A last-gasp goal handed the Blues a 1-0 defeat for the second away game in succession. Town had largely been the better side and ought to have been in front but it was Barnsley who took the points courtesy of Grant McCann's debut goal in injury time.

Lewis Price, sporting a newly cropped hairstyle, returned to the Town side in place of Mike Pollitt, who was recalled by Wigan earlier in the week. Groin injury victim Shane Supple was on the bench and noticeably kicking only rarely in the warm-up. Jon Macken replaced Billy Clarke up front, but otherwise the Blues were unchanged from the side which won last week's derby.

Price was called into action in the third minute as the Blues started the game playing against the strong wind, but the Wales international had little trouble with Ronnie Wallwork's edge of the area volley.

Chances were rare in a scrappy first half but in the 15th minute new Barnsley loanee Leon Knight sent a dangerous ball across the Town box, although it appeared that the home side had won possession via a handball.

Town's first chance came in the 18th minute but Alan Lee's header from Gary Roberts's freekick gave keeper Nick Colgan no concerns. Soon after, Lee couldn't quite reach another Roberts ball in from the right.

The Blues were by now on top and Lee might have been given the opportunity to put them in front when he turned Ronnie Wallwork just beyond halfway and was away on goal. However, Wallwork hauled him back before the Irish striker could get much farther, but despite Town protestations, referee Eddie Ilderton failed to award a freekick.

Just after the half hour mark Alex Bruce was very lucky to get away with a weak header back to Price. Knight nipped in ahead of the keeper, who almost fouled him, and crossed to Daniel Nardiello, who headed wide.

Simon Walton shot over, prior to Antony Kay picking up the game's first yellow card for a foul on Alan Lee.

It had been a dull and uninspiring half with neither keeper particularly tested. Town had started slowly but had improved as Sylvain Legwinski's influence on the game had grown.

The Blues began the second period more strongly, Roberts crossing from the right and Colgan saving Lee's header. Within a minute Jason De Vos headed Matt Richards's freekick from 15 yards inside the Barnsley half wide of goal.

On 53 Alan Lee had a shot deflected wide as the Blues started to put the Tykes under pressure.

Grant McCann lashed over from the edge of the area, prior to Town's best chance of the match. Richards broke strongly down the left and found Macken inside the Barnsley half. The loanee from Crystal Palace fed Lee, who took the ball past a defender but shot weakly to Colgan when he probably should have scored.

Almost immediately Macken was replaced with Danny Haynes, the former Preston man once again offering little threat in front of goal and rarely combining with strike partner Lee. Macken was clearly unimpressed with the decision to sub him, taking an age to leave the field and kicking a bottle as he made his way to the dugout where he spent the rest of the game sitting in a corner on his own.

On the hour Dan Harding picked up a booking for a foul on Paul Hayes, the full-back's fifth yellow card of the season meaning he will miss next Saturday's home game with Burnley.

Four minutes later loanee Matthew Bates collapsed to the ground with what looked to be a serious knee injury. The Middlesbrough man was clearly in a lot of pain while he was treated on the pitch before being taken away on a stretcher.

Owen Garvan took his place, the Irishman making his first appearance of the season, joining Sylvain Legwinski in the centre of midfield. Simon Walton switched to right-back.

Barnsley claimed a penalty in the 66th minute when Harding tackled Paul Hayes inside the Town area, but referee Ilderton was unimpressed.

With the wind dropping, Gavin Williams replaced Gary Roberts, who had drifted out of the game as the half had worn on. Williams was making his first appearance since his groin operation.

In the 75th minute a clever freekick worked between Richards and Williams saw the Welshman delicately chip goalwards but Colgan tip the ball over.

Town had been the more dangerous side for most of the half, but as the match moved into the final 10 minutes Wallwork headed a McCann corner only just over the bar.

Matt Richards wasn't far away from putting the Blues in front direct from a corner in the 81st minute, Colgan pawing the ball away from under his crossbar. Four minutes later, Lee headed a Walton cross wide.

The game seemed destined to end a 0-0 draw, the fourth official's board having already announced five minutes of injury time, when the Tykes scored the only goal of the game. Sub Kyel Reid crossed into the box, Simon Walton headed to the edge of the area from where McCann hit a low drive beyond Price. It was a bitter blow for Town, particularly so given the similar climax to the Burnley game earlier in the month when coincidentally Chris McCann had scored the all-important goal.

There was no time for much more to happen, aside from Wallwork receiving a booking for a foul on Gavin Williams and Garvan picking up his first yellow card of the season for a late tackle on the former Manchester United man.

A poor game, but one from which Town ought to have grabbed at least a point. The spell of pressure after the break should have yielded a goal and Alan Lee will feel particularly disappointed not to have got on the scoresheet.

Barnsley had rarely threatened Price's goal and the victory flattered them. Town looked a less organised side after the substitutions, particularly the forced replacement of Bates, but that should not be used as an excuse for failing to defend for the full 90 minutes for the second away game in succession.

Town: Price, Bates (Garvan 65), Bruce, De Vos, Harding, Roberts (Williams 72), Legwinski, Walton, Richards, Macken (Haynes 58), Lee.Unused: Supple, Naylor. Att: 10,556.

Photo: Action Images

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