Reds beaten in derby

Barnsley’s dismal away record this season continued as they lost 2-0 at local rivals Sheffield United on Saturday lunchtime.

The Reds had the better of the chances until promotion-chasing United took the lead on 55 minutes then dominated and scored again.

Barnsley remain third-bottom, five points off safety, after fourth-bottom Reading’s win over Blackburn Rovers from 3pm.

They have won just one of their 19 league games away this season.

Poya Asbaghi kept the same team that won at home to Bristol City on Tuesday, as Carlton Morris was deemed fit following his tight calf on Tuesday.

Barnsley were the more dangerous side in the first half, defending well and creating chances on the counter-attack against their lacklustre hosts.

The match began very quietly, with nothing of note happening in the first 15 minutes. Barnsley’s Claudio Gomes had the first shot but dragged his 20-yard effort well wide. The Reds then came very close in the 19th minute when, after a short corner, Domingos Quina’s left-wing cross was headed across goal by Michal Helik to Matty Wolfe who looked likely to net his first Barnsley goal but his six-yard volley was brilliantly kept out by Wes Foderingham diving to his right.

United’s Jack Robinson sent a powerful 25-yard effort just wide of the bottom right corner before Morgan Gibbs-White flicked a header from Oliver Norwood’s free-kick straight into Brad Collins’ arms.

Wolfe had another chance in the 43rd minute after he exchanged passes first with Carlton Morris on halfway, which unlocked the home defence, then Bassi who played him in on the left of the box but he fired into the side netting.

Soon after United had a chance as Sander Berge found Ben Osborn on the right of the box but he fired over from 15 yards out.

Barnsley had the better of the first ten minutes after the break, with three corners, but were caught out by a quick free-kick on 55 minutes. Norwood took the free-kick – given away by Callum Brittain – quickly down the left wing to former Barnsley captain Conor Hourihane whose low cross totally caught out the Reds defence who were not ready and the unmarked Berge tapped in two yards out.

Barnsley struggled to react to the goal and United looked the more threatening. Osborn blazed over five yards out on 70 minutes after Gibbs-White beat the offside trap to latch onto a long ball and cross from the left. Minutes later, Gibbs-White saw a header tipped over by Collins after a cross on the left of the box.

The second goal saw Gomes lose the ball in the middle before former Barnsley striker Oli McBurnie – who had just come on – played in Gibbs-White to round the goalkeeper and score.

Substitute Daniel Jebbison then blazed over from a cross by Gibbs-White.

Morris almost pulled one back in the 89th minute but headed over from a right-wing cross by substitute Aaron Leya Iseka. Another Iseka cross was headed towards goal by fellow replacement Devante Cole but Foderingham saved easily.

Sheffield United (3-5-2): Foderingham; Gordon, Egan, Robinson; Osborn, Berge (McBurnie 71mins), Hourihane, Norwood, Norrington-Davies; Gibbs-White (Fleck 83), Sharp (Jebbison 66). Unused: Davies, Stevens, Ndiaye, Lopata. Yellow cards: Gordon. Goals: Berge 55, Gibbs-White 73.

Barnsley (4-2-3-1): Collins, mark out of ten: 6; Brittain 5, Helik 6, Andersen 6, Vita 6; Gomes 5 (Cole 90+2mins), Wolfe 7 (Palmer 74); Styles 5 (Iseka 74), Bassi 6, Quina 5; Morris 6.

Unused: Walton, Kitching, Oduor, Halme.

Referee: Stephen Martin (Staffordshire).

Attendance: 28,515 (2,052 from Barnsley).

