No classic rewind to halcyon derby days of Moore, Banks and Glavin - but respite at least for Barnsley at Rotherham United - final word

Big, unmissable high-stakes matches in the early 80s with bumper crowds, expectancy, characters and theatre. A time when the pit lights were on and the working men’s clubs were full.

That particular era has now long gone, sadly. The landscape has changed and so has the footballing vista.

There was focus on this latest Dearne Valley derby, but the pre-game narrative was negative in truth.

A Rotherham win would have provided a little souvenir from a terrible year - and some payback after that ghastly night at Oakwell in November. A few token bragging rights, but not much else; certainly not three promotion points.

For Barnsley, a victory would at least keep their season alive for the time being in regards to play-off participation and ease a bit of the strain on the shoulders of Darrell Clarke. That is what ultimately transpired and those with visiting affiliations were grateful.

It was a merited, if narrow triumph. Afterwards, fans of both weren’t discussing the thrills and spills of a cracking derby, but the referee; pretty telling in its own way.

This game lacked flow, hardly a surprise given both sides were on their uppers beforehand.

In fairness, when pockets of passing football came to the fore, it was from Barnsley and their defensive resolve also shone through.

Standing tall above all others was Marc Roberts, immaculate on his return to the heart of the Reds backline.

But back to the conjecture, with there being unanimity across both camps regarding referee Ollie Yates.

There were four very strong penalty shouts, some would go further and say stone-wallers with just one given.

The first two bookended a scrappy first half where there was perspiration but little inspiration.

Early on, Reece James somehow avoided punishment after a panicky tug on the shirt of Adam Phillips in the box with the Reds player primed to cash in on an errant touch.

Right at the end, Corey O’Keeffe man-handled home striker Sam Nombe. Again, Yates was unmoved.

He would finally relent on 52 minutes when Dillon Phillips raced out and caught the foraging Davis Keillor-Dunn, who had a clear sight of goal following James’ misjudged header. The expression of the Millers keeper displayed his culpability and visiting midfielder Phillips coolly did the rest.

Not that long after, there was consternation from the 2,207 away followers and incredulity on the Reds bench when a blatant handball from Zak Jules was ignored.

Speaking about penalty calls - or the lack of them - is nailed on when Steve Evans is in town.

While railing against the injustice of his side not receiving one, again - ‘I go home thinking Rotherham United will never get a penalty in the EFL’ was his post-match retort - the Scot did acknowledge the merit of Barnsley’s calls.

He was also wise enough to accept that the Millers’ overall showing was also low-grade for a derby. Not as impoverished as their dire display at Oakwell which so upset him, but one which suggested that his side have not moved on much from that bitter November evening.

This was Rotherham’s fifth defeat in six winless matches in all competitions in a sterile season which is dying an early death before the daffodils are in full bloom.

They are just six points above the drop zone and need to be mindful of that, while the chatter about Evans’ position persists from understandably grumpy sections of the Millers fanbase. Clarke is hardly out of the woods either from a Barnsley perspective.

The main issues belong to Evans. His side were far too predictable going forward - not for the first time - and lacked the craft and quality to hurt Barnsley.

It wasn’t like this in the playing days of the aforesaid Moore, watching on in his guise as a radio pundit.

The aerial assault that the visitors came prepared for arrived right on cue and was dealt with in textbook fashion. Aside from the hard-running Nombe, there was little threat.

Ex-Reds winger Mallik Wilks briefly flickered and forced Joe Gauci into his first work early in the second half, but it was by no means enough.

The Millers ended the game with five forwards on the pitch. That debutant Jackson Smith, who had come on in goal for the injured Gauci in a final quarter which also incorporated ten minutes of added-on time, had nothing much to do was damning.

Rotherham United: D Phillips; Rafferty, Odoffin, Jules, James; Mpanzu, Powell (Kayode 86), Sibley (Clarke-Harris 63); Wilks, Hugill (Green 46), Nombe. Substitutes unused: Dawson, McWilliams, Holmes, Hatton.

Barnsley: Gauci (Smith 75); De Gevigney, Roberts, Earl; O’Keeffe, Connell, Russell, A Phillips (Benson 87), Farrugia (Lembikisa 64); Keillor-Dunn, Humphreys (Rodrigues 64). Substitutes unused: McCarthy, Nwakali, Lewis.

Referee: O Yates (Staffs).