Another Oakwell loss for Barnsley

Barnsley suffered a fourth home defeat of the season as they went down 1-0 to Blackpool.

Former Oakwell academy player Jordan Rhodes scored a penalty midway through the first half.

It was a poor game but Barnsley did not have a shot on target and looked toothless in attack.

Neill Collins made three changes from the side that won 2-1 at Northampton Town a week earlier in the last league game.

Mael de Givegney won the race to replace the injured Kacper Lopata in the centre of the back three, while John McAtee came in for the benched Sam Cosgrove up front.

Theo Chapman, 18, made his first league start with Adam Phillips and Josh Benson both left out of the squad.

Hardly anything happened in a dull first half in which Barnsley had plenty of the ball but did little with it.

The only half chance in the opening quarter of the game saw Devante Cole have a shot blocked in the box after good work on the right by McAtee.

The visitors took the lead on 23 minutes through a Jordan Rhodes penalty after Corey O’Keeffe slid in on CJ Hamilton and tripped the Blackpool winger on the left side of the box.

McAtee then had a shot blocked in the box. Styles scored into an empty net from 30 yards but it was ruled out for offside against Cole who had been beaten to the ball by goalkeeper Dan Grimshaw outside his box before weak clearance. Barnsley then appealed for a penalty on Styles after a good move.

Cosgrove replaced Chapman at half-time with McAtee dropping back into an attacking midfield role.

Roberts made an outstanding save four minutes into the second half, somehow clawing out a 15-yard shot by ex-Red Kenny Dougall which looked destined for the top left corner after a good Hamilton run on the left.

Barnsley felt they should have had a penalty of their own midway through the second half when, after a good run and cross on the left by Cole, Olly Casey appeared to handle the ball yards from goal.

McAtee should have made it 1-1 on 76 minutes when he received a good Cosgrove pass from the right and beat a defender in the box but blazed over from about 12 yards out. He was replaced seconds later by Max Watters.

Blackpool substitute Shayne Lavery saw his weak 20-yard shot saved by Roberts on 80 minutes then Rhodes bundled wide from close range.

Barnsley had plenty of late pressure but long-range shots over the bar by substitute wing-backs Barry Cotter and Nicky Cadden were the closest they came until Max Watters could have levelled with the final kick but could not make contact a few yards out after good work on the right by Cole.

Barnsley (3-5-2): Roberts; Williams, de Givegney, McCart; O’Keeffe (Cotter 57mins), Styles, Kane, Chapman (Cosgrove HT), Dodgson (Cadden 57); Cole, McAtee (Watters 78).

Unused: Killip, Russell, Watters, Shepherd.

Blackpool (3-5-2): Grimshaw; Connolly, Casey, Husband; Dale (Ekpiteta 84mins, Weir (Morgan 63), Norburn, Dougall, Hamilton; Rhodes (Carey 89), Kouassi (Lavery 63).

Unused: O’Donnell, Thompson, Dembele.

Yellow cards: Weir, Grimshaw, Norburn, Dougall, Husband, Connolly.

Goals: Rhodes 23 (pen).