O’Brien provides timely boost as Hunt eyes first return to Town

Right-back Hunt made a £2m switch to Holloway’s Crystal Palace in September, but instead of the pair taking on Manchester United in the Premier League on Saturday they both rolled up at Oakwell.

Hunt has never played for Palace after breaking an ankle in his first training session and Holloway left the club by mutual consent after just one win in eight games following promotion to the top flight.

The defender’s recuperation is continuing at Barnsley where he is on loan until the end of the season while Holloway has taken charge of Millwall’s battle for survival, though he has claimed only one win in eight.

Saturday’s encounter was an important one for both clubs and it was Barnsley who came out on top thanks to a fourth-minute goal from Jim O’Brien which left the Reds just two points adrift of their fourth-bottom visitors and with a game in hand.

“It is strange how things have worked out for both of us, but that’s football,” said Hunt, who had recovered from a knock which kept him out of the midweek defeat at Wigan.

“We had not got what we deserved from the performances over the last couple of weeks so we needed to get three points (against Millwall) to keep in touch.

“Results have kind of fallen in a good way for us with more teams sucked towards the relegation battle as you call it so we are very happy with the result here.

“To hold onto the result, something we should have done here against Ipswich (Barnsley were 2-0 up late on but drew), gives us that little bit more confidence.

“We started at a high tempo and got an early goal, but when you don’t get the second it becomes all about keeping a clean sheet because that is what wins you games. Fortunately, we stood up to everything Millwall threw at us.

“You expect a lot of pressure and as a defender that’s what you get paid for.

“We knew the longer the game went on the more Millwall would throw everything at us and it was a case of withstanding the pressure. It’s not how we wanted to win, but it panned out like that.”

Hunt knows the big thing now after giving Danny Wilson just his second win in 12 attempts since returning to manage the club is to follow it up by recording only their second away win of the season at his former club, Huddersfield Town, on Saturday.

“It is a big trip for me personally and I’m looking forward to going back, but it is also a massive game for Barnsley,” admitted the Town academy product, who was in opposition to the Reds in the last game of last season when a draw at the John Smith’s Stadium secured Championship survival for both clubs.

“I hope I will get a good reception and I would like to think I will, but some fans are not always like that. It’s another big game between the clubs but there is not the same value to the game this time. However, if we can go there and get three points it will be another step in the right direction. Another three points will make another couple of teams that bit more nervous, I’m sure.

“I know Huddersfield pretty well and I’ll be speaking to a few of them to try and get some inside information, but I know their game and pretty much how they play,” he added with a mischievous glint in the eye.

With fellow bottom-three clubs Charlton and Yeovil also winning, O’Brien’s second goal of the season could not have been more timely and it was set up by Barnsley’s top performer, captain Martin Cranie.

The central defender spotted O’Brien drifting inside and sent a probing pass over left-back Scott Malone for the flank player to control the ball and calmly tuck it past David Forde as defenders closed in near the edge of the area.

Dale Jennings tormented Millwall throughout but fluffed a chance to make it 2-0 with a weak shot after outstripping the defence down the left and it was left to Cranie to make some fine blocks in quick succession as Millwall’s attacking diamond-formation quartet posed problems for a spell.

Goalkeeper Luke Steele, 
castigated for an error in the 2-2 draw at Doncaster, showed his worth after pulling off a diving save ‘for the cameras’ with another which was of far more value, flinging himself to his right to keep out a back-header from DJ Campbell.

Cranie’s defensive partner, Peter Ramage, also went close with a header from a corner, but Shane Lowry cleared inside the six-yard area as the buffer of a second goal failed to materialise for the Reds.

Wilson rested Jacob Mellis – who had shown some nice touches in midfield after returning from a three-match ban – at the interval and the introduction of Stephen Dawson added greater thrust to Barnsley.

Millwall, who, like Barnsley, had won just one of their previous 12 league games, went close in the second half through Shaun Williams and DJ Campbell – Steele making a diving save and then a close-range block at the far post – but Barnsley’s centre-backs were solid and there were very few alarms.

In fact, Chris O’Grady squandered the best opportunities for Barnsley. Lowry first mis-kicked the ball into his path only for the striker to see his attempt strike the onrushing Forde, who got back into his area to prevent O’Brien’s follow-up finding the net.

Then substitute Brek Shea teed up Jennings to the left of the area and his shot was parried by Forde, who smothered O’Grady’s follow-up attempt.

Millwall’s final attempt to grab an equaliser came when Williams’s 25-yard free-kick flew narrowly off target.

Their somewhat tame comeback thrusts brought a fierce haranguing from their fans as they trooped down the tunnel to the sanctuary of the dressing rooms.

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