Doncaster Rovers 1 Barnsley FC 2: Davis Keillor-Dunn's short shift makes difference in entertaining derby
It was the first thing that struck you when the team-sheets came out at Doncaster Rovers: where was Davis Keillor-Dunn?
With illness sweeping the camp, Barnsley's XI already had an unusual feel, and to see the Reds' nine-goal top-scorer on the bench was a worry for the big travelling contingent in a 11,415-strong crowd..
But as the number of substitutes allowed continue to grow, so the importance of someone who can do a job for half-an-hour, maybe less, does too.
It was Keillor-Dunn who came off the bench to score an against-the-run-of-play winner to win an entertaining South Yorkshire derby.
And it was the twinkling feet of Patrick Kelly, who spent last season on loan at Rovers, which allowed Keillor-Dunn's killer instinct to earn his side a 2-1 win. The midfielder, called into Northern Ireland's senior squad for the first time this week produced some brilliant footwork to beat Harry Clifton in midfield and a ball at the end of it which a goalscorer of Keillor-Dunn's quality was always likely to finish.
It was harsh on a Rovers side who hit a post through Luke Molyneux before the Wearsider scored, but Barnsley will not be losing an sleep about that.
With both sides playing central defenders out of position at full-back, the wingers were to the fore in the first half.
Barnsley's XI had Jake Rooney making his first league start for 798 injury-spoilt days at left-back, and twice in the first five minutes Molyneux was able to get balls into Billy Sharp.
Marc Roberts smothered the first shot, Murphy Cooper saved the second, with Harry Clifton putting the rebound across the six-yard box without a touch.
But further down the same touchline, Reyes Clearly was enjoying himself up against Sean Grehan too.
He jinked past him in the ninth minute only for his cross to pass without a touch. Vimal Yoganathan was not quite able to make anything of the next either, and he lashed the third wide.
Given that Cleary won two corners and Molyneux one within 10 minutes of specialists Tom Niixon and Nathaniel Ogbeta's half-time introductions for Grehan and Rooney respectively, it was clear the biggest problem was the quality of the wingers, rather than the unfamiliarity of the full-backs.
And it was also clear that this was going to be an open, attacking game between two sides who ought to have been low on confidence given their League One results – two points in five games for Barnsley, two in seven for Doncaster.
Rovers hit a post in the 18th minute when Molyneux cushioned a high ball and hit it against the woodwork as it dropped. Harry Clifton ballooned an effort when he was released again.
In between time an excellent move between David McGoldrick – leading the line with Davis Keillor-Dunn on the bench – Cleary and right-back Tennai Watson, who just hit his ball in too far in front of anyone.
It was the visitors who took the lead with a classy counter-attack.
Yoganathan. another out of position on the right wing, had a man tight to him when Cleary picked him out in the 33rd minute but the teenager had the composure to take his time and a touch to open up the space to calmly complete his first goal in league football.
Rivers were level five minutes later, Jordan Gibson recognising the need to get a bouncing ball forward quickly to Sharp off his shin rather than taking it down for something more precise. Sharp threaded a lovely ball for Molyneux to equalise.
Barnsley came out the traps quicker after the break, Thimothee Lo-Tutala tipping over from Yoganathan, but the hosts soon got on top.
They lacked the clinical edge of make it count, though.
Under real pressure from Watson as he was played through, Jordan Gibson could only trickle a 52nd-minute shot agonisingly wide.
Jack Senior had a great chance when he arrived at the far post in the 64th, but skewed it across goal.
Keillor-Dunn made them pay for it just six minutes after coming off the bench.
Connor O'Riordan had a good chance to equalise but headed a free-kick over and Clearly's deflected shot nearly fell to a team-mate as Barnsley counter-attacked again a minute later.
A furious Grant McCann was booked for his protests after Sharp tumbled in the penalty area with a man at his back as he ran onto Molyneux's pass but referee Darren Drysdale waved play on.
It was not to be Doncaster's day but after a week under the weather, it was just the pick-me-up Barnsley needed.
Doncaster Rovers: Lo-Tutala; Grehan (Nixon HT)), O'Riordan, Pearson (Hanlan 78, Senior; Broadbent; Molyneux, Bailey, Clifton (Gotts 72), Gibson (Middleton 72); Sharp.
Unused substitutes: Lawlor, McGrath, Crew.
Barnsley: Cooper; Watson, Roberts, Shepherd, Rooney (Ogbeta HT); Connell, Bland; Yoganathan (Farrugia 81), Kelly, Cleary; McGoldrick (Keillor-Dunn 63).
Unused substitutes: Flavell, Russell, Vickers, Graham.
Referee: D Drysdale (Lincolnshire).