Barnsley FC Reports & News
Last Month .....1997/1998 Fixtures & Results
Sunday 10th May 1998 : Barnsley 0(0) Manchester United 2(1)
Watson / Moses, Jones, Appleby(Eaden), Morgan, Barnard / Redfearn, Sheridan, Bullock / Hristov(Fjortoft), Ward.
Could we beat Manchester United twice in a season? No unfortunately not, but we gave it damn good try.
Adie Moses did a good job throughout the game as a man marker on Ryan Giggs. As a result Giggs didn't see much of the ball all game, he only had one shot which was high and wide by a distance. The one member of the team that we couldn't stop though was Andy Cole, he still has scored against us in every game he has played. For Bristol City, Newcastle and now Manchester United. His goal today came from a deep cross which he totally did Scott Jones on the turn. Gaining himself three yards of space, then blasted it past the defenceless Watson.
Throughout the game we battled hard but created few really good chances. As usual for the season Ward took a pounding off of the opposing centre back with little reward. Hristov showed a few good touches setting up a couple of chances support to his application for another work visa. A definite priority for the summer.
The second half saw Appleby come off and Eaden on as a right back. This didn't entirely come off or have the same desired effect as the last time he was dropped for half a game. He seemed out of sorts. Who wouldn't after the season we've had? Bullock produced a few mazey runs and at one point pulled back a good ball for Redfearn to strike but unlike Tottenham, Manchester had a man behind the goalie on the line.
Manchester looked tricky on the break throughout the game and they secured the win when Nicky Butt put a through ball to Sheringham who powered the ball past Watson at the near post for a goal. 2-0 down but not downhearted. Today wasn't about the performance. It would have been nice but it was more about saying thanks to the team. At the final whistle the team got a standing ovation and slowly left the pitch before there return a few minutes later.
Toby Tyke did the Full Monty! (Nearly) Then the players came out to give there appreciation to the fans. By the time they had reached the ORA the stewards stopped trying to keep the crowd back and on they rushed. Rarely will there have been so many people on the pitch in a celebration of relegation. Only 6 points off safety.
Well done lads and thanks for a great season. "WERE GOING UP, WERE GOING UP, WERE GOING, BARNSLEY'S GOING UP!"
Saturday 2nd May 1998 Leicester City 1(0) Barnsley 0(0)
Watson / Eaden, Moses, DeZeeuw, Jones(Bosancic(Sent Off)), Barnard / Redfearn, Tinkler(Bullock), Marcelle / Ward, Fjortoft(Liddell).
2 games to go and two wins needed. Then a bit of luck as well. We didn't get the luck and we didn't get the goals or the first win.
The first half was a bit of a damb squib. Lots of vocal backing but no real cutting edge. We looked like we played without a midfield. The ball all too often was lumped forward by a defender in the hope that Fjortoft or Ward could come up with something. Sadly that is one of Leicster's strengths. All big, all strong and all good in the air. Fjortoft had the best chance by hitting a ball on the volley through a crowd but it was straight at Keller in the Leicester goal. There was also shouts for a penalty but I couldn't tell you one way or the other becuase due to my superb pitch level view the linesman blocked it out completely.
At the break we still had something to play for but other scores offerd no encouragement.
Leicester scored a goal on the break. A cross came over and Arry seemed to jump over it. Watty got a hand on it. But it only pushed it in the direction of the Leicester attacker. Goal. DAMN. The job just got a lot harder. The ref went into Willard mode for half an hour. Bosancic got boooked for a nothing tackle a bit of shirt pulling. We had challenges that went unpunished against us. The ref didn't play the advantage rule in our favour. Then in the final few minutes Bosancic got sent off for obstruction!
As the end neared the crowd began to lose faith of survival and the reality of the situation struck home. But all season long the team and the fans have done a marvelous job. Following the final whistle people cried and the players looked as if they had given their all. John Dennis came over to the fans a few minutes after the final whistle and got a very good reception. I just didn't want the season to end like this. But we had to go home and plan our return.
"Were going up, were going up, were going, BARNSLEYS GOING UP!"
