Barnsley 0-0 Coventry City: Goal-shy Tykes held by Sky Blues
- Published
Coventry's Leo Ostigard went closest to finding the net with a header that hit the bar
Barnsley picked up their first point of the season against Coventry but are still searching for their first Championship goal.
The Sky Blues went closest in an even first half when Leo Ostigard met Gustavo Hamer's corner and crashed a header against the underside of the crossbar.
Barnsley improved after the break and almost scored when Cauley Woodrow's close-range effort deflected into the side-netting.
And Elliot Simoes then scooped a shot just over after a good move involving Kilian Ludewig, Alex Mowatt and Dominik Frieser.
The draw meant the Tykes avoided a third straight league defeat and their worst start to a season since 2008-09, but their inability to create clear-cut chances against Coventry will remain a big concern.
A switch of formation