Reds finish awful season with heaviest loss

Barnsley’s horrendous relegation season finished with their heaviest defeat of the campaign as they were thrashed 4-0 at mid-table West Bromwich Albion.

After a goalless first 37 minutes, the hosts took the lead from a very controversial penalty then added another soon after.

Albion netted two more early in the second half then missed another penalty amongst several other chances.

The Reds barely offered anything in attack and were picked apart countless times at the back as they were totally outclassed.

They finished the season bottom of the Championship with 30 points and six wins, their lowest tallies since 1953, while they had lost their last five matches and were winless in nine.

Caretaker Martin Devaney made three changes from the team that lost at home to Preston.

Jordan Helliwell made his first start for the Reds, after coming through the academy, with Cauley Woodrow and Clarke Oduor also back in the 11. Victor Adeboyejo dropped to the bench with Carlton Morris and Romal Palmer out of the squad with injuries. Josh Benson and Devante Cole were back on the bench.

West Brom were on top from the start. Grady Diangana cut in from the right wing past two defenders but shot over from the edge of the box.

Karlan Grant beat Jason Sraha to a long ball but he had it taken off his feet by Jack Walton, who then easily saved a 15-yard shot from Adam Reach who had cut in from the left.

Dara O’Shea headed over five yards out at the near post from Reach’s right-wing corner after getting between Halliwell and Jasper Moon. Reach volleyed wide five yards out at the back post from a right-wing cross by Furlong.

The opening goal came from the penalty spot after Oduor was extremely harshly judged to have fouled Jayson Molumby but he appeared to clearly kick the ball then they bumped into each other. Grant sent Walton the wrong way from the spot. Molumby had easily skipped past the sliding tackle of Matty Wolfe after being played in by Matt Phillips down the right wing on which Albion had caused big problems all game.

It was 2-0 three minutes later when Reach got away from Hondermarck to latch onto a long ball by former Barnsley goalkeeper David Button and lobbed Walton who had come well off his line.

Barnsley started the second half reasonably well, with Woodrow shooting straight at the goalkeeper from 22 yards.

But it was 3-0 eight minutes after the break when, after a good run by Diangana, Grant slipped in left-back Matt Clarke who fired past Walton from five yards out. Clarke had not been tracked by Hondermarck who was immediately replaced by Benson.

The fourth goal saw Woodrow lose out to Semi Ajayi who played in Grant, behind the static Reds defence, and the striker beat Walton one-on-one.

Grant then rounded Walton but hit the post from a tight angle on the left. At the other end, a weak long-range Styles shot was easily saved.

It should have been 5-0 when Walton dived to his left to save Grant’s penalty after Liam Kitching took a heavy touch in the box then brought down Furlong.

Diangana shot wide of the bottom right corner on the left of the box having been played in by Grant, on one of several occasions when the hosts very easily passed the ball up the pitch and created a chance.

Substitute Victor Adeboyejo blasted over in the box for Barnsley after fellow replacement Josh Benson won the ball.

Jasper Moon then cleared off the line from a Caleb Taylor header from a corner then the same player nodded the rebound over.

Barnsley (3-5-2): Walton; Moon, Sraha, Kitching; Hondermarck (Benson 54mins), Helliwell, Styles, Wolfe, Styles, Oduor (Bremang 60); Woodrow (Adeboyejo 70), Marsh.

Unused: Flavell, Christie-Davies, Ariely, Cole.

Yellow cards: Wolfe.

West Brom (4-4-2): Button; Furlong, O’Shea, Ajayi (Taylor 62mins), Clarke (Ashworth 67); Reach, Livermore (Robinson 71), Molumby, Phillips; Diangana, Grant.

Unused: Palmer, Kipre, Gardner-Hickman, Castro.

Goal: Grant 37 (pen), Reach 40, Clarke 53, Grant 59.