Frustration for Reds: Barnsley 2-2 Coventry City

Barnsley boss Daniel Stendel made two changes to the side that beat Walsall in stoppage-time last week, with his international Tykes making the starting XI. Welsh duo Ryan Hedges and Adam Davies replaced Mike Bahre and Jack Walton, respectively.

A big chance came for the Reds on seven minutes as Ryan Hedges raced on to a cushioned ball forward from Cameron McGeehan but the winger blasted well wide when through one-on-one with City’s Lee Burge.

Thankfully they weren’t made to pay as Alex Mowatt tapped Barnsley into the lead on 10 minutes.

Ryan Hedges expertly played Mamadou Thiam into the box and he laid the ball across for Mowatt who was steaming into the area and he duly rolled home his sixth of the season.

McGeehan tried his luck from range before Cauley Woodrow also shot a drift wide as the Tykes

The visitors restored parity on 35 minutes as Jody Hiwula thumped home from inside the six-yard box out of the blue. The winger did well to control a deep cross to the far post from full-back Brandon Mason and he gave Adam Davies no chance from inside the six-yard box.

The leveller caused a Reds resurgence but they couldn’t find the net once more in the first half, although perhaps Cauley Woodrow should have on 41 minutes. The striker blasted over from inside the area after some splendid one-touch play from McGeehan, Mowatt and Thiam.

Thiam then carved out a tremendous opportunity for himself on 45 minutes after dancing into the Coventry City area. However, the forward could only blast straight at Burge with he is left foot as the angle narrowed in the box.

Cauley Woodrow got the second-half off to the perfect start as he finally managed to hit the target. Ryan Hedges, who was Barnsley’s most lively player, stormed down the left flank and teed up Barnsley’s number nine who calmly slotted home his 12th of the campaign.

Stendel’s side were in full flow in the Oakwell sun but they were still blazing shots harmlessly over after some purposeful moves forward. Both Woodrow and McGeehan blasted over Burge’s crossbar after great moves down the left flank.

The pendulum once again swung the way of Coventry - who looked toothless aside from their first leveller - as Luke Thomas thundered home for 2-2 on 62 minutes. Ben Williams was unfortunate as he hacked clear, only for the ball to be blocked into the path of Thomas, who cut inside and blasted into the top corner.

Again the Tykes rallied and Burge managed to keep out a thunderous Ben Williams volley, although the Sky Blues ‘keeper may not have known much about it. At the other end, Liam Lindsay’s blushes were spared as Bakayoko latched onto his poor backpass but overran the ball when one-on-one.

The game could have gone either way as Dominic Hyam powered a free header at goal but Adam Davies made a terrific stop at his near post. The Welsh international made an even better save in the fourth of six added minutes, tipping over Bakayoko’s header.

Teams:

Barnsley: Davies, Pinnock, Lindsay, Hedges (Bahre 76), McGeehan, Woodrow, Cavare, Thiam (Adeboyejo 89), Mowatt, B. Williams, Brown (Green 81).

Subs: Walton, Jackson, Styles, J. Williams.

Coventry City: Burge, Mason (Brown 79), Willis, Kelly, Hiwula, Hyam, Sterling, Bayliss, Bakayoko, Thomas (Wakefield 86), Enobakhare.

Subs: Addai, Grimmer, Davies, Meyler, Shipley.

Referee: Stephen Martin

Attendance: 13, 593 (1,853 away)