Barnsley out of FA Cup after poor loss

Barnsley were knocked out of the FA Cup after a 3-0 loss at Derby County on Sunday lunchtime, which saw them fell apart after conceding just before the break.

The Reds fell behind on the stroke of half-time to a penalty conceded by Matty Wolfe for handball. The hosts then added another two after Barnsley lost the ball deep in their half twice.

Barnsley were impressive in the first 15 minutes but got gradually worse and were shambolic after the break.

Michael Duff – who was allowed on the sidelines while waiting for the appeal for his red card last month to be heard – made two changes from the last league line-up. Derby also made two changes.

Brad Collins was replaced by Jack Walton in goal and fit-again Tom Edwards came back for the suspended Mads Andersen. Adam Phillips was also back after injury and on the bench but there was no place for new signing Max Watters.

Barnsley started brightly and almost took the lead in the fourth minute when Luca Connell’s left-wing corner was headed by Edwards at the near post. But former Barnsley goalkeeper Joe Wildsmith threw himself to his left to make a good save and captain Liam Kitching could not quite turn in the rebound.

Also in the first ten minutes, James Norwood saw a 12-yard header from a Herbie Kane free-kick easily saved by Wildsmith who then watched a low Nicky Cadden long-range strike go wide of his bottom left corner.

Derby came back into the game and their first shot was a header by Lewis Dobbin from a left-wing Tom Barkuizen cross which Walton tipped over the bar. The hosts then appealed for a penalty on Louie Sibley by Matty Wolfe but referee Sunny Gill was unmoved.

Barnsley were forced into a substitution late in the first half when Edwards went down with what looked like a serious injury. Josh Benson came on at right wing-back with Jordan Williams moving into the back three.

That happened while Barnsley were waiting to defend a corner, from which Williams flicked a header onto the hand of Wolfe, which was next to his head, and the referee gave a penalty. It was the fourth successive game in which the Reds have conceded a spot-kick. James Collins beat Walton from the spot.

Derby controlled the second half with Barnsley very poor at the back and barely threatening going forward.

The hosts doubled their lead on the hour-mark when, after Wolfe gave up the ball just outside his box, Tom Barkhuizen lashed in from just inside the box.

Norwood stung the palms of Wildsmith from the right of the box at a tight angle after a quick free-kick, but Barnsley were very poor in the second half.

The third goal saw Walton’s pass to Kitching intercepted by Nathaniel Mendez-Laing who was first denied by an excellent save then passed to Knight to tap into the empty net.

Substitute Josh Martin fired over the bottom from just inside the box in the 90th minute.

Barnsley (3-5-2): Walton; Edwards (Benson 45), Cundy, Kitching; Williams, Kane, Connell (Martin 61), Wolfe (Phillips 61), Cadden; Cole, Norwood (Aitchison 76).

Unused: Collins, Moon, Ackroyd, Lancaster, Larkeche.

Yellow cards: Connell, Kitching.

Derby (3-5-2): Wildsmith; Rooney, Cashin (Davies 85mins), Forsyth (Stearman 85), Sibley; Hourihane, Bird, Knight; Dobbin, Collins, Barkhuizen (Mendez-Laing 73).

Unused: Loach.

Yellow cards: Sibley.

Goals: Collins (pen) 45+1, Barkhuizen 60, Knight 79.