Reds battered at Preston

Preston dominated the first half and took the lead but Cameron McGeehan levelled just before the break with his first goal of the season and the Reds’ first away from home since May. The hosts then scored three goals in 13 minutes early in the second half before adding another late on as Barnsley were outclassed and torn apart defensively. 

The Reds are two points adrift of safety having picked up just one point from the five games between the first two international breaks of the season. 

Daniel Stendel made one change to the side that drew 2-2 with Derby County on Wednesday. Centre-back Mads Andersen dropped to the bench with midfielder Cameron McGeehan returning from injury and Toby Sibbick dropping back into defence. 

The hosts were well on top for the first 40 minutes and created several clear-cut chances as their visitors struggled to venture out of their half or deal with North End’s quality movement and quality. 

Preston had the first shot on goal as their top-scorer Daniel Johnson unleashed a powerful low effort from just outside the box which Brad Collins got down to his right to push away. 

The hosts had a far better chance when Johnson ran into the box from the right wing and squared to Sean Maguire who should have scored from eight yards out but shot straight at Collins who blocked well with his legs. 

Former England international David Nugent headed over from a Joe Rafferty cross then, after 25 minutes, Jacob Brown’s wayward 25-yard effort was Barnsley’s first shot of the game.

The breakthrough came in the 31st minute when Preston’s swift passing meant Nugent could play in Tom Barkuizen in yards of space on the right of the box and, after his shot was well-saved by Collins, Johnson looped a header into the net. 

The hosts missed a golden chance soon after as, for the second time in the game, a fine move ended with Johnson pulling the ball back in the box for Maguire who shot straight at Collins, this time from six yards out. 

The equaliser came from Barnsley’s first corner of the match, which was taken from the left by Mike Bahre and went over almost everyone but Conor Chaplin hooked the ball back in and it fell for McGeehan to smash into the bottom right corner from five yards out. 

The hosts were back in front five minutes after the interval when Johnson burst behind the defence and squared to Barkuizen who beat Collins in a one-on-one situation 15 yards out. 

Bahre almost levelled when, after taking a corner on the left, he got behind the home defence to meet an Alex Mowatt cross on the left of the box 12 yards out but volleyed across goal and inches wide of the bottom right post. 

Nugent should have made it 3-1 after an hour when he was left totally unmarked at the back post from a right-wing and had time to chest the ball down eight yards out before scuffing badly wide. 

It was 3-1 soon after when a lofted pass by Paul Gallagher put Johnson through on goal and he beat Collins for his second of the game. It was 4-1 two minutes later when ex-Red Ben Pearson tapped in from close range after a sensational run from the pacy Barkhuizen down the left wing before he crossed low. 

The fifth goal was the most embarrassing as Sibbick was robbed on the edge of the box by substitute Josh Harrop who went through on goal and chipped Collins. 

Former Barnsley man Brad Potts, who came off the bench, almost added an incredible sixth goal when he attempted a volleyed lob from a long ball but put it narrowly over the bar. Another substitute Jayden Stockley then headed straight at Collins from a corner. 

Barnsley: Collins; J Williams (Green 83mins), Halme, Sibbick, B Williams; Brown (Wilks 55), McGeehan, Mowatt, Bahre (Styles 68); Chaplin, Woodrow.  Subs: Walton, Andersen, Green, Thomas, Pinillos.  Yellow cards: McGeehan. Goals: McGeehan 43. 

Preston: Rudd; Browne, Davies, Bauer, Rafferty; Gallagher, Pearson; Johnson, Barkhuizen (Potts 83mins), Maguire (Stockley 74mins); Nugent (Harrop 74) Subs: Hudson, Storey, Ledson, Bodin, Potts.  Goals: Johnson 31, 61, Barkhuizen 50, Pearson 63, Harrop 77.