Winning home run ends with stalemate

The result extended the Reds’ unbeaten run in home league matches to 21 games but it allowed third-placed Sunderland to move within four points of them with a game in hand.

Barnsley – who missed the chance to move within three points of leaders Luton Town – had the better of the game and created more opportunities but they were not at their best against a defensive visiting side. They are unbeaten in 13 league matches. 

Daniel Stendel made one change from the side that won 2-1 over Wycombe Wanderers on Saturday, with Ryan Hedges replacing Mamadou Thiam on the left wing. The head coach moved Jacob Brown from right wing to up front with Cauley Woodrow while Mike Bahre switched from attacking midfield to the right in a 4-4-2.

Burton’s Jamie Allen – who scored after less than a minute in the same fixture last season – had the first shot but his fourth-minute effort from 25 yards went wide after Barnsley failed to clear a corner. 

The Reds were quiet for the first quarter of an hour but began to attack more with Woodrow blazing over with a half-volley when the ball fell to him just inside the box. The same player then saw a very powerful volley from a tight angle on the right of the box impressively clawed out by goalkeeper Bradley Collins after Woodrow had met Hedges’ deep cross from the left. 

Burton striker Lucas Akins then sent a weak header straight to Adam Davies after Dani Pinillos had made a mess of a clearance in his box. 

Stendel changed system after half an hour with Brown and Bahre swapping so the German played just behind Woodrow in a 4-4-1-1. Barnsley spent most of the last 15 minutes before half-time camped in the Burton half but could not break through a stubborn visiting defence. 

After a good flick-on by Woodrow, Bahre had an excellent opportunity to play Alex Mowatt clean through on goal in the box but overhit the pass. Bahre then controlled the ball superbly before swinging in a cross which Brown, arriving at the back post on the right of the box, headed wide under pressure from seven yards out. 

The start of the second half was even and uneventful but Woodrow should have opened the scoring on the hour-mark when another Hedges cross from the left found him in yards of space and he shot over the bar from 12 yards out. 

Stendel then brought Thiam and Victor Adeboyejo off the bench for Bahre and Hedges but the Reds struggled to find a way past their resilient visitors. 

Burton substitute Liam Boyce headed a cross by Shaun Fraser well wide when well-placed in the 76th minute then, at the other end, Brown’s header from a Pinillos cross was cleared off the line by a defender. Brown headed another difficult chance well wide which proved to be the final opportunity of the game. 

Barnsley (4-4-2): Davies; Cavare, Pinnock, Lindsay, Pinillos; Bahre 7 (Thiam 62mins), Mowatt, McGeehan (Dougall 84), Hedges (Adeboyejo 74); Brown, Woodrow. Subs: Walton, Jackson, J Williams, Styles.  Yellow cards: Mowatt.  Burton (4-4-1-1): Collins; Brayford, Buxton, McFadzean, Daniel (Wallace 53mins);  Harness (Hutchinson 81), Allen, Quinn, Fraser; Miller (Boyce HT); Akins.  Subs: Bywater, Sbarra, Templeton, Bradley.  Yellow cards: Daniel.