Barnsley second best at home to Stoke City

A Sam Clucas double and goals from Lee Gregory and Joe Allen outdid Barnsley, who looked second best to a side clearly buoyed by a change of manager and system. 

Stoke City opened the scoring eight minutes in, after conceding a fairly innocuous free kick for handball 30 yards out. 

Brad Collins stepped up to take the kick, but the ‘keeper horribly misjudged it and hit the ball low into Stoke’s midfield. Clucas pounced on the ball and, seeing Collins was nowhere near his line, looped a long ball over him and into the net. 

Barnsley had their first chance on the 15-minute mark, Dimtri Cavare playing the ball into Cauley Woodrow in the box. Woodrow’s first-time shot was well held by Jack Butland. 

The Reds then had another half-chance a minute later as Kenny Dougall was waiting on the edge of the box after a throw-in from the left, but the Australian hit his shot well over the bar. 

Stoke City had another chance when Danny Batth headed into Collins’ hands from a corner on the right, but there was some controversy in the build-up as Lee Gregory appeared to handle the ball as he broke the offside trap down the right wing. 

The Reds then enjoyed a spell of pressure without really threatening the goal, peppering the Stoke penalty area with crosses from all angles. 

But Michael O’Neill’s side defended well and broke up the pitch, winning a penalty in the 29^th minute as James McClean – a threatening presence on the left wing – dribbled into the box and was tripped. 

Gregory put the ball down on the penalty spot, and duly converted, sending Collins the wrong way and putting it into the bottom left corner. Aapo Halme was booked for a swipe on Gregory on the 45-minute mark, as the forward looked to collect a long ball on the left.

Barnsley attempted to mount a comeback shortly after half-time, Cameron McGeehan collecting a through ball from half-time substitute Luke Thomas and firing home from close range in the second minute of the second half. 

After his immediate impact, Thomas then looked as if he would win his side a penalty – but as the winger was brought down after cutting into the box from the right, the referee stayed quiet. Alex Mowatt fired wide after picking up the loose ball. 

The visitors could have had a third if not for Brad Collins, who denied Lee Gregory after the striker was found unmarked on the back post from a cross. The ‘keeper somehow got his legs in the way as Gregory shot from six yards. 

However, Stoke did get their third when the Reds failed to deal with a 64^th minute corner and Joe Allen hit a low effort towards goal on the turn.

The Potters then got their fourth, and Clucas his second, three minutes later as the midfielder rifled the ball past Collins from the edge of the area. 

Late substitute Patrick Schmidt mimicked his fellow substitute Thomas in making an immediate impact in the 82^nd minute, collecting Alex Mowatt’s long ball over the top of Stoke’s back line with his first touch and then sliding the ball past Jack Butland with his second. 

Stoke could’ve had a fifth when, after the Reds left men up for a corner, Mame Diouf was clean through on goal. But Thomas was there to put him off enough so that he couldn’t get a shot away.