Barnsley
have now won only two of their last 10 league matches to slip within five
points of the relegation zone despite a spirited second half comeback almost
saw them earn a point following a wretched first 45 minutes that saw them come
in at the break 3-0 down.
The
Reds were behind after just five minutes, the second game in a row in which
they have fell behind inside the opening five minutes of a match and third time
in four outings.
It
was 2-0 after only 19 minutes, the earliest they have been two goals behind in
a league since the 21st December 2024 when they were 2-0 down to
Leyton Orient after 28 minutes in a game they would eventually lose 4-0.
Ex
Red loanee John McAtee then netted for Bolton against Barnsley for the second
time this season to put the Reds 3-0 down at half time for the first time in a
league game since 19th September 2023 against Portsmouth - another game they came back to narrowly lose
3-2.
McAtee’s
strike was the fourth time a former Red has netted against them this season,
and the second time McAtee has. Ashley Fletcher and Stephen Humphrys are the
others.
Sam Dalby scored Bolton’s first two goals, the third player to
score a brace against Barnsley in League One this season following Lincoln’s
Reeco Hackett and Cardiff’s Chris Willock.
The first half carnage saw Conor Hourihane make FOUR half-time
changes, this is the first time a Barnsley manager has EVER done this since the
allowed amount of substitutions was increased from three to five in November
2020.
The comeback was instigated by goals from Luca Connell and Adam
Phillips, only the third time both midfielders (who both arrived at the club in
the summer of 2022) have scored in the same game with the other two occasions
coming in 2022-2023.
It is the fifth goal Phillips has scored in his last seven
appearances in all competitions and the seventh time he has scored in back to
back games in his Barnsley career.
Phillips last two goals have come after he has emerged from the
bench, the first time Barnsley have benefited from a substitute goal in
successive games since October when Patrick Kelly netted at Bradford in the
league and Jon Russell scored against Manchester United Under 21s in the EFL
Trophy. It is the first time it has happened in successive league games since November/December
2023 when Sam Cosgrove netted against Wycombe and then Max Watters scored at
Reading.
Both goals were set up by new recruit Scott Banks who now has four
assists from his first three appearances which means only Reyes Cleary (10) has
now assisted more this season.
He is the first to assist two in a game since Cleary against
Leyton Orient on the 13th December.
Banks is also the first to assist in back to back games since
Cleary against Luton and Stockport in November. These are the only occasions it
has occurred this season.
This was Barnsley’s 10th league defeat of the season
(they have also won 10) which has arrived after 27 games, one game earlier than
it arrived last season and the quickest in a third tier season since 2015-2016
when their 10th defeat came in their 16th match.
This is the sixth Barnsley match to finish 3-2 this season (W4
L2), it also occurred six times in 2023-2024 – never before have they had more
than six in a season.
Barnsley have now conceded 46 goals in their 27 league games, only
two sides Doncaster in 20th (50) and Leyton Orient in 18th
(49) have conceded more.
Conversely the Reds have now themselves scored 44 times – Cardiff
(1st) 55, Huddersfield (5th) 53 and Lincoln (2nd)
52 are the only teams to have scored more.
There were 21,415 supporters in attendance, the second biggest
crowd Barnsley have played in front of in League One this season after the
22,228 at Bradford in October.
This
result means Barnsley have kept only two league clean sheets in 2025-2026 so
far, it is the first time they have kept so few shut-outs after 27 games at
this level since 2002-2003 when the third didn’t arrive until the 28th
game.
Barnsley Team:
1. Owen Goodman
7. Corey O’Keeffe
15. Eoghan O’Connell
5. Jack Shepherd
27 Tennai Watson
18. Scott Banks
30. Jonathan Bland
48. Luca Connell
19. Reyes Cleary
10. David McGoldrick
9. Tom Bradshaw
Substitutes:
14. Nathanel Ogbeta (for Watson
45)
6. Mael de Gevigney (for
O’Connell 45)
8. Adam Phillips (for Cleary 45)
22. Patrick Kelly (for McGoldrick
45)
Unused
Substitutes:
51.
Kieren Flavell, 4. Marc Roberts, 45. Vimal Yoganathan.
Bolton Team:
1. Jack Bonham
14.
Jordi Osei-Tutu
18.
Eoin Toal
3.
Chris Forino
6.
George Johnston
15.
Rob Apter
21.
Ethan Erhahon
45.
John McAtee
22.
Kyle Dempsey
35.
Corey Blackett-Taylor
10.
Sam Dalby
Substitutions:
4. Xavier Simons (for Dempsey 62)
11. Thierry Gale (for
Blackett-Taylor 62)
29. Cyrus Christie (for Osei-Tutu
70)
48. Mason Burstow (for Apter 81)
Unused
Substitutes:
23. David Harrington, 26. Lewis
Temple, 20. Ibrahim Cissoko.
League One Results
Luton Town (7th)
2-1 Bradford City (6th)
Richards
39
Morris
5
Humphreys 90+6
Port Vale (24th)
2-2 Burton Albion (21st)
Archer
6
Beesley 26
Waine
29
Beesley 52
AFC Wimbledon (14th)
3-2 Reading (11th)
Browne
8
Marriott
33
Browne
53
Dorsett
65
Browne
71
Huddersfield Town (5th)
2-2 Blackpool (17th)
Fletcher
22
Anderson
31
Harness
74
Ashia
88
Mansfield Town (12th)
0-0 Exeter City (13th)
Bolton Wanderers (3rd)
3-2 BARNSLEY (15th)
Dalby
5
Dalby
19
McAtee
32
Connell
57
Phillips
60
Northampton Town (19th) 3-1 Stevenage (9th)
Forbes 27
Reid
37
Eaves 45+3
Hoskins 90
Peterborough United (10th) 6-1 Wigan Athletic (22nd)
Lisbie 7
Lisbie 9
Taylor
27
Morgan 41
Leonard 68
Aderoju 84
Lisbie 90
Plymouth Argyle (16th) 1-4 Lincoln City (2nd)
Pepple 11
Draper
38
Hackett
53
Hackett
65
One 90+7
Rotherham United (23rd) 0-3 Cardiff City (1st)
Kellyman
43
Willock
58
Davies
90+5
Stockport County (4th) 0-0 Leyton Orient (18th)
Wycombe Wanderers (8th) 4-0 Doncaster Rovers (20th)
Morley
13
Woodrow
47
Onyedinma
59
Mullins
72
Barnsley lie in 15th
place in Sky Bet League One with 37 points from 27 games. We are 12 points off the
Play-Offs, 24 points off the Automatic Promotion Places, 26 points off First
Place and 5 points above the Relegation Zone.
Up to 9/2/26
Next Up:
On
The Road:
Sky Bet League One Matchday Twenty Eight: Stevenage v Barnsley, Tuesday 10th February 2026. Kick-Off: 7:45pm
At
Oakwell:
Sky Bet League One Matchday Twenty Nine: Barnsley v AFC Wimbledon, Saturday 14th February 2026. Kick-Off: 3pm