• GAME UNDERWAY
• 12:32pm
  1 Sheffield United win a free-kick near the left corner flag
• 12:32pm
  2 Hourihane's corner from the left is headed out then he gets the ball again but misses it and it goes out, to the enjoyment of the Reds fans who are booing their former captain
• 12:33pm
  There are about 2,000 Barnsley fans here today and they are in good voice so far in the bottom tier of the stand below Brad Collins' goal
• 12:35pm
  6 Decent spell of possession for the Reds. Andersen tries a raking cross field ball out to Brittain but it's just too heavy
• 12:36pm
  7 Really good chance for a break for United as Sharp can play Ben Osborn pretty much clean through on the right but the pass is underhit, Osborn has to check back and the move fizzles out. Barnsley need to watch that, he was completely open
• 12:38pm
  Sheffield United have had most of the ball in the first ten minutes but yet to break down Barnsley who looked well-organised so far
• 12:39pm
  10 Bassi corner on the left. The way they scored twice on Tuesday,. This one is lofted up easily for goalkeeper Wes Foderingham to catch
• 12:42pm
  So far it doesn't really feel like a local derby with one team fighting for the Premier League and the other to avoid relegation. It's been quiet flat with no chances
• 12:44pm
  13 Barnsley trying to get in on the break. After a United move is cleared, Bassi turns nicely in his half and passes out to the left wing to Quina who lofts a ball over the home defence to Morris but he is just beaten to it by Foderingham
• 12:44pm
  15 First shot of the game. Gomes scuffs a low 20 yard effort well wide for Barnsley
• 12:47pm
  United still having most of the ball, Barnsley content to soak up pressure and counter-attack. The Reds are playing a high line which United have not yet got behind
• 12:48pm
  18 Good run from Morris on the left wing and into the box. He wins a corner. Bassi to take
• 12:49pm
  19 Bassi's left wing corner is played short to Styles then Quina whose cross is headed back across goal by Helik to Wolfe who looks likely to score six yards out but Foderingham gets down to his right to make a superb save from the volley
• 12:53pm
  The home crowd getting a bit jittery now. This isn't going how they expected. Barnsley should be ahead
• 12:53pm
  That was a really good chance for Wolfe and he should have scored but it was also an excellent save
• 12:57pm
  25 mins in and Barnsley have had the better of this game. They are the only team to have a shot so far and should be ahead after that fantastic save by Foderingham to deny Wolfe. The Reds are defending and counter-attacking well so far. United yet to get going but early still.0-0
• 12:58pm
  28 The closest United have come. Hourihane passes to Jack Robinson who shoots from 25 yards and it flashes just wide of the bottom right corner
• 12:58pm
  Now Conor Hourihane blocks a Collins clearance in his six yard box. The home fans are getting a bit more into this
• 1:02pm
  The game now more even after that little spell of United pressure. Barnsley have a fro-kick near halfway for a foul on Quina
• 1:03pm
  33 Styles' free kick is easily headed clear
• 1:04pm
  35 United win a corner on the right wing
• 1:05pm
  35 Conor Hourihane's left wing corner is easily caught by Brad Collins
• 1:07pm
  This is a very scrappy game now, both teams going pretty long and trying to win free-kicks in wide areas. United win one on the left wing
• 1:08pm
  38 Norwood's right wing free-kick is flicked on by Morgan Gibbs-White straight into the arms of Collins
• 1:13pm
  43 Another good chance for Wolfe. Barnsley break and have men over, Bassi slips him in on the lefty of the box and he hits the side netting. A tight angle and not as good a chance as his first but still a good opening
• 1:14pm
  It was a fine move by the Reds started but a one, two between Wolfe and Morris near halfway
• 1:15pm
  44 Decent chance for United. Berge plays in Osborn on the right of the box, he cuts down a defender and fires over 15 yards out
• 1:16pm
  Osborn is often totally free on the right wing. Barnsley must watch that
• 1:17pm
  HALF-TIME: Sheffield United 0, Barnsley 0. A good first half for the Reds who have had the better chances with Matty Wolfe twice coming close to his first goal for the club
• 1:33pm
  SECOND HALF UNDERWAY
• 1:37pm
  48 Styles' right wing corner is poor and easily cleared to Quina whose 25 yard effort hits a defender and deflects over
• 1:38pm
  49 Bassi's corner is cleared. Barnsley keep the ball and are still in the home half as they win a throw on the left. Bright start to the half
• 1:39pm
  Barnsley win a third corner in the first five minutes of this half. They are on top
• 1:39pm
  52 Styles' right wing corner is caught by Wes Foderingham
• 1:42pm
  GOAL!

  Sander Berge turns in a Hourihane cross after a quick free-kick caught Barnsley out
• 1:49pm
  Reds a bit shell-shocked by that goal;. United win another corner
• 1:49pm
  The goal was poor reaction from the visitors, they just weren't ready
• 1:49pm
  Barnsley clear the home corner
• 1:51pm
  64 United corner on the left but they have a player down needing treatment
• 1:53pm
  United bring on Daniel Jebbison for the injured Billy Sharp. First change of the game
• 1:54pm
  66 United's corner is headed out for another
• 1:54pm
  67 Norwood's inswinging corner is punched away by Collins on his line
• 1:55pm
  United have been on top since the goal, the crowd has calmed down a lot. Barnsley have barely launched an attack in the last ten minutes
• 1:57pm
  Oli McBurnie coming on for the hosts
• 1:59pm
  70 Big chance for 2-0 a long ball is latched onto by Gibbs White after most seemed to expect an offside flag. He lofts a cross from the left of the box to Osborn who controls it then blazes over under pressure five yards out on the right
• 1:59pm
  McBurnie on for goal-scorer Berge
• 2:01pm
  73 Another chance for the hosts. A good move ends with Norrington-Davies crossing from the left for Gibbs-White whose header is tipped over by Collins
• 2:02pm
  Barnsley bring on Iseka and Palmer for Styles and Wolfe
• 2:04pm
  GOAL!

  Morgan Gibbs-White makes it 2-0
• 2:07pm
  Palmer loses a tackle in the middle and McBurnie plays in Gibbs White who is in yards of space to round Collins and score
• 2:12pm
  Another chance for the hosts, who are rampant now. Gibbs White crosses from the left and Jebbison shoots over. Gibbs White is then replaced by Fleck
• 2:12pm
  Barnsley have totally lost control of this match since the opening goal, the home side are creating chances at will now
• 2:14pm
  86 A corner from the left is half cleared and Osborn blazes over from the edge of the box
• 2:17pm
  89 Chance for Barnsley. Iseka crosses from the right and Morris heads over six yards out
• 2:18pm
  Four added minutes
• 2:19pm
  Devante Cole comes on for Claudio Gomes
• 2:23pm
  FULL-TIME: Sheffield United 2, Barnsley 0. The Reds were good for 55 minutes but fell apart after the opening goal and could have lost by more