Barnsley FC 1 Birmingham City 2: Luck continues to go against Reds on controversial afternoon at stormy Oakwell

Against the division’s stellar side, you needed a fair dollop of it in truth and the hosts received little.

They lost their defensive lynchpin in Marc Roberts to injury early in the second half, against his former club. In the first, they had a big penalty shout rebuffed when Stephen Humphrys had his shirt clearly tugged in the box by Krystian Bielik.

In fairness, the Reds dusted themselves well following Roberts’ departure to take a surprise, but deserved lead, when Paik Sueng-Ho got the final touch close to the goalline following a cross-shot from Stephen Humphrys.

Unfortunately, it only stirred Blues into life. Jay Stansfield, an irritant to the Reds in his time at Exeter, blasted home a brilliant equaliser shortly after the hosts’ breakthrough.

He then headed in the winner in front of the 4,940 Blues contingent in 79 minutes.

Plenty happened before then. Eight minutes earlier, Clarke’s side went down to ten men when Adam Phillips received a second caution for a foul on Ethan Laird.

It was as if things were not meant to be for those in red. The most wonderful time of the year? A week or so into December and Barnsley aren’t getting festive.

Things continue to go against them and they are now six without a win in all competitions.

Amid pretty lousy conditions, Barnsley were afforded some encouragement if not a cherished breakthrough at the break in a first half in which they produced some decent pockets of play.

Birmingham briefly threatened to get into their stride, but in truth if was a stop-start half, one which got increasingly fractious as it progressed and controversial.

The Reds - who made one change with Donovan Pines handed his first start since October 26 with Josh Earl out - were denied a very strong penalty shout when Humphrys, who led the line and put himself about well enough, went down under close attention from Bielik.

They also went close with the best move of the half when Phillips saw his fierce drive turned away by Ryan Allsop after a smart counter-attack.

Phillips was one of four players booked in the opening period - three in home colours - alongside Corey O’Keeffe and Luca Connell, making his 100th appearance for the club.

For Blues, it was a half most notable for an early injury to Alex Cochrane, who was stretchered off. He initially tried to carry on after being caught by Phillips but went down and received lengthy attention.

Chances were at a premium, with a couple of pieces of excellent last-ditch defending worthy of note.

First, Georgie Gent, who had a very presentable first-half, made a superb saving challenge after Stansfield broke away after Barnsley were stranded upfield while rock-solid Blues centre-half Christoph Klarer also showed his aplomb later on in the half to make a fine last-ditch tackle to thwart Humphrys.

On the resumption, Barnsley flew out of the blocks.

Humphrys broke and found Phillips, who spotted Davis Keillor-Dunn in space with Bielik blocking his goalbound shot before a brilliant goal-line clearance from Paik Seung-Ho kept out Jon Russell’s glancing header from a cross from ex-Blues defender Roberts, given the bird by the sell-out visiting following throughout.

The next development added to the litany of poor fortune that Barnsley are suffering with Roberts, looking distraught, going off after pulling up with an injury issue, with Conor McCarthy coming on for his first league appearance for the Reds since September 2022.

Barnsley did not feel sorry for themselves at the Roberts blow. O’Keeffe tested Allsop at his near post with the ex-Hull City keeper eventually gathering.

And, commendably, the goal that the hosts had been hinting at duly arrived and was deserved.

O’Keeffe played an intelligent pass to Humphrys, who twisted and turned superbly before seeing his cross-shot diverted into his own net by Paik Seung-Ho.

The moment unfortunately poked the Blue bear.

Soon after, Stansfield levelled with a fabulous long-ranger after being found by Alfie May and showed why Blues had invested so heavily in him.

On , the odds heavily stacked against the hosts again, when Phillips was dismissed for his second booking after a foul on Ethan Laird.

In fairness, Clarke went for it late on, with Sam Cosgrove, Barry Cotter and Kelechi Nwakali all entering the fray, with a substitute in McCarthy among those replaced.

Soon after, it was all over as the hosts fell to sleep from a corner and Stansfield said ‘thank you very much’ by nodding in at the far post 11 minutes from the end of normal time from Paik’s corner on the left.

Barnsley: Killip; de Gevigney, Pines, Roberts (McCarthy 51 (Nwakali 77); O’Keeffe (Cotter 78), Connell, Phillips, Russell, Gent; Humphrys, Keillor-Dunn (Cosgrove 77). Substitutes unused: Smith, Lofthouse, Craig.

Birmingham City: Allsop; Bielik, Klarer, Davies; Laird, Iwata, Paik, Cochrane (Gardner-Hickman 6); Harris (Jutkiewicz); Stansfield; May (Leonard 61). Substitutes unused: Peacock-Farrell, Sanderson, Khela, Yokoyama.

Referee: T Parsons (Manchester)

Attendance: 15,367 (4,940 Birmingham supporters).