Valiant reds come out second best in Derby

Matchday three of the League One season would see the Reds travel to Pride Park to take on Derby County, a club looking to bounce back from a testing 18 months which nearly saw them cease to exist. Michael Duff's men were positive going into the game, after a last-minute Josh Benson winner saw a cup upset on Teesside during the week. The fans were in fantastic voice, and a party atmosphere filled the away end, you could sense the optimism in the air. This particular fixture also had the unique distinction of two teams who were playing without a front sponsor.

FIRST HALF

We had a difficult start. Inside one minute, Conor McCarthy tested his own goalkeeper with an awful back-pass that so nearly ended in a simple goal for Derby. We escaped though, after a brave stretch from Brad Collins. We wouldn't find ourselves so fortunate a few minutes later however; a corner for the Rams was put into an area that tested Brad Collins, Collins didn't have the answers, narrowly missing the ball and McCarthy unfortunately turned the ball into his own net. Not the best start for the Irishman, and the Reds were up against it right from the start.

The Tykes would settle into the game nicely after a tricky start. Luca Connell, Josh Benson and Callum Styles looked bright in providing good field position, but a lack of quality with the 'final ball' and some strong defending from County would impede the Reds, and prevent any threat on Joe Wildsmith's net. Before the Tykes could find a way to break down the Derby barricade, Liam Kitching panicked in possession and gifted a poor clearance to Hourihane, after a swift and composed counter-attack from the Whites, the ball would eventually end at the feet of Mendez-Liang who from the edge of the box, fired a fast and dipping shot beyond the reach of Brad Collins, barely creeping into the bottom left corner. Derby were able to pounce upon Barnsley's errors, with a lot of quality in forward positions, Barnsley cannot boast such a trait.

Despite a good reaction to going down by one, the second killed the mood at Pride Park for Tarn, and Derby looked to take advantage of the additional momentum, with a sea of black and white spurring on their every pass. Barnsley changed up their approach, a clear aim to play on the 'second ball', was being prohibited by the lack of height of Jack Aitchison and James Norwood, hopefully new signing Slobodan Tedic can be the answer to this issue, and get the Reds on the front foot with his height and physicality.

HALF TIME

The half-time whistle was met with boos from those travelling from South Yorkshire. Barnsley not completely dominated, and arguably had the better field position, but a clear lack of quality and composure, compared to Derby's abundance of individual and collective quality and composure, fared quite the mismatch. All Barnsley needed was one goal, just to lift the spirits of the crowd and players.

SECOND HALF

Barnsley looked unfazed from the first half, and started on the front foot. Aitchison had a gilt-edged chance on 47 minutes, despite a vital chance being blazed over the bar from a few yards out, it raised the spirits of the fans who instantly got behind their team again. Barnsley didn’t look creative, and would require a dose of luck to get back into the game. Luke Thomas plucked the ball from the air brilliantly; he teed up Josh Benson who smashed it goalward, it took a wicked deflection from Richard Stearman to eventually beat Joe Wildsmith and find the back of the net. A life-line for the Reds.

The remainder of the game would firmly be in Barnsley’s hands, wave after wave of pressure was soaked up well by the Derby defence. Few chances could be created, but a clear penalty should’ve been awarded when a Derby defender picked-up the ball inside his own box, after he thought he was fouled. Unfortunately, the man with the whistle crumbled under the pressure, and awarded Derby the free kick. It really did feel like when will Barnsley score again, not if. This wasn’t to be though, a Mads Andersen last minute header that fell wide of the target was to be our final roll of the dice, and the (I presume local) referee blew for full-time.

A disappointing afternoon for the Reds, who could count themselves unlucky to have not left Derbyshire with at least one point. A poignant moment between fans, players and management team at full-time, applauding one-another's valiant effort to get something from the game, that just fell short. We have to go again, we are clearly a level below Derby and Plymouth, but we can definitely find points against weaker sides. Bristol Rovers and Wycombe travel to Oakwell next week, four points should be the minimum expectancy.