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AS IT HAPPENED
6:39pm
Good evening and welcome to the Chronicle’s live text coverage of Barnsley’s game at Lincoln City from 7.45pm.
6:45pm
Barnsley: Isted; B Thomas, Andersen, Kitching; Williams, Phillips, Connell, Kane, Larkeche; Norwood, Cole. Subs: Collins, Cundy, Russell, L Thomas, Tedic, Watters, Benson.
6:45pm
Devante Cole comes in for Slobodan Tedic
6:49pm
Lincoln: Wright; Poole, Jackson, O’Connor; Sorensen, Erhahon, Virtue, Boyes; Shodipo, Plange, Duffy. Subs: Long, Andersen, Oakley-Boothe, Eyoma, Roughan, Makama.
6:51pm
Couple of ex-Reds start for Lincoln. Centre-back Adam Jackson and also midfielder Ethan Erhahon who had a loan spell from St Mirren when a teenager in 2020 with the under 23s.
6:54pm
Lincoln without top-scorer Ben House tonight
6:57pm
Barnsley are fourth in League One, four points off the top two with five games left following a 5-1 win at Forest Green on Saturday.
6:59pm
The Imps are 12th in League One, 15 points away from both the relegation zone and play-offs with 15 points to play for.
7:01pm
Only sides in the bottom six have won fewer than their 12 wins but only the top three have fewer losses than their ten. They have the most draws in the top four divisions with 19, including 13 at home.
7:05pm
They had won three of 20 league games but last week they won 2-0 at home to Cheltenham then 2-0 at high-flying Plymouth. They then won 3-2 at home to Port Vale on Saturday.
7:06pm
They are unbeaten in seven meetings with the top four this season, winning at Oakwell, Ipswich and Plymouth.
7:09pm
Lincoln were unbeaten in 17 home league games this season, the only such run in the EFL, until they lost 3-0 at home to Peterborough last month.
7:14pm
That is still their only defeat there but they have drawn 13 times at home with only MK Dons and Oxford winning fewer than their six home games.
7:14pm
Their home games have brought just 37 total goals, by far the fewest in the division.
7:15pm
Head coach Michael Duff said: “They will be 3-4-3, they will try to play football but they don’t particular value the ball because they are such a threat on the counter. They will be happy for us to have a lot of the ball. They are a threat on the set plays as well. It’s up to us to be aware of their threats and try to exposes any weaknesses we think they might have but there aren’t many because there aren’t many spaces to play into.
7:28pm
“They are well-coached, organised and carry a threat. They have won the last three so definitely not on the beach. They have beaten good teams.
7:29pm
“I know they have drawn a lot but they have only lost once at home so it will be tough. They won 2-0 at Plymouth who have an amazing home record. They were better than our performance against Plymouth (a 3-0 win last month). They could have won by more.”
7:29pm
This will be the third meeting of the season. Lincoln won 3-0 at Oakwell in the EFL Trophy in August with James Norwood sent off after 23 minutes. They returned in October to win 1-0 in the league.
7:31pm
Duff said: “Their record against the top sides is excellent and the record against us is impeccable. They are 4-0 up against us already. We need to be better than in the first two.”
7:33pm
With a four-point gap to make up on the top two, Duff has said his side will push for win if drawing late on.
7:35pm
“We will go for the win. Draws don’t do us any good. We’re ten points clear of fifth. A draw at Lincoln isn’t the end of the world or a bad result because they are a good team. But we will be going there for three points.”
7:37pm
The two clubs have met 72 times, with Barnsley winning 33 and losing 25.
7:41pm
The Reds have not visited Lincoln for a league game since 1975.
7:41pm
In the almost half a century since, they have played League Cup ties there in 1979, 1999 and 2009. Daniel Bogdanovic got the only goal on the last trip there.
7:41pm
Centre-back Adam Jackson – who played 44 games for Barnsley between 2016 and 2019 – is a regular in Lincoln’s defence. He starts
7:41pm
Scottish midfielder Ethan Erhahon, who spent the first half of 2020 on loan to Barnsley as a teenager without playing a first team game, joined the Imps in January from St Mirren. He also starts
7:43pm
The players are out and we are about to start
7:45pm
GAME UNDERWAY
7:47pm
Bright start for the Reds in the first couple of minutes
7:47pm
3 Thomas throw on the right. Headed out
7:49pm
4 Adam Phillips wins a free-kick on the right after bringing down a Williams long ball
7:50pm
5 Connell's free-kick is caught by the goalkeeper
7:51pm
Barnsley have had most of the ball so far and are playing with a lot of energy.
