Barnsley loanee Lloyd Isgrove keen to make mark

Since joining Barnsley on a temporary deal back in October, the Southampton loanee had been desperate to notch his first goal for the club.

Chances had come his way but Isgrove, a hugely talented wideman, was still waiting to see the net bulge.

Then, though, came Walsall’s visit to Oakwell and the moment when he tucked a low shot beyond goalkeeper Neil Etheridge before turning to celebrate with the fans.

Linesman Mark Duncan, however, had other ideas and immediately raised his flag. Replays clearly showed the Wales international was onside but the decision had been made.

It means Isgrove heads to Wembley this Sunday with one last chance to notch that first goal – something that his team-mates believe is written in the stars.

“All the lads have been telling me, ‘You are going to score at Wembley’,” laughs the 23-year-old when asked about that first leg of a comprehensive 6-1 aggregate win over Walsall.

“I hope they are right. I have come close on so many occasions, especially in that first leg. I really thought I finally had that goal but then the flag went up.

“It felt like someone was against me because I knew I was onside, the replays showed that. I have watched it back a few times and am still gutted.

“The main thing, though, is the lads won the game and we backed it up by winning the second leg as well. That is all that mattered. And in both semi-finals, I felt I was contributing in other areas.”

Isgrove’s loan spell at Oakwell is the third of his career but by far the most satisfying. He already has one winning Wembley appearance to his name and Sunday’s League One play-off final against Millwall could well bring another.

Throw in the impressive level of performances that, in March, brought a first senior cap with Wales and there can be little doubt that Isgrove has made a big impact during his time in South Yorkshire.

“I won’t ever forget this season,” he said with a big smile. “This has been the best season for me personally, probably because it has been the first time I have been playing every week in the first team.

“Southampton keep in touch. They have people who watch me and they also speak to me regularly. They are a good family club and I think they are happy with how things are going.”

Isgrove’s debut for Barnsley came in the October 24 home defeat to Fleetwood Town. It would prove to be the first of six straight defeats in the winger’s first half-dozen appearances for the club.

Further adding to the woes enveloping Oakwell during that difficult time was a 1-0 FA Cup defeat to part-time Altrincham, while even the ending of that losing run in the league with a last-minute equaliser against Sheffield United on November 28 saw the Reds fall to the bottom of League One.

To go from such an inauspicious start to being on the verge of promotion to the Championship is, Isgrove admits, difficult to believe.

“It has been a great season but there have been so many ups and downs along the way,” he said. “When I first came in, it was tough. But look at us now.

“I haven’t known a season turn round like this. We were bottom of the league after 20 games. To go from that to this is unbelievable. What an incredible turnaround.

“Everyone keeps asking what the secret is but we have just worked hard, both in matches and on the training pitch. We have had a bit of luck along the way in terms of some goals and results, which every team needs. But, overall, we have never looked back.”

Barnsley, of course, have one advantage over Millwall in that they tasted victory at Wembley just last month.

“Wembley was amazing,” added Isgrove, who had a spell on loan last season at Sheffield Wednesday. “And I really do think it will help us in the final. Especially as it wasn’t long ago. You don’t want to be a loser at Wembley, no-one remembers the losers.

“Promotion would be the perfect way to round off the season. To go from bottom to sixth was amazing enough. But if we can finish the job and get over the line, what a season it will have been. Outrageous, really.”