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Reds left in a Hayes by Iron man's leveller
Barnsley 1 Scunthorpe United 1
BARNSLEY missed the chance to move closer to the Championship play-off positions after former Reds hitman Paul Hayes came back to haunt them last night.
Hugo Colace's first goal in 13 games gave the hosts a welcome 52nd minute lead at Oakwell, only for Hayes to bag his sixth goal of the season six minutes later and salvage a point for the Iron. It was tough to take for Mark Robins' battling side who had enough chances to win an otherwise even contest, although the Reds boss was gracious enough to admit the fixture had been "flat" and not much of a spectacle for nearly 12,000 supporters.
But having seen Doncaster Rovers move above them in the standings with a 1-0 win over Sheffield Wednesday on Tuesday evening, the Reds maintained their 15th position in the table with their point and gave them something to smile about on an otherwise uninspiring evening in South Yorkshire.
And with a game in hand on many of the teams above them the Reds could pull within three points off the play-off places if they make their re-arranged away fixture with Plymouth Argyle count later in the season.
Robins had a selection headache for the match with Brazilian midfielder Anderson De Silva and Hull City loan midfielder Nathan Doyle both returning from one-match suspensions.
But the former Manchester United man decided to change a winning team, one which impressed with a 2-1 victory over high-fliers Blackpool last Saturday.
De Silva and Doyle were restored in the starting line up and out went Icelandic international Emil Hallfredsson and Bobby Hassell, last season's player of the year.
Striker Andy Gray passed a late fitness test for a groin niggle and started on the bench, while centre-back Darren Moore was kept out in an unchanged defensive back four.
The Iron started with three former Barnsley players – striker Hayes, midfielder Grant McCann and defender Sam Togwell were all welcomed back to Oakwell.
But it was the Reds who started the better of the two sides. Leading scorer Daniel Bogdanovic forced a smart save from United keeper Joe Murphy after quarter of an hour, the striker's curling shot having looked destined for the corner.
Stoke City loan defender Ryan Shotton was then desperately unlucky as his powerful header from an Adam Hammill shot was brilliantly tipped over the bar by Murphy.
Former Red McCann went close with a rasping 25-year drive as the visitors looked to upset their hosts, before Rob Jones fired wide for Nigel Adkins' team.
Moore replaced the injured Foster at the break after his fellow centre-back got a nasty knock to the face, with the Iron having lost full-back Marcus Williams after only 29 minutes.
Reds keeper Luke Steele produced a fine save in the 52nd minute to block a fierce McCann free-kick – and the Reds broke seconds later to bag the opener. Colace fired into the left-hand corner with a clinical strike after a neat cut-back pass from Bogdanovic.
However, there was a twist in the tale as former favourite Hayes popped up just six minutes later to bag a welcome equaliser after Colin Byrne had struck a post from a McCann corner. Hayes only had to poke home unmarked at the back post.
A draw was probably a fair result, but not the best spectacle for the supporters. Hopefully both sides improve for the pending FA Cup clash.
Barnsley: Steele 7, Dickinson 7, Foster 6 (Moore 45, 6), Shotton 7, Kozluk 6, De Silva 6 (Campbell-Ryce 73, 5), Colace 7, Doyle 6, Hammill 7, Macken 6, Bogdanovic 6 Hume 64, 5) Subs: Preece, Hassell, Hallfredsson, Gray Goals: Colace (52)
Scunthorpe United: Murphy 8, Byrne 7, Mirfin 6, Jones 6, Williams 4 (Friend 29, 6) (A Wright 63, 5 - for Friend), J Wright 6, Togwell 7, McCann 7, Thompson 7, Hayes 7, Hooper 6 (Forte 77, 4). Subs: Lillis (g), Spence, Sparrow, Boyes Goals: Hayes (58).
Referee: Eddie Ilderton (Tyne & Wear) Booked: Barnsley - Kozluk, Hume; Scunthorpe - Murphy, Byrne. Attendance: 11,657.
Manager's View
MARK Robins: "It was a very flat game, but sometimes that happens. At the end of the day it's a point on the board for us and we've not really played.
"Occasionally you get flat games like that but Scunthorpe came to spoil. I don't think that will bring many supporters back here.
"It was just a flat performance and we have to be thankful for a point.
I can't criticise the players because they have given me everything."
What do you think? Add your comments below.
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Weather for Sheffield
Saturday 26 May 2012
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Temperature: 9 C to 21 C
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