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Barnsley 2 QPR 1: Davey buoyed by Barnsley display as replacements shine against Rangers
Barnsley are creating real momentum in the fight to avoid relegation as they prepare to go to Cardiff tomorrow night.
Simon Davey's men built on good results against Sheffield Wednesday and Charlton to turn in an excellent performance in beating QPR, making it seven points from the last nine.
All the goals came in the first half, with Anderson de Silva scoring what proved to be the winner two minutes before the break after QPR's Damien Delaney had earlier cancelled out Daniel Bogdanovic's opener. The win has sent the Tykes into 18th place and five points clear of the drop zone. Now the challenge is to keep the run going.
There were encouraging signs all over the pitch at Oakwell as Barnsley dominated the second half to ensure there was no way back for a QPR side who are watching their play-off hopes slowly fade away.
"The spirit in the dressing room after the game was excellent, but we're focused on Tuesday now and hopefully getting the win there," said midfielder Adam Hammill, who made his first start for Barnsley.
Hammill was one of several changes in Davey's side as Darren Moore and Jamal Campbell-Ryce were suspended, while Marciano van Homoet was injured. In stepped Hammill, Dennis Souza and Rob Kozluk, but the Tykes did not skip a beat and, in fact, looked much better than the side held to a goalless draw by Charlton a week ago.
While the first half was an end-to-end affair, Barnsley were a cut above after the break and were the only side who looked liked scoring again.
On-loan striker Michael Mifsud proved a real handful to the QPR defence all afternoon, and Hammill almost marked his first start with a stunning solo goal.
The young Liverpool midfielder raced down the left wing before cutting into the area, but Radek Cerny was able to push his shot clear.
"The run was all about determination," Hammill said. "I got a few lucky deflections, but in the end I got towards the goal.
"Maybe if I poked it over him it would have been a different result, but I was tiring and tried to hit it past him and he got to it."
De Silva, Hugo Colace and Andranik Teymourian ran the show in the middle of the park to earn high praise from their boss.
"I'd back my midfielders against anyone in the division on their day," Davey said. "They're as good as anybody and we just have to make sure they are on their day more often than not. Here they were terrific."
The all-round effort might make it hard for the absentees to get back in the team. "It's a nice problem to have," Davey said. "We could have been sitting here with a defeat and saying, 'At least we have Darren and Jamal to come back in'.
"But after a performance like that it will be difficult to get back in the side.
"It might be difficult for them to even get on the bench.
"But it's not about individuals, it's about the football club and it's great to get the result."
The only opening that might come up is in defence, where Stephen Foster will be a doubt.
The captain missed training last week with a build up of fluid – the after-effects of his hernia operation – and although he played on Saturday, the Tykes will wait to see how he reacts before making a decision on the Cardiff match.
Barnsley: Muller; Hassell, Foster, Guedes, Kozluk; Colace, Teymourian, De Silva, Hammill (Devaney 82); Mifsud, Bogdanovic (Macken 66). Unused substitutes: Steele, El Haimour, Rigters.
QPR: Cerny; Connolly, Stewart, Delaney, Gorkss; Alberti (Lopez 69), Routledge,
Leigertwood, Miller (Rose 55); Blackstock,
Helguson (Di Carmine 80).
Unused substitutes: Hall, Mahon.
Referee: R Shoebridge (Derbyshire).
Man of the match: Anderson de Silva.
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Saturday 26 May 2012
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