Childish defending punished by 'Little Tykes'

Last updated : 10 November 2002 By Michael Morris

Each goal came from a header after a Barnsley free kick was sent in from the flanks. Spencer Prior was at fault with goals 1 and three while I think it ws Gabbidon who was beaten to the ball for the second goal.

Barnsley could have scored more from headers as the City rear guard were made to look like schoolboys as they struggled to match the Barnsley attackers in the air.

Twice Robert Earnshaw pulled City bak into the game with classic strikers goal, on both oaccasions he sprung into the box to slip the ball past Andy Marriott's left hand. At half time it was 2 - 2. City dominated early possession in the second half but when the Tykes won a free kick on their right (63 mins) you could hear the 2500 odd City fans gulp as they knew another potential match winning cross was coming in and so it proved. Chris Morgan scored his second with a powerful header past Neil Alexander with Prior hardly a distraction to Morgan, a goal not to dissimilar to the opener in the 22nd minute.

Barnsley were very committed and both teams were provinding an exciting match for the neutral. Apart from the goals though there were very few other efforts on target, Alexander had a couple of shots to save, Marriott fewer as the City efforts tended to go high and wide, Kav in particular in the first half, Hamilton in the second half.

City were agin bossed out of midfield, Layton Maxwell struggled to put his foot on the ball. City, when in possession looked good but really struggled to offer Thorne and Earnshaw good enough service, although, if we had won the game 2 - 0 with Earnie's goals we would have said we'd done a thoroughly professional job and created opening. It's how the final result swings your views on the game.

Daniel Gabbidon did not come out for the second half, he was replaced by former Oakwell hero Chris Barker. Barker, say the locals, looks to have put on a few pounds and lost his pace but I thought he was solid enough as a centre half and defended well in the second half.

City were forced into another change. Gareth Whalley was taken out of the game by Chris Lumsden. Whalley received attention on the pitch before being secured on a stretcher and taken off, he managed to do the ayatollah while in obvious agony as he was taken away.

Des Hamilton came on and showed touches that impressed, he could have a role to play in this team, he also fired one shot up and away towards the direction of Leeds after some neat build up play.

Despite City trying to attack we were very poor in getting into scoring positions. Lennie's last gamble was to replace Maxwell with Leo. Apart from getting stuck into Andy Marriott in one challenge Leo gave nothing.

City have a couple of weeks now to get the team ready for the next league game. We have two cup games coming up and I can see a fully changed team maybe bar Willie Boland on Tuesday who may get a game becuase he will miss the FA Cup game next weekand. City take on Exeter and I can see Legg, Bowen, Margetson, Bonner, Collins, Giles, Jones, Campbell etc all getting a game.

Next Saturday for the FA Cup game we will be without Boland, suspended. Whalley, injured and possibly Gabbidon as well.

As the game finished yesterday City had slipped to 2nd place after Oldham picked up a point at Plymouth, the Latics went top on goal difference. Then a couple of hours later the other Latics, Wigan beat Blackpool 2 - 0 at Bloomfield Rd and went a point clear of Oldham and Cardiff.

Bristol City drew, QPR lost. Crewe moved into 5th after a 2 - 1 home win over Brentford.