Barnsley 1 Preston 1: Hats off to Reds striker Ibehre

The 32-year-old, on as a second-half substitute, fashioned a deserved point with the smartest of finishes to maintain Barnsley’s burgeoning play-off hopes.

It also continued his own amazing turnaround in fortunes, Ibehre having been frozen out at Colchester United in the months that preceded his loan switch to Oakwell a little over a fortnight ago.

After netting his first goal in Barnsley colours, he admits to loving footballing life again.

“It was an easy decision to come here in that I would have a chance to play football,” said a striker who spent three months on loan at Oldham earlier this season under current Reds chief Lee Johnson.

“My time at Colchester and the way things went towards the end, I was literally left chilling with a couple of other players. I hadn’t played in the two months since I left Oldham.

“Eventually, though, they let me get out on loan. Colchester did make things difficult.

“I can’t go into too much details but when I was at Colchester a few clubs did come in but they wouldn’t let it happen.

“Now, though, it is fantastic to be here and I am happy to be part of it. I have had a promotion before with Leyton Orient (in 2005-06 from League Two) and it would be fantastic to have another one. It would be an amazing contrast for my season.”

North End have staged ‘Gentry Day’, whereby supporters are encouraged to dress smartly, for the past decade as a nod to Alan Ball Senior, when manager in the early Seventies, once commenting: “Preston fans are the best, they are the gentry.”

During the past 10 years, a host of grounds, including Loftus Road, Hillsborough and St James’ Park, have witnessed hundreds of Lancastrians, many sporting bowler hats, doing their best to live up to Ball’s billing.

Saturday was Oakwell’s turn and while the football that kept Barnsley’s largest home crowd of the season enraptured may not have quite been Savile Row quality, it was still more designer outlet than bargain basement.

Simon Grayson’s Preston are, without doubt, one of League One’s most impressive teams and yet Barnsley matched them all the way.

With steadier finishing – particularly by debutant Cameron Stewart just after half-time – the home side would have taken all three points from a compelling contest.

John O’Sullivan, playing the last game of a loan spell from Blackburn Rovers after his parent club triggered a recall clause, typified all that was good about the Reds.

His constant drive from midfield meant North End could never rest, especially with the likes of Declan John, Conor Hourihane and Stewart having an array of skills capable of opening up an opposition defence.

At the other end of the pitch, Barnsley were once again resolute with a 10th-minute save by Adam Davies to deny Joe Garner being of such a high standard that it even drew applause from some of the near 3,000-strong travelling contingent.

Davies’s point-blank stop came amid a frantic opening, as two sides who led the League One form table displayed all the confidence that comes from a winning run.

O’Sullivan hit a post from 25 yards for the hosts a minute before Garner was denied, and not long after it took a wonderful tackle from John to deny Jermaine Beckford a scoring opportunity.

As the first half wore on and Preston started to take more control, James Bailey had to throw himself in front of a fiercely struck shot from Garner and then Davies did the same to keep out Callum Robinson.

The breakthrough finally 
arrived eight minutes before half-time, Garner showing great skill to bring down a left-wing cross before firing in from eight yards.

Barnsley’s response took until the second half but it was impressive. First, John did brilliantly to get clear down the left before squaring to former Hull and Leeds winger Stewart, who fired over despite having just one defender on the line to beat.

Martin Cranie also had a flicked header that flew just over from Hourihane’s set-piece before Ibehre’s big moment arrived.

Neat play on the right flank by O’Sullivan created sufficient space for Mason Holgate and the full-back delivered an exquisite cross that Ibehre expertly diverted beyond goalkeeper Sam Johnstone.

That set up a furious finale, as Sam Winnall wasted a great opening with a fresh air shot for Barnsley and then former Huddersfield defender Tom Clarke headed straight at Davies in the first minute of stoppage time to ensure honours ended even and both teams being afforded a deserved doff of the bowler hat by the 12,471 crowd.