Reds continue revival with midweek win

Substitute Conor Chaplin opened the scoring, a minute after coming on, then Jacob Brown netted his first ever home Championship goal. 

The result took Barnsley off bottom of the table and within a point of safety but that gap could increase when Huddersfield Town and Hull City play later in the week. 

The Reds have now collected seven points from a possible nine after the suspension of football, while they have not conceded a goal in their three games. 

Gerhard Struber made his first change in three games since the re-start, with Jordan Williams replacing Kilian Ludewig at right wing-back.

Cauley Woodrow had the first shot of the game, his powerful low 20-yard effort forcing Christian Walton to dive down to his left and push ball the ball away. Romal Palmer then fired well over from a similar distance after Brown laid off an Alex Mowatt cross for him. Mowatt had a shot blocked in the box after a good move involving Woodrow and Elliot Simoes. 

But, after defending for most of the first 20 minutes, Blackburn then had a long spell of dominance. Former Barnsley loanee Adam Armstrong forced goalkeeper Jack Walton into two routine stops with powerful shots from the edge of the box before he deflected over a Brown clearance after Walton had impressively kept out Bradley Johnson’s volley from a corner. 

Walton saved easily from a long-range effort by former England man Stewart Downing then ex-Blackburn defender Ben Williams gifted Samuel the ball but made an excellent tackle in his box. Samuel also beat two men on the right of the area and fired the ball across the six-yard box with Armstrong inches away from diverting it in. 

Palmer came off with an injury late in the first half and was replaced by Callum Styles. Brown hit a tame 20-yard shot straight at the goalkeeper just before the break then Mowatt’s 25-yard swerving effort was pushed away by Walton.  

Samuel missed another gilt-edged chance in the six-yard box three minutes into the second half as he met Downing’s left-wing free-kick but again blazed over with his right foot. 

Struber made a triple change before the hour-mark with Chaplin and Luke Thomas replacing Marcel Ritzmaier an Simoes, while Ludewig came on for Jordan Williams who had had a difficult evening. The Reds reverted to a 4-4-2 diamond. 

A minute later, Ludewig crossed from the right and Chaplin superbly headed the ball in from 12 yards out off the left post. It was his 13th goal of the season and Barnsley’s first at home since his winner against Middlesbrough in February.

Chaplin made a huge impact as his low left-wing cross was side-footed wide by Woodrow then the substitute forced Walton into a low save with an effort from the edge of the box. 

Blackburn made four changes in the second drinks break but were soon down to ten men as, one of their replacements, Ben Brereton lunged in on Kilian Ludewig. They then went 2-0 down as Mowatt passed through a huge hole in the visiting defence to Brown who was clean through and fired into the bottom left corner. 

Rovers saw Johnson’s 30-yard effort easily held by Walton but never looked like getting back into the game.  

Barnsley (3-4-1-2): Walton; Sollbauer, Andersen, B Williams; J Williams (Ludewig 56mins), Palmer (Styles 38), Mowatt, Ritzmaier (Chaplin 56); Simoes (Thomas 56); Woodrow (Schmidt 80), Brown. Unused: Collins, Halme, Bahre, Oduor.  Yellow cards: Simoes.  Goals: Chaplin 58, Brown 76. 

Blackburn (4-3-1-2): Walton; Nyambe, Adarbioyo, Mulgrew, Bennett (Chapman 83mins); Downing, Johnson, Rothwell (Gallagher 67); Holtby (Davenport 67): Samuel (Brereton 67), Armstrong (Graham 67) Unused: Leutwiler, Smallwood, Carter, Vale.