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Barnsley 2 Sheffield United 2: Barnsley denied as Henderson holds his nerve
DARIUS HENDERSON ensured the proverb about revenge being a dish best served cold did not become reality in freezing temperatures at Barnsley.
Two coolly-taken penalties by Shefield United's stand-in captain meant a pulsating derby ended with honours even as the home fans were denied the victory many had craved more than any other this season.
Almost 12 months to the day since the controversial derby between these two sides had left striker Iain Hume in intensive care with a fractured skull, Barnsley thought they had done enough to exact revenge.
Twice Mark Robins's side went ahead, through Anderson de Silva and Daniel Bogdanovic, only to be pegged back by a resolute Blades side who, in claiming a point, brought to an end a damaging four-game losing run.
The draw also ensured that a night where the injury jinx that has dogged Kevin Blackwell's side for much of the season returned with a vengeance did, at least, end on a happy note for those from Bramall Lane.
United will have to wait to discover the extent of the damage that saw Matthew Kilgallon forced out of the action in the first half and goalkeeper Ian Bennett replaced during the half-time interval.
But the Blades, who welcomed Derek Geary back after 15 months out with a knee injury, will do so with the boost of having rescued a point from a derby that maybe their overall play did not merit.
Certainly, it was Barnsley who created the better chances to ensure Bennett, and then his replacement Mark Bunn, had a far busier time than Luke Steele in the home goal.
What the visitors do deserve, though, is tremendous credit for sticking to their task in an encounter that always had the potential to boil over even though Chris Morgan, whose challenge had left Hume seriously injured 12 months ago, was missing through suspension.
Even allowing for the absence of Barnsley-born Morgan, however, this was still a contest which seemed to be one mis-timed challenge away from exploding with even the slightest of indiscretions bringing the 12,998 crowd to their feet demanding action from referee Mark Clattenburg.
There was one major flashpoint midway through the first half when Andrew Davies and Jon Macken clashed to trigger a melee that led to the official calling both captains together.
Thankfully, matters calmed down after the break with both sides instead contributing to an enthralling second half.
The game burst into life eight minutes after the restart when Hugo Colace showed great presence of mind to cushion the ball into the path of de Silva whose shot arrowed beyond the outstretched hand of Mark Bunn.
Jon Macken then missed a golden chance to double the home side's lead before the Blades drew level on 61 minutes after Clattenburg adjudged Ched Evans to have been fouled by goalkeeper Steele.
Darius Henderson, captain for the night in place of Morgan, stepped up to drill the resulting penalty down the middle of the goal.
Barnsley refused to be downhearted, however, and restored their advantage on 74 minutes when Bogdanovic bundled the ball home from Macken's cross.
Cue bedlam all around Oakwell as the home fans savoured what they hoped would be the winning goal.
Once again, however, the Blades hit back and after Adam Hammill had been penalised by Clattenburg, Henderson showed great composure to equalise. In the process, he also prevented United slipping to a fifth consecutive defeat for the first time since the opening weeks of the 1995-96 season.
The flurry of goals had come after a frantic first half in which Bennett had been by far the busier goalkeeper, particularly in the opening 25 minutes when he made three excellent saves. First, he denied de Silva's downward header after the Brazilian had been picked out by Hammill's cross.
Bennett followed this with a block to keep out a fierce shot from Bogdanovic before again displaying tremendous agility in keeping out Colace's effort.
At the other end, Steele enjoyed a quieter opening 45 minutes with the Barnsley defence proving to be a useful barrier in front of their goalkeeper.
The former Manchester United trainee's most nervy moment came in the 17th minute when Henderson turned smartly on the edge of the penalty area before unleashing a fierce drive that flew just past the post.
Barnsley: Steele; Kozluk, Moore, Shotton, Dickinson; De Silva, Doyle, Colace, Hammill; Macken (Hume 74), Bogdanovic (Gray 75). Unused substitutes: Preece, Campbell-Ryce,Hassell, Halfredsson, Thompson.
Sheffield United: Bennett (Bunn 46); Walker, Davies, Fortune, Kilgallon (Geary 45); Ward, Quinn, Harper, Treacy (Camara 78); Evans, Henderson. Unused substitutes: France, Cotterill, Williamson, Little.
Referee: M Clattenburg (Tyne & Wear).
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Weather for Yorkshire
Tuesday 22 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 9 C to 23 C
Wind Speed: 21 mph
Wind direction: North
Tomorrow
Sunny spells
Temperature: 10 C to 23 C
Wind Speed: 12 mph
Wind direction: North east
