Superb Reds win at Hillsborough

Barnsley stunned local rivals Sheffield Wednesday with a magnificent 2-0 win at Hillsborough on Saturday afternoon.

Devante Cole opened the scoring during a first half which the Reds dominated then James Norwood made it 2-0 within seconds of coming on.

The Reds had to defend heroically at times in the second half but created the better chances and thoroughly deserved their first away win of the season.

It is the first time they have won back to back games at Hillsborough since either side of the Second World War.

Conor McCarthy and Robbie Cundy came in for the injured Jordan Helliwell and Callum Styles who was loaned to Millwall on deadline day. New signings Tom Edwards and Josh Martin were on the bench, with Adam Phillips not in the squad. Liam Kitching and Jordan Williams moved out of the back three to left and right wing-back respectively.

The visitors were excellent in the first half, pressing their hosts frantically and winning the ball in keys areas while the Owls had very few attacks and no chances.

Barnsley had the first chance in the 12th minute when Jack Aitchison impressively beat a man and played in Kitching on the left of the box but his shot from a tight angle went wide of the top right corner.

Devante Cole closed down goalkeeper David Stockdale and won the ball but hesitated and his shot from a tight angle on the left was saved. The same player then shot wide from just outside the box.

Barnsley had to make a change on 32 minutes when Josh Benson, who had been a doubt with a hamstring problem, had to come off and Matty Wolfe replaced him.

The visitors took the lead in the 33rd minute when Luke Thomas’ pass was deflected into the path of Cole who found the bottom left corner from the right side of the box 12 yards out.

The hosts began the second half on top and Lee Gregory was played clean through by a clipped pass over the defence but his touch was heavy and Brad Collins grabbed the ball.

But Barnsley should have made it 2-0 on 52 minutes when the goalkeeper’s clearance went straight to Thomas who rattled the bar from the edge of thew box.

Gregory was played in again by a Tyreeq Bakinson pass over the defence but again Collins brilliantly denied him.

Aitchison almost made it 2-0 when a free-kick was cleared to him on the edge of the box and his powerful low shot blocked on the line then Wolfe appeared to be tripped before his shot was also blocked.

The second goal came when Norwood, one of three substitutes brought on seconds earlier, headed his first touch superbly in from a left-wing corner by Luca Connell.

Collins then turned a Michael Smith header just wide of his left post and, after missing the resulting corner, Michael Ihiekwe headed wide of the open net.

It should have been 3-0 when the excellent Cundy intercepted and Connell played Norwood clean through but he was denied by the goalkeeper.

Wednesday (3-5-2): Stockdale; Iorfa, Ihiekwe, McGuinness (James 64mins); Palmer, Bakinson (Mighten 64), Byers, Bannan, Johnson (Smith 70); Windass (Wilks 64), Gregory. Unused: Dawson, Vaulks, Paterson,.

Yellow cards: Smith, Ihiekwe.

Barnsley (3-4-3): Collins; Andersen, Cundy, McCarthy; Williams, Connell (Kane 85), Benson (Wolfe 32), Kitching; Thomas (Martin 74), Cole (Tedic 74), Aitchison (Norwood 74).