Stendel pride as Barnsley secure ‘lucky’ win in promotion race

A 92nd-minute stoppage-time strike from Jacob Brown, on his return from a three-match ban, secured a magical if fortutious win for Stendel’s side, on an afternoon when they were second-best to the relegation-threatened Saddlers.

On his side’s victory, which moved them five points clear of third-placed Sunderland, who do have two matches in hand, Stendel said: “We were lucky to win today.

“We can not be satisfied with the performance, but we can be very satisfied with the result after 95 minutes to win this game.

“It is an important victory for us and what we need at this time of the season.

“Walsall had chances to win, but they did not score and we scored. We had the luck to score and I am so happy.

“But I like it when I have a team who worked so hard and gives their all to win games. Sometimes, you need luck and we had luck.

“There are still seven games to go and it is not decided. Sunderland have two games in hand, but we are in good shape and have a good chance.”

The game was noteworthy for the Reds keeping a seventh successive clean sheet in the league for the first time since April 1955.