Yorkshire team of the week: Abel Hernandez and Gary Hooper striking out
It was not too bad if your allegiances were with Barnsley, Bradford City or Sheffield United either.
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Hide AdLess so for others - more especially for Leeds United, Rotherham United and, yes, Middlesbrough followers, with the Teessiders losing for the first time since November 7.
Here’s the Yorkshire Post team of the weekend:
1: Adam Davies (Barnsley). Has had his trials and tribulations along with many in a Reds jersey this term. But enjoyed a redemptive moment in Shropshire, making a key penalty save to deny Andy Mangan’s first-half spot-kick. A big moment in the game and potentially Barnsley’s renaissance and Davies’s campaign
2: David Edgar (Sheffield United). His stoppage-time goal secured the Blades’ fifth win in eight outings, with the top six in League One beginning to look over their shoulders. One of several visiting players who dug in and contributed to the Blades winning ugly - a sight every manager worth his salt likes to see in January.
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Hide Ad3: Daniel Pudil (Sheffield Wednesday). An undoubted success story in his time at S6, despite not being feted as much as messrs Forestieri and Bannan. Sound defensively and a marauding outlet on the left flank against Leeds.
4: Mark Hudson (Huddersfield Town). Produced a commanding performance against his former club and scored for the second successive match – steering home Emyr Huws’s set-piece delivery. Clearly buying into the brave new world under David Wagner.
5: Alfie Mawson (Barnsley). May have scored at the Greenhous Meadow, but a fair bet that he will have taken much more pleasure in contributing to the club’s first clean sheet in 21 matches. He spoke in the build-up to the game about him and his defensive cohorts being desperate for a shut-out. His wish was granted. More please.
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Hide Ad6: Lloyd Isgrove (Barnsley). The impish winger provided no end of problems to a stuttering Shrewsbury side and is doing his level best to secure an extension to his loan deal at Oakwell.
7: Robert Snodgrass (Hull City). Scored his first league goal in more than 20 months, following on from his cup strike against Brighton, and a fully-fit Snodgrass is seriously good news for the Tigers, who are pretty much getting a new player for the second half of the season. Dined out on the flaky Charlton rearguard and enjoyed himself immensely.
8: Mo Diame (Hull City). Another who scored a sumptuous goal and had a beano in East Yorkshire with his understanding with Hernandez looking a potent weapon. Strong, bustling, persistent, with a goal in his locker.
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Hide Ad9: Abel Hernandez (Hull City). You sense that if he is still in an amber-and-black jersey when the transfer window shuts that Steve Bruce will do a jig of joy. His power and predatory nous were far too much for a feeble Charlton outfit - put a few pesos on him breaching the 20-goal barrier this term.
10: Gary Hooper (Sheffield Wednesday). A slow start to his Hillsborough career for sure, but has come alive of late and has now netted four times in his past two outings on home soil. His ‘fox-in-the-box’ credentials downed Leeds in the final game of his scheduled three-month loan from Norwich. He wants to stay, the club want him to stay and Wednesdayites want him to stay. Sign him up..
11: Sam Winnall (Barnsley). A three-pronged attack this week, with Winnall worthy of his inclusion after two well-taken strikes against the Shrews, where he spent a spell on loan earlier in his career. Confidence levels on the rise, which can only be good news for the Reds.
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Hide AdThere’s perhaps a school of thought to venture that when he is form, so are Barnsley. Suffered in the autumn along with his team-mates, but has now hit four goals in his past three outings and is up to 12 for the campaign.
Manager of the weekend: Lee Johnson (Barnsley). With honourable mentions in dispatches to Steve Bruce. Johnson held his nerve during a torrid autumn and early winter and doing the hard yards on the training ground is starting to yield results. What does not kill you, makes you stronger.