Oxford 2-2 Barnsley

Last updated : 30 January 2019 By Rob Miles

Barnsley failed to leapfrog Portsmouth into the automatic promotion places after having to come from two goals down to rescue a point at Oxford.

It is the second time this season that the Reds have come from two goals down to gain a point, the most in a season since 2006-2007 when they also did it on two occasions coming from 2-0 down to win 3-2 at Hull and from 2-0 down to draw 2-2 with Stoke.

The Reds have rescued at least a point after conceding the opening goal in two successive matches for the first time since the final two league games of 2015-2016 when they drew 2-2 with Colchester and won 4-1 at Wigan after conceding the opening goal in both games.

This result extended Barnsley's unbeaten run to nine league games (W6 D3), their best run since the final nine games of 2015-2016 (including play-offs) (W6 D3)

Indeed Barnsley have now had an unbeaten run of nine or more matches in each of their last five seasons in the third tier.

This was the sixth time this season Barnsley have been behind at half time in League One and they have come back to draw on three occasions (L3)

Mamadou Thiam started the comeback with Barnsley's 50th league goal of the season - it is the first time the Reds have hit the half century by the end of January since 2000 (59) and that was also the last time Barnsley were as high as third in a league table at this stage (also 3rd, in the second tier)

Kieffer Moore scored the 51st meaning only league leaders Luton (58) have scored more.

Moore has now netted in four successive league games, the first Barnsley player to do this since Sam Winnall in 2015-2016 who netted successively against Blackpool, Millwall, Shrewsbury and Rochdale.

It was Moore's 17th goal from 29 appearances this season (all comps) - the most since Winnall netted 24 in 2015-2016.

He now has 21 goals from just 49 appearances for Barnsley overall, reaching that total in the joint fewest appearances (49 with Craig Hignett) since David Currie (41) in 1989.

Moore has netted in 13 different matches and Barnsley have lost only one - at Sunderland. (W10 D2)

Moore is now joint second in the division's scoring list having netted 15 in the league - level with Josh Maja and Ian Henderson and behind only James Collins and John Marquis (16)

This was the sixth game Thiam has netted in and the first Barnsley have not won.

Moore's goal was the seventh league goal scored by a Barnsley substitute this season.

Jacob Brown set up both goals, his fourth and fifth assists of the season, four of which have come in the past four games.

It is the fourth time a Barnsley player has assisted two goals in a game this season following George Moncur at Peterborough, Alex Mowatt at Fleetwood and Dani Pinillos at Rochdale.

Barnsley completed the first month of a calendar year undefeated in the league for the first time since 2016.

Daniel Stendel made a half time substitution for the second game in a row - the first Barnsley manager to make back to back half time changes in the league since Jose Morais did so against Cardiff and Middlesbrough in March 2018.

Barnsley conceded more than once in a league game for only the sixth time this season (W1 D2 L3)

Seven of Barnsley's last eight goals have been scored in the second half.

However it was only the ninth time in 24 league games that Barnsley have scored in that they have had to wait until the second half for their first.

Barnsley picked up five yellow cards in the game, their joint most this season along with the Charlton home game.

This was the first meeting between the two sides at Oxford since January 1999, and the Reds have now failed to win any of their last five visits. This was their first visit to the Kassam Stadium.

Barnsley have gone unbeaten in their first five league games of a calendar year for the first time since 2016 when they actually won their first six league games of that year.

This was Oxford's first home stalemate in League One this season, having won seven and lost seven of their previous 14, they are the last League One side to draw at home in 2018-2019.

Barnsley enjoyed the majority of the ball possession (57%) - for the 36th time this season.

Oxford had 14 shots on goal, the most by a Barnsley opponent in the league this season.

Seven of those were on target, again the most by a Barnsley opponent.

Oxford won nine corners, the most by a Barnsley opponent in the league this season.

 

Barnsley Team:

1. Adam Davies (c)

12. Dimitri Cavaré

5. Ethan Pinnock

6. Liam Lindsay 

28. Ben Williams 

33. Jacob Brown

8. Cameron McGeehan

4. Kenny Dougall 

27. Alex Mowatt 

26. Mamadou Thiam 

9. Cauley Woodrow

Substitutes:

19. Kieffer Moore (for Dougall 45)

15. Jordan Green (for Woodrow 61)

21. Mike-Steven Bähre (for Thiam 71)

Unused Substitutes:

18. Adam Jackson, 23. Dani Pinillos, 29. Victor Adeboyejo, 35. Jake Greatorex.

 

Oxford Team:

1. Simon Eastwood

6. Jamie Hanson

4. Robert Dickie 

5. Curtis Nelson 

14. Josh Ruffels

8. Cameron Brannagan

15. John Mousinho (c)

16. Gavin Whyte

17. James Henry

18. Jordan Graham

19. Jamie Mackie

Substitutions:

3. Luke Garbutt (for Graham 81)

40. Ahmed Kashi (for Henry 85)

Unused Substitutes:

11. Samir Carruthers, 23. Sam Long, 24. Mark Sykes, 27. Jack Stevens, 42. Owen James.

Oxford manager Karl Robinson said:

“Jamie Mackie got pushed over the hoardings.

“The tackle on Jordan Graham was horrendous, Alex Mowatt’s tackle, Cameron McGeehan’s tackle – these are leg-breaking challenges.”

“But we’ve played Portsmouth and Barnsley at home and Fleetwood away and we’ve taken five points. I’m really proud of my players.”

 

Match Reports:

Official Website

BBC

Sky Sports

 

League One results:

Tuesday 29th January 2019:

Blackpool 2-2 Wycombe Wanderers

                         Akinfenwa 12

Heneghan 50

                         Jacobson 53

Pritchard pen 83

Bradford City 4-3 Shrewsbury Town

Grant og 19

                               Okenabirhie 27

O'Brien 38

Doyle 60

                                Okenabirhie 76

                                Okenabirhie pen 90+3

Ball 90+6

Bristol Rovers 2-2 Peterborough United

Nichols pen 8

                                Toney 37

Clarke 43

                                Ward 90

Gillingham 0-0 Accrington Stanley

Luton Town 3-2 Portsmouth

Collins 39

                           Curtis 52

Collins pen 77

                            Bogle 79

Moncur 86

Oxford United 2-2 BARNSLEY

Ruffels 25

Mackie 48

                               Thiam 70

                               Moore 79

 

Barnsley remain in 3rd place in Sky Bet League One with 56 points from 29 games. We are 10 points inside the Play-Offs, 1 point off the Automatic Promotion Places, 6 points off First Place and 25 points above the Relegation Zone.

Up to 30/01/19

 

Next Up:

At Oakwell:

Sky Bet League One Matchday Thirty: Barnsley v Scunthorpe United, Saturday 2nd February 2019. Kick-Off: 3pm

On The Road:

Sky Bet League One Matchday Thirty One: Gillingham v Barnsley, Saturday 9th February 2019. Kick-Off: 3pm