A preview of Barnsley's home game with mid-table Blackpool on Saturday from 3pm.
LIKELY LINE-UPS
Barnsley (3-5-2): Smith; Barratt, Roberts, McCarthy; O’Keeffe, Benson, Connell, Russell, Farrugia; Keillor-Dunn, Watters.
Blackpool (4-4-2): Tyrer, Offiah, Pennington, Casey, Husband; Apter, Morgan, Carey, Hamilton; Fletcher, Ennis.
TEAM NEWS
Barnsley: Out: Joe Gauci (hip), Fabio Jalo (shoulder), Barry Cotter (ankle), Jonathan Lewis (thigh), Donovan Pines (hamstring), Georgie Gent (Achilles). Doubts: Adam Phillips, Josh Earl. Suspended: Mael de Gevigney. Blackpool: Doubts: Tom Bloxham (thigh).
OPPOSITION VIEW
Amos Wynn, Blackpool Gazette
In recent times, Blackpool have proven hard to beat on the whole, but just lack a winning edge. The season has fallen flat, and that’s down to the number of games they’ve drawn, with the majority of them coming at home. Last weekend’s 2-1 defeat to Stockport County summed up their inconsistency, with a fantastic first half followed by an underwhelming second.
KEY PLAYER
Ashley Fletcher
The striker – who fired the Reds to promotion in 2016 while on loan from Manchester United – was initially due to miss this game after being given a four-match ban for a red card against Crawley last week but it has been overturned.
He has seven goals this season.
PREVIOUS MEETINGS
Reds 0, Tangerines 1 – September 30, 2023
A poor game was settled by a penalty. Corey O’Keeffe clumsily brought down CJ Hamilton in the box and former Barnsley academy player Jordan Rhodes scored from the spot.
Reds 0, Tangerines 2 – April 26, 2022
Barnsley had been relegated from the Championship three days earlier at Huddersfield, with Poya Asbaghi then sacked. Caretaker Martin Devaney took charge of another poor performance, with Oliver Casey and Owen Dale scoring. Isaac Christie-Davies and Jasper Moon were among the home starters.
Reds 4, Tangerines 2 – December 28, 2015
The first of seven successive wins which took Barnsley from the League One relegation zone into promotion contention. After Sam Winnall’s opener was cancelled out, he scored again then Marley Watkins made it 3-1. Blackpool scored a second then academy graduate Matty Templeton, who came on after 88 minutes, netted in injury-time but never played for the club again.
Reds 2, Tangerines 1 – November 5, 2007
Sam Togwell won a penalty which Brian Howard converted then Blackpool’s Michael Jackson was sent off. Istvan Ferenczi made it 2-0 before Keith Southern replied.
Reds 3, Tangerines 0 – January 27, 2004
New signings Danny Nardiello, on his debut, and Mark Stallard, playing his second game, inspired this victory. Nardiello opened the scoring then took advantage of a mistake by former Barnsley man Mike Flynn to set up Stallard. Nardiello turned in a free-kick by Peter Handyside.
