City (8th)
Moore pen 87
Meite 90+4
SATURDAY 17TH APRIL 2021
Brentford (4th) 0-0 Millwall (9th)
Luton Town (13th) 1-0 Watford (2nd)
Collins pen 78
Middlesbrough (11th) 1-2 Queens Park Rangers (10th)
Dickie 15
Wallace 18
Bolasie 28
Nottingham Forest (16th) 0-2 Huddersfield Town (20th)
Rowe 45+1
Bacuna 61
Sheffield Wednesday (23rd) 1-1 Bristol City (14th)
Borner 4
Bakinson 87
Stoke City (12th) 0-0 Preston North End (17th)
Swansea City (3rd) 2-2 Wycombe Wanderers (24th)
Muskwe 46
McCleary 51
Lowe pen 80
Cullen 82
Norwich City (1st) 1-3 AFC Bournemouth (5th)
Buendia 5
Surridge 50
Danjuma 57
Kelly 76
SUNDAY 18TH APRIL 2021
Rotherham United (22nd) 0-1 Birmingham City (19th)
Dean 88
Coventry City (18th) 2-0 BARNSLEY (6th)
Hyam 9
Godden 90+2
Barnsley lie in 6th place in the Sky Bet Championship with 71 points from 42 games. We are 4 points inside the Play-Offs, 11 points off the Automatic Promotion Places, 19 points off First Place and 32 points above the Relegation Zone.
Up to 19/4/21
Next Up:
On The Road:
Sky Bet Championship Matchday Forty Three: Huddersfield Town v Barnsley, Wednesday 21st April 2021. Kick-Off: 7:45pm
At Oakwell:
Sky Bet Championship Matchday Forty Four: Barnsley v Rotherham United, Saturday 24th April 2021. Kick-Off: 3pm