Barnsley 2 Gillingham 0: Wright delighted by ugly win for Tykes

BARNSLEY moved up to eighth and prevented Gillingham claiming second place but were still far from their best.
ON TARGET: Barnsley's Sam Winnall. Picture: Tony JohnsonON TARGET: Barnsley's Sam Winnall. Picture: Tony Johnson
ON TARGET: Barnsley's Sam Winnall. Picture: Tony Johnson

That was the opinion of Reds assistant head coach Tommy Wright, who said: “Our quality on the ball wasn’t great but the important thing is knowing how to win ugly.

“We weren’t playing well but we stood up to their pressure in the second half. We knew they would get numbers into the box and we coped with it well.”

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The hosts scored twice in the first half to secure victory. Manchester United loanee Ben Pearson opened the scoring when a free-kick was only partially cleared and he fired home from 20 yards.

Sam Winnall doubled the lead when he arrived late into the area and steered the ball in from Marley Watkins’s pull-back. Wright enthused: “Ben technically strikes a great ball, so it was no surprise that it went in and the other goal was typical Marley Watkins. He’s strong and powerful and when he set up Sam Winnall he did what he does best and put the ball in the net.”

Barnsley are two points off the top six and Wright continued: “We’ve got a very young team and with young players consistency is difficult to get because they are learning all the time. If you’re going to be successful you have to cope with playing twice a week and deal with it.”

Gillingham created few chances, their best falling to Max Ehmer who flicked on Doug Loft’s free-kick against a post.

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Barnsley: Townsend, Wabara, Mawson, Nyatanga, G Smith, Watkins, Pearson (Michael Smith 74), Scowen, Hourihane, Harris (Crowley 71), Winnall (Roberts 90). Unused substitutes: Davies, Bree, Jackson, Wilkinson.

Gillingham: Nelson, Jackson, Egan, Ehmer, Brennan Dickenson, Wright, Loft, Osaoabe (Hessenthaler 65), Dack, Norris (Donnelly 61), Williamson (McDonald 61). Unused substitutes: Garmston, Houghton, Glenn Morris, Aaron Morris.

Referee: D Deadman (Cambridgeshire).

Man of the match: George Smith.