7:52pm
7 Barnsley free-kick on the left. Connell takes. Headed out. Williams blasts well over from 30 yards. First shot of the game
7:56pm
10 First attack of note for Lincoln and Dylan Duffy whips a low cross across the six yard box from the right. Luke Plange slides but cannot connect
7:56pm
11 Kitching's clearance from a right wing cross is sliced to the edge of the box where Duffy curls well wide of the top left corner
7:57pm
A good couple of minutes for the home side
8:00pm
Decent move down the left but Kitching's back heel in the box is just behind Cole. Lincoln counter attack but Andersen shows great pace to get in front of a defender and clear
8:02pm
17 Bobby Thomas' long throw from the left is caught by goalkeeper Jordan Wright in front of his near post
8:04pm
Barnsley having plenty of the ball as expected, trying different things such as Liam Kitching moving forward from centre-back into the front line in open play
8:05pm
YELLOW CARD
Herbie Kane the first name in the book for a late sliding tackle in the Lincoln half
8:06pm
Bobby Thomas' long pass is far too long for Cole. That has happened a few times tonight
8:08pm
Midway through the first half. This is far from a classic
8:09pm
Norwood almost gets on the end of a ball over he top but a defender slides to just get there first
8:11pm
27 Norwood does well to keep the ball in on the right and win a corner
8:12pm
27 Luca Connell's right wing corner is headed out
8:12pm
There's a pretty decent atmosphere in here considering very little is going. on on the pitch
8:13pm
28 Half chance for the Reds. Phillips' cross from the right headed by Norwood but well wide. It was a glancing effort under pressure from a defender
8:15pm
A quick stoppage, I believe, for Ziyad Larkeche to break his fast for Ramadan
8:17pm
32 Best chance of the game so far. Williams' deflected cross is only half cleared and Kane meets it 15 yards out but his very powerful shot is just over the bar
8:19pm
Chances starting to come for the Reds then
8:20pm
But Lincoln win a a corner on the left
8:20pm
35 A left wing Lincoln corner is headed high up in the air by Luke Plange and Isted catches easily
8:21pm
37 Long throw by Thomas headed out. A scramble then Connell’s shot deflected over
8:22pm
37 Connell's right-wing corner is punched cleared by the goalkeeper. There tis a scramble in the box then the referee blows his whistle for a Lincoln head injury
8:24pm
Lincoln skipper Regan Poole needed treatment but is b ack up now and the game continues
8:25pm
Five minutes until the break. Barnsley have shaded the game overall but it's been a fairly dull stalemate against a very organised home team
8:27pm
42 Norwood crosses from the right of the box but the goalkeeper catches before Cole can get there
8:28pm
43 Williams has to concede a corner on the left for Lincoln
8:29pm
44 The hosts' corner from the left is headed onto the crossbar by Paudie O’Connor
8:30pm
That's the closest to a goal so far by far
8:30pm
Three added minutes this half
8:34pm
HALF-TIME: Lincoln 0, Barnsley 0. Not a lot to report. Herbie Kane put a good chance over then Lincoln hit the crossbar just before the break
8:51pm
SECOND HALF UNDERWAY
8:51pm
So far the second half has been a series of long balls over everyone
8:53pm
So far Luca Connell's passing has been well of his usual standards. It was sloppy in the first half and he's misplaced a few after the break
8:53pm
49 Opening for the Reds/. Phillips changes into the box, shows good skill to make space but shot blocked
8:54pm
49 Barnsley looked like they would score from the resulting corner but Thomas headed wide at the back post when the referee had already given a foul against them
8:54pm
Those two bits of action have livened up the away end.
8:55pm
50 Norwood wins a free-kick on the left wing
8:56pm
51 Left wing free-kick by Connell results in a big scramble in the box but the Reds cannot get a shot away and the goalkeeper claims
8:59pm
The away end are nice and loud after that spell of pressure for their side
9:00pm
Ipswich and Plymouth, the top two, are both currently losing
9:00pm
But Barnsley will want to take advantage of that by winning here
9:01pm
Michael Duff will probably be starting to think about changes. He has made four at once in several recent matches
9:04pm
Poor header from Thomas gifts Lincoln the ball. They cross from, right and Duffy heads well over
9:04pm
Poor header from Thomas gifts Lincoln the ball. They cross from, right and Duffy heads well over
9:06pm
Attendance: 8,715 (1,706 away)
9:08pm
YELLOW CARD
Bobby Thomas booked for a clear trip on Dylan Duffy
9:09pm
Barnsley about to make some changes. But they have a corner to defend
9:09pm
65 A right-wing Lincoln corner is cleared by Phillips then the second cross is just over Poole's head
9:09pm
Tedic and Watters are about to come on
9:11pm
Williams gets in box down right after Cole brings down long ball but his cross is cleared
9:12pm
Luke Thomas, Slobodan Tedic and Max Watters come on for Barnsley
9:12pm
Kane, Norwood and Cole off
9:15pm
20 minutes left now. Barnsley have just about shaded this game in general. Can they push on and get a winner?
9:15pm
Lincoln bring off Olamide Shodipo for Sean Roughan and Duffy for Tashan Oakley-Boothe
9:16pm
Isted spills the ball behind for a corner
9:17pm
72 Corner headed out by Thomas
9:19pm
Ipswich and Plymouth have both scored equalisers
9:20pm
Into the last 15 minutes. Michael Duff has said draws are no good to the Reds. They will start to really throw caution to the wind soon
9:22pm
Bobby Thomas collides with a Lincoln player, a free-kick is given but no second yell0ow despite the bang of the home crowd. Correct decision
9:23pm
Josh Benson is about to come on
9:26pm
The referee gives Barnsley a free-kick when they are in a good position on the attack. They wanted advantage. The Erhahon and Phillips get into as tussle off the ball
9:26pm
Benson on for Larkeche. He goes right wing-back with Williams moving onto the left
9:30pm
Only five minutes left now. There have been no real chances for almost half an hour
9:30pm
Barnsley are yet to have a shot on target
9:31pm
Bobby Thomas shanks an awful pass out of play, not for the first time today
9:33pm
Barnsley have their first shot on target in the 88th minute but L Thomas' weak 25-yard effort is easily saved
9:35pm
Five added minutes
9:35pm
YELLOW CARD
Mads Andersen booked for taking out a Lincoln man on the counter
9:36pm
90+1 Lincoln free-kick from left just evades Regan Poole at the back posrt
9:39pm
90+3 Chance for Barnsley. Tedic meets a Kitching cross from the left but his looping header goes onto the roof of the net
9:41pm
FULL-TIME: Lincoln 0, Barnsley 0.
READ MORE: Five talking points from Lincoln draw
