High praise for Barnsley stand-in keeper Jordan Smith

Jordan Smith might only end up playing one game for Barnsley, but he got a standing ovation for his performance.
Barnsley's loanee goalkeeper Jordan Smith.  Picture : Jonathan GawthorpeBarnsley's loanee goalkeeper Jordan Smith.  Picture : Jonathan Gawthorpe
Barnsley's loanee goalkeeper Jordan Smith. Picture : Jonathan Gawthorpe

Smith was brought to Oakwell last Friday on an emergency goalkeeper loan after the Reds were left without a senior goalkeeper, with Adam Davies away on international duty and Jack Walton struck down with a knee injury.

The 23-year-old Nottingham Forest keeper was thrown into the side less than 24 hours later and performed admirably, keeping a clean sheet in a 2-0 win.

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And his new team-mates were quick to show their appreciation of Smith's one-off display after the game at the Crown Ground.

'Jordan did very well,' head coach Daniel Stendel, who will have Davies back for the South Yorkshire derby with Doncaster on Saturday, said.

'We talked about this in the dressing room, all players gave Jordan applause for a very good performance.

'It wasn't an easy situation, he trained only one time and then played and had a clean sheet, that's the best result for him and for us.'

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The game in Lancashire was won by goals from Cauley Woodrow and Kieffer Moore as the pair found the scoresheet for the second weekend running.

The duo combined nicely for the first goal, with Moore backheeling to his partner before the former Fulham striker fired home.

Barnsley fans have had to be patient to see their two star strikers in action together following Woodrow's injury-hit start to life at Oakwell.

And Moore, whose tally for the season is now 10, has fired a warning to the rest of the division, saying his partnership with Woodrow is only going to get better.

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'Me and Cauley have been working on that in training,' Moore said. 'We are always doing stuff and it is growing into a really good partnership and hopefully you will see more of that.

'It is all about bonds, I think you can tell the team have got a very strong bond, off the pitch we do a lot together so it is showing on the pitch.

'There is always more to come, every week we are improving and we are all trying to work for each other and it is showing for our performances.

'We are growing as a unit, it is a great atmosphere to be around.'