Fleetwood Town 1 Barnsley 3 '“ Daniel Stendel dedicates win to club volunteer

This one was for Stephen Croft.
Kieffer Moore found the net for Barnsley in the win over Fleetwood TownKieffer Moore found the net for Barnsley in the win over Fleetwood Town
Kieffer Moore found the net for Barnsley in the win over Fleetwood Town

Last week Barnsley were reminded just how unimportant football can be when club volunteer Croft suffered a heart attack before kick-off of their subsequently postponed game with Burton.

Seven days on the Reds showed just how football can bring everyone together as they beat Fleetwood 3-1 in a win that was dedicated to Croft.

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It was a memorable day on the Fylde coast as Jacob Brown scored his first senior goal for the club before goals from Kieffer Moore and Mamadou Thiam sealed a come-from-behind victory.

'We spoke this week about Steve and said we wanted to give him the gift of three points and hope that soon he can leave hospital,' head coach Daniel Stendel said.

Croft's health has improved this week as he is now talking with family and he will have been told about how Stendel's men won a third away game of the season and moved back into the promotion-chasing back.

They had to do it the hard way, though, as they fell behind to a player that knows the club well.

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Harrison Biggins began his footballing life at Barnsley, coming through the youth system at Oakwell, but he had no problem in scoring against them as he finished a lovely team move by slotting home from close range in the 19th minute.

Brown came through the same academy, albeit a couple of years later, and he enjoyed a similarly special moment soon after as his drew his side level.

The 20-year-old endured a tough time on his first league start at Coventry a fortnight ago, missing three golden chances, but he did not make the same mistake on his second.

After latching on to Alex Mowatt's ball over the top he bundled home his first goal for the club.

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While Brown is still finding his way in front of goal, Moore knows exactly where the net is and after the horror of going two games without a goal, the prolific striker fired in his seventh goal in nine games when he expertly fired home from the edge of the area.

The second half was no day out by the seaside, as Joey Barton's men fought for a way back into the game but despite some scares, Stendel's men saw it out in style when Thiam scored at the end.

It would have made someone in a hospital bed back in Sheffield will have been extra happy.

Fleetwood: Cairns, Coyle, Eastham, Spurr (Bolger 36), Husband, Taylor, Biggins, (Dempsey 72), Holt (Long 67), Burns, Evans, Wallace. Unused subs: Crellin, Clarke, Jones, Sheron

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Barnsley: Davies, Cavare, Pinnock, Jackson, Pinillos, Bahre (Adeboyejo), Dougall, Mowatt, Moncur (Thiam 68), Brown (McGeehan 87), Moore. Unused subs: Walton, Lindsay, Potts.

Attendance: 3,756

Referee: Martin Coy