Barnsley 1 Mansfield Town 2: Opening night loss highlights need for attacking reinforcements

AFTER watching hometown fighter Callum Simpson in action at this venue last Saturday, Barnsley head coach Darrell Clarke was keen to see his side pack a punch in front of another expectant Oakwell audience six days on.

And certainly not cop a bloody nose on his opening night, not to mention League One’s curtain-raiser in 2024-25.

Unfortunately for Clarke’s sake, he took one in the ribs and suffered the blow of witnessing a first-day defeat against the club where his career started out – and where he is from too. Salt in wounds and all that.

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It looked like Barnsley had suffered an early haymaker after going 2-0 down inside 20 minutes. They rallied well and showed a strong jaw, but despite dominating the second half – with captain Luca Connell having reduced the arrears on 32 minutes after early goals from former Steel City duo Stephen Quinn and Lee Gregory – they couldn’t truly connect.

Barnsley’s Luca Connell (left) scores their side's first goal of the game during the Sky Bet League One match at Oakwell, Barnsley. Photo: Nigel French/PA Wire.Barnsley’s Luca Connell (left) scores their side's first goal of the game during the Sky Bet League One match at Oakwell, Barnsley. Photo: Nigel French/PA Wire.
Barnsley’s Luca Connell (left) scores their side's first goal of the game during the Sky Bet League One match at Oakwell, Barnsley. Photo: Nigel French/PA Wire.

Barnsley’s riposte was hearty, but there was no sweet end to a week which saw EFL charges against the club finally resolved in positive fashion as far as the club are concerned.

Ultimately, in their first campaign at third tier level for just over two decades, it was Mansfield’s night.

Barnsley are without a home win since February 24 and their response after going behind was stirring, they definitely lack goalscoring prowess up top and need an attacking option or two to harden their hopes.

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It remains to be seen if Davis Keillor-Dunn, who turned out for Mansfield and played a part in their fine opener, provides one option but he would definitely help.

Barsley introduced a new keeper at halftime onto the pitch in the shape of Chelsea’s Gabriel Slonina, a USA international. Now they need reinforcements at the other end of the pitch.

The atmosphere was bouncing ahead of kick-off, buoyed by a raucous and sizeable band of Mansfield followers and they had plenty to sing about after seeing their impressive side lead 2-0 inside 19 minutes and leave Barnsley teetering and struggling to lay the defensive ghosts of a ghastly final third of 2023-24.

To their credit, the hosts took the hint and a smart system change and substitution by Clarke midway through the half helped change the narrative after Georgie Gent was sacrificed on his debut and Jon Russell brought on in midfield, with Barnsley switching to a back four and looking more comfortable.

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Gradually, the hosts got their act together and a strike from Connell, which took a wicked deflection crept over the line on 32 minutes to give the Reds hope with Clarke’s first tactical test providing a noteworthy pass mark.

Prior to the change, Barnsley were unconvincing, especially at the back with the left hand side looking vulnerable in particular, with Stags midfielder Keanu Baccus looking the pick of the bunch for the visitors.

He cut inside early on and saw a curler ruled out with a visiting player straying offside, but the Notts outfit were not put off.

After last-ditch defending from Gent denied Keillor-Dunn, the Stags player sent over the resultant corner from the right, which was only half-cleared into the path of Quinn, with the ex-Sheffield United player showing outstanding technique to chest the ball down and dispatch a succulent left-footed half-volley which arrowed into the top corner on 13 minutes.

It got worse for those in red jerseys.

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Pinpoint work down the Barnsley left saw dangerman Baccus allowed a threatening position and his juicy cross was buried at the near post by ex-Owls striker Gregory, who scored the sort of goal he has dined out upon throughout his career with the sharpest of headers.

Mansfield scented blood, but Clarke was wise and did something about it and did not sit on his hands - matching up with Mansfield’s 4-1-3-2.

Connell, who grew into proceedings, fired a warning when he prodded a shot wide before reducing the arrears with his deflected effort.

A rasping low shot from Adam Phillips looked destined to level it up, but took the faintest of deflections while Cosgrove headed a good chance over ahead of the break after a quality centre from Connell.

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New signing Slonina and new boxing champion Simpson provided the entertainment at the interval ahead of Barnsley’s reappearance in the second period, playing in front of the Pontefract Road end.

They were given encouragement on the restart with Connell and Russell seeing shots blocked before the big chance came, but Watters’ low shot when clear was weak and straight at Christy Pym.

The arrival of Conor Hourihane for his second Reds debut, among a triple substitution, ensured the disappointment was temporary, with the increasingly influential Connell chancing his arm again with a half-volley which flew wide.

The action was almost exclusively towards the Mansfield goal as the Stags dug in after their early bravado.

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Connell, a man on a mission, fired into the side-netting from distance before Marsh fired at Pym while a rare effort at the other end saw Keillor-Dunn’s free-kick fly over.

Cosgrove then blazed over. Having failed to find that leveller, Barnsley seemed to lose a bit of heart late on. It was Mansfield who went closest to the next goal with before Killip superbly denied Boateng.

Barnsley: Killip; De Gevigney, Roberts, Earl; O’Keeffe (Cotter 62), Craig (Hourihane 62), Connell (Lofthouse 77), Phillips, Gent (Russell 26); Watters (Marsh 62), Cosgrove. Substitutes unused: Smith, Lopata.

Mansfield Town: Pym, Bowery, Flint, Oshilaja, Blake-Tracy; Reed, Baccus (Lewis 83), S Quinn (Boateng 59), Keillor-Dunn (Nichols 90); Gregory (Evans 59), Akins. Substitutes unused: Flinders, B. Quinn, Swan.

Referee: B Toner (Blackburn).

Attendance: 14,877 (3,296 Mansfield fans).

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