Home run ends...
Reds 0
Peterborough 2 (Boyd 2, Barnett 10)
It was a night to forget at Oakwell with Peterborough doing the damage, to double effect, inside ten minutes to go 2-0 up and sit in to end Barnsley’s unbeaten home record this season.
It only took 90 seconds for things to get warmed up at Oakwell, but unfortunately it was the visitors who took the lead. Peterborough came flying out of the traps and George had a simple task of tapping home after a Brisley header had rebounded into his path off the post.
Everything was dropping the way of the visitors and after another lucky ricochet on seven minutes, Alnwick came to his side’s rescue to deny Boyd once more low to his right.
On ten minutes it was 2-0. A long punt forward landed on the head of Tyrone Barnett, despite it seemingly going nowhere, his looping header landed in the bottom corner past a despairing Alnwick. Barnsley had their work cut out.
The Reds started to control possession with posh happy to sit in and wait for the counter, with another opportunity arriving for Bostwick to head straight at Alnwick on 19 minutes.
Hill’s men did show a threat on 32 minutes when Craig Davies nearly took the crossbar clean off. He half-volleyed towards goal from 22 yards after great work from Cywka and Dawson, only to see his vicious strike thump the bar and bounce away off the line.
A solitary minute of added-on time arrived, in which period Posh managed to strike the bar themselves through Rowe. Ferguson’s men were happy to hit the Reds on the break.
Second half
Barnsley rallied after the break and really put Peterborough under the cosh. Stones was marauding down the right flank and delivering some tasty crosses but it just wasn’t falling for the Reds.
A huge, huge shout for a penalty came on 57 minutes as a Mellis strike thumped a stray Peterborough arm but the referee waved play on.
Keith Hill rang the changes two minutes before the hour with Chris Dagnall and Bobby Hassell being replaced by Marlon Harewood and David Perkins.
Matty Done was then thrown on for Jacob Mellis with Peterborough trying to slow the game down, Done would provide a speedy outlet for the Tykes.
The second half was pretty much summed up when Mark Little was booked for time-wasting ona throw-in. Boyd flashed an effort wide from his ‘keeper’s long punt down field with Ferguson’s side happy with their two-goal cushion.
On 82 minutes Marlon Harewood came within a whisker of a lifeline from Stephen Dawson’s cross, the big striker just couldn’t lean far enough forward to meet the Irishman’s delivery six yards out with the goal gaping.
Posh were not letting Barnsley through for any clear-cut chances and their unbeaten record at home in the league came to a disappointing end.
Reds: Alnwick, Stones, Golbourne, Hassell (Perkins 58), Wiseman, Dawson, Cranie, Cywka, Dagnall (Harewood 58), Mellis, Davies.
Subs: Steele, Etuhu, Done, Rose, Kennedy.
Peterborough: Olejnik, Alcock, Birsley, Bostwick, Barnett, Boyd (McCann 88), Sinclair (Barahino 65), Rowe, Ferdinand (Zakuani 90), Little, Knight-Percival.
Subs: Swanson, Tomlin, Day, Ntlhe.
Referee: Carl Boyeson
Att: 8, 319 (313 away)
