Barnsley FC 2 Rotherham United 0: Away fans turn on Steve Evans and players after dire derby loss at Oakwell

IN A week dominated by Donald Trump, Darrell Clarke and Steve Evans, metaphorically sporting red caps like the new American president, have some way to go to make Barnsley and Rotherham United great again.

The former manager, given recent events, was showing signs of starting to get his period of office moving at least. Evans’ second tenure with the Millers, by contrast, was struggling to resonate with his particular voters.

It got a whole lot worse on a desperate night at a venue which Millers fans have grown to hate over the past half a century in Oakwell, where Rotherham are now without a win in 14 league attempts since March 1969.

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The Millers were simply abysmal from an attacking sense and the mood of the Millers fans got mutinous as the second half continued and more especially after Stephen Humphrys made the game safe with a cracker to make it 2-0 on 77 minutes.

Rotherham United boss Steve Evans pictured on the touchline in the game against Barnsley at Oakwell. Picture: Jim Brailsford.Rotherham United boss Steve Evans pictured on the touchline in the game against Barnsley at Oakwell. Picture: Jim Brailsford.
Rotherham United boss Steve Evans pictured on the touchline in the game against Barnsley at Oakwell. Picture: Jim Brailsford.

A chant of ‘Sacked in the morning’ from the Pontefract Road end was repeated at one point from the irate away followers and a damning chorus of ‘You’re not fight to wear the shirt’ followed at the final whistle.

It was lamentable from the visitors, with chairman Tony Stewart and his entourage having seen enough from the directors box after Humphrys’ strike, the cue for an early exit to beat the traffic.

For Barnsley, there was the polar opposite in emotions as they made light of their issues at home with a dominant display, with all the class and pass coming from them.

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Barnsley’s one change was significant with Adam Phillips coming in for Humphrys, who dropped to the bench, while Gaga Slonina missed out through injury.

Rotherham, partly with an eye on those poor cup events against Cheltenham last weekend, made five changes, with two headline ones.

Young forward Ciaran McGuckin, back from a loan spell at National League outfit Yeovil, which was cut short, was handed his maiden league start, while Sean Raggett was a welcome returnee at the back, making his first start since September 21.

Sam Nombe, Liam Kelly and Reece James also returned to the starting line-up.

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Rotherham, playing in front of their big 3,000-plus following in the North Stand, started brightly, but the fire soon faded and the poise, method and control came from the hosts, whose interval lead was merited.

It came on 32 minutes when Jon Russell, left unattended, slammed home the rebound after his initial header was kept out from Cameron Dawson from Corey O’Keeffe’s corner on the left.

With Phillips and Keillor-Dunn linking up adeptly in particular, Barnsley looked the more likely and had the quality on view.

Evans - serenaded by the Pontefract Road end shortly after Russell’s opener - and his players also received a fair few boos at the interval after a half which started with promise, but soon became unsatisfactory.

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In the directors box, the frustration of Stewart was certainly there to see at times.

At the start, there was initial hope with the big visiting following providing the fuel. Early pressure ended with Joe Rafferty’s drive being blocked in the nick of time, but the chances of note in the opening quarter were Barnsley ones, with Keillor-Dunn, who cleverly found space for himself during the opening 45 minutes, seeing two shots blocked.

The hosts got their passing game together as the half progressed and went close when Max Watters’ angled low shot was parried by Dawson after cute work by Luca Connell.

The opener would eventually arrive, a good one from Barnsley’s perspective, but a preventable one from Rotherham, whose quality in the final third was lacking, while the set-piece deliveries from Joe Powell were particularly disappointing.

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A potentially huge moment in the context of the game arrived before the break and it was a relieving one for Rotherham, with Dawson keeping out Keillor-Dunn’s point-blank header after being left unmarked when picked out by Gent’s centre. Either side of the visiting keeper and it was 2-0 and possibly game over. It probably should have been.

Russell, again left unattended, had the ball in the net seconds before the whistle from Connell’s free-kick, but the offside flag was raised.

Evans brought on Joe Hungbo for McGuckin at the interval, while Christ Tiehi soon replaced Powell, but the narrative did not hint at changing with the Millers followers badly needing something to feed off.

It definitely wasn't edifying from their perspective, but the scoreboard was still their friend and Barnsley had been here before in terms of leading at home and not seeing it out.

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Keillor-Dunn had the ball in the net, but again the offside flag was soon raised. It looks a close call.

Evans soon made another change, with ironic cheers when the ineffective Hugill was replaced with gallows humour starting to surface among the Millers fans.

Barnsley went close to sealing it when Phillips got a connection at the near post from another smart O’Keeffe corner, which clipped the woodwork.

A warning - most definitely given some previous events this season and a number of late concessions - came when substitute Jack Holmes was denied by Ben Killip at the back post, the Reds keeper’s first meaningful work on the night.

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A fine reaction save from Dawson then kept out Phillips’ low drive before Raggett got in the way of Keillor-Dunn’s goalbound shot after the visitors were again opened up.

Humphrys then finally gave the hosts a two-goal buffer, which was the very least they deserved. No late issues this time.

Barnsley: Killip; De Gevigney, Roberts, Earl; O’Keefe, Connell (Craig 90+2), Russell, Gent; Phillips; Keillor-Dunn, Watters (Humphrys 77). Substitutes unused: Smith, Pines, Jalo, Lofthouse, Nwakali.

Rotherham United: Dawson; Rafferty, Raggett, Jules, James; Odoffin, Kelly, Powell (Tiehi 52); McGuckin (Hungbo 45); Nombe, Hugill (Holmes 60). Substituted unused: Phillips, Bramall, MacDonald, Humphreys.

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