Barnsley reminded of age-old mantra as numbers tell the story in FA Cup loss to Bristol Rovers

STATISTICS have a tendency to be divisive in football.

Some laud them as the future, others discard them as unhelpful, most accept they are now part of the sport.

The eye test is often used to counter figures but at Oakwell, the numbers very much told the story of the game, matching what fans watched unfold.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Barnsley registered a staggering 30 shots against Bristol Rovers, but none resulted in a goal to send the Reds into the third round of the FA Cup. Only nine found the target.

FRUSTRASTION: Barnsley head coach Darrell Clarke. Picture: Tony Johnson.FRUSTRASTION: Barnsley head coach Darrell Clarke. Picture: Tony Johnson.
FRUSTRASTION: Barnsley head coach Darrell Clarke. Picture: Tony Johnson.

The Gas, in comparison, managed just six shots in total - and one on target. At the final whistle, however, they were the ones celebrating the possibility of some January cup magic.

“A lot of our play is good - but the final third’s not good enough,” said Barnsley boss Darrell Clarke. “That’s what I told you the other night [2-2 draw with Reading], that probably tells you the last two or three games to be honest with you.

“We’ve been pretty dominant with the ball and we haven’t finished our chances, that’s up to everybody to do that. I feel a bit sorry for my defenders at the minute because they’re having a lot of control, defending well, building our attacks and we’re not finishing them.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“I think they had one effort that hit the crossbar when we switched off a bit down the side but other than that, they’ve had nothing.”

Barnsley were beaten by Bristol Rovers on penalties. Image: Tony JohnsonBarnsley were beaten by Bristol Rovers on penalties. Image: Tony Johnson
Barnsley were beaten by Bristol Rovers on penalties. Image: Tony Johnson

Barnsley’s onslaught was relentless, with only brief flickers of attacking vibrancy shown by the visitors.

Stephen Humphrys endured a particularly infuriating afternoon, as he wreaked havoc without once managing to get the better of Josh Griffiths between the Gas sticks.

He was not the only one to leave their shooting boots at home, as strike after strike rattled against the woodwork, sailed wide or found the clutches of Griffiths.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Clarke shuffled his pack in the second half, turning to the bench hoping at least one player could provide a clinical edge

Barnsley missed a plethora of chances at Oakwell. Image: Tony JohnsonBarnsley missed a plethora of chances at Oakwell. Image: Tony Johnson
Barnsley missed a plethora of chances at Oakwell. Image: Tony Johnson

No matter where the Reds head coach looked, he could not find it.

“It is what it is, we tried to freshen it up,” said Clarke. “The players that started missed a lot of chances, the players that came on missed a lot of chances.

"You try and have Tuesday on your mind but I wanted to go and win the cup tie. We didn’t do it - but we should have done. No one likes hard-luck stories, so we go again.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Waves of Barnsley attacks continued beyond 90 minutes, as extra-time gave the hosts more time to break the deadlock.

As the 120-minute mark crept closer, those supporting the hosts began to fear it simply would not happen.

Adam Phillips was the first player tasked with converting from 12 yards and struck the post. The final player to step up was Josh Earl, who saw his effort kept out by Griffiths.

Clarke was angry post-match - but the quality of the penalties was not even on his mind.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“The game should be done,” he insisted. “Penalties are what they are. We practiced penalties yesterday, there was no stone unturned to try and win the game. But it’s not the penalties that disappoint me. It’s [having] as much dominance as we had and not capitalising in that final third, that’s why I’m a pretty angry man.”

Barnsley have history with the FA Cup but the years since their last dalliance with its romantic side are building.

Less than 5,000 people were in attendance and the sight of a sparse Oakwell crowd failed to evoke the feeling of ‘FA Cup magic’.

This particular era of the club may not go down in history but amid the frustration, there is undoubtedly potential.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

It was not a case of 90 minutes worth of boos at Oakwell - the performance did not warrant them. Build-up play was often slick and methodical.

Defensively, the Reds were resolute against a side just six points below them in the League One table.

However, no amount of positive aspects will counter the age-old mantra, the one repeated long before fans argued about xG on social media - goals win games.

“[It was] a very frustrating afternoon for us,” said Clarke “A lot of dominance with the ball, a lot of chances created, but not doing what we’re supposed to be doing in the final third cost us.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“The result hurts, very much so, because how do we not win the game? The reason we don’t win the game is because we’re not good enough in the final third.”

Barnsley: Killip, O’Keeffe (Lofthouse 80), Roberts, de Gevigney, Earl, Gent (Cotter 85); Phillips, Nwakali (Russell 67), Conell; Keillor-Dunn (Jalo 68), Humphrys (Cosgrove 90).

Unused substitutes: Smith, Pines, McCarthy, Craig.

Bristol Rovers: Griffiths, Senior (Wilson 45), Moore, Forbes, Mola; Lindsay (Ward 66), Conteh; Forde, McCormick, Hutchinson (Sotiriou 60); O’Donkor (Martin 60).

Unused substitutes: Hall, Bilongo, Thomas, Dixon.

Referee: Scott Oldham (Lancashire)

News you can trust since 1754
Follow us
©National World Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved.Cookie SettingsTerms and ConditionsPrivacy notice