Barnsley’s Callum Styles happy to follow Alex Mowatt’s example

In a week when the grapevine was awash with talk about Barnsley’s interest in Mario Balotelli, a humble, talented Lancashire lad with a smile that lights up a room stole the show at Oakwell. Again.

For millions of people, 2020 has been undeniably tough. In footballing terms, it has been a good year for Callum Styles. A very good year, as the late Frank Sinatra would say.

In front of a no mean crooner himself in Chris Kamara, Styles broke the deadlock with an absolute beauty late on, a scorching drive which hurtled into the net at a rate of knots for a stunning maiden goal at Oakwell. Unbelieveable, as commentator ‘Kammy’ would say.

Unbelievable could also describe Barnsley’s luck in hitting the bar three times before that exquisite moment from Styles, whose dazzling run was the precursor to Patrick Schmidt’s dramatic ‘94th-minute’ strike which gave the Reds the kiss of life in their battle against relegation in the previous Oakwell league fixture between these sides in July.

Schmidt’s last-gasp goal triggered an ‘emotional explosion’ in the words of ex-head coach Gerhard Struber, who raced onto the pitch to celebrate the strike.

His successor, Valerien Ismael, is a bit more cool, calm and collected. But inside, he will have been feeling pretty good after Styles struck against an in-form Forest side who tested the hosts.

Drawing inspiration from captain Alex Mowatt – who picked up the Championship’s goal of the month award for October – Styles said: “Al has scored a few screamers and obviously I moved into centre-midfield.

“So I have been watching him on the training pitch and just thought I would hit it. I would say it was my best goal so far. The belief is there and we know what qualities we have got. I think the goal was in the 86th minute. Some teams would fall off, but the determination was there from everyone.”

Indeed it was against a Forest side for whom the likes of Joe Lolley and Lyle Taylor provided evidence to show that they are rediscovering their mojo under the canny Chris Hughton.

The fact that Barnsley showed patience and maturity against a form team who came into the game on the back of a run of just one defeat in seven league matches like themselves was admirable and encouraging.

Styles proved the star turn, but the display of Jack Walton, who made key blocks to thwart Miguel Angel Guerrero and Lolley in the first period and produced a flying save to keep out Taylor’s point-blank header when the game was finely poised on the resumption, was no less important.

It was a day when contributions could be detected across the pitch. Right down to some substitutes who were smartly introduced, including Victor Adeboyejo, who played a big role in the build-up to Styles’s howitzer.

Adeboyejo’s power took him to the byline before finding Cauley Woodrow, who teed up Styles for his picture-book moment.

Just for good measure, Woodrow, who had struck the bar with efforts in each half with Conor Chaplin also hitting the woodwork with a fine strike, provided the gloss when he instinctively turned in a pull-back from the impressive Callum Brittain.

The upshot is that Barnsley could reflect on another keynote moment in a season which is laden with promise – if this squad sticks together in January.

There are sure to be bumps in the road going forward for Barnsley, such is Championship life. But this team have got a good vibe and are undeniably growing together with the balance between youth and experience far more aligned than it once was.

They appear to have an astute guy at the helm, too, in Ismael, whose cool, cogent approach has been noted, although Styles says he can get his point across more forcibly when he has to.

It should be mentioned in dispatches that Barnsley are not conceding many goals either. Their leakage of just three at Oakwell is the joint-best home goals against record in the second tier.

On a stirring upturn from the Reds, who have won four of their five games under Ismael, Styles said: “It is the togetherness, mentality and dedication to do the right things on and off the pitch.

“It is also his philosophy in certain areas of the game where he thinks there are triggers.

“That is why one of the strengths has been in regaining the ball and we’ve become more solid, which allows us to flood forward when we win the ball.”

Barnsley: Walton; Sollbauer, Helik, Andersen; Brittain (J Williams 90), James (Kane 62), Mowatt (Oduor 82), Styles; Chaplin (Adeboyejo 81), Woodrow, Frieser (Thomas 62). Unused substitutes: Collins, Palmer, Miller, Schmidt.

Nottingham Forest: Samba; Christie, Figueiredo, McKenna, Ribeiro; Yates, Colback; Knockaert, Guerrero (Freeman 73), Lolley; Taylor. Unused substitutes: Smith, Mbe Soh, Jenkinson, Cafu, Arter, Ameobi, Ioannou, Bong.

Referee: A Woolmer (Northants).

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