Barnsley 0-0 Wigan: Paul Heckingbottom left frustrated by stalemate

Barnsley, whose last home win had been against Rotherham in late August, had made two changes after the international break.

Central defender Marc Roberts returned from hamstring trouble and replaced Angus MacDonald and Josh Scowen came into central midfield with Sam Morsy unable to face parent club Wigan. Celtic loanee winger Saidy Janko was fit enough to take a place on the bench after thigh trouble.

The visitors were playing for the second time under former Hull City player Warren Joyce, who again named a 4-1-4-1 formation in a bid to lead them out of the drop zone.

Barnsley 0-0 Wigan: Match stats

Former Reds favourite David Perkins tested Adam Davies before Sam Winnall headed wide from eight yards from Andy Yiadom’s cross.

Winnall then saw a volley from Roberts’s head-on at a free-kick blocked at his post by Bogdan as Barnsley continued to press.

Wigan lost Nick Powell with a knock and Luke Garbutt came on in the 30th minute on the left of midfield as Michael Jacobs moved inside.

Barnsley went close in the 45th minute when Winnall headed Conor Hourihane’s off-target shot into the net only to be flagged offside.

Winnall departed with a gash below an eye after allegedly being caught by an elbow but returned for the second half.

Adam Armstrong saw a shot diverted wide after being teed up by marauding full-back James Bree, who later let fly from outside the area but was off target.

Bogdan was taken off by stretcher in the 59th minute with what appeared a right knee injury following a hurried clearance and was replaced by Jussi Jaaskelainen.

Craig Morgan headed down and narrowly wide from Wigan’s corner after the delay and then Armstrong fizzed a shot narrowly over at the other end.

Michael Jacobs then split the Reds defence but Yanic Wildschut’s effort lacked power.

Barnsley introduced Adam Hammill for fellow winger Ryan Kent in the 75th minute.

After a mobile phone flashlight tribute to Reds owner Patrick Cryne, who is battling cancer, former Barnsley player Craig Davies replaced Wildschut.

Tom Bradshaw replaced Winnall for the closing stages and Janko took over from Armstrong in the five minutes of stoppage time.

Barnsley boss Paul Heckingbottom was left frustrated with his side’s shooting, saying: “My only sort of criticism would be that we didn’t work the keeper enough today. I thought we controlled the game from start to finish and we’re disappointed we didn’t get the three points there, definitely.

“Today showed how far as a club we’ve come, against a team that came up with us and romped our league. Their set-up and line-up, playing without a striker, a centre-midfielder at right midfield and the first sub is a left-back, so that shows that they came here paying us the utmost respect, trying to nullify us, which they did.

“You can see that before the game, in my mind, the only way the dynamic is going to change is with a goal and a goal by us, so that’s the frustrating bit.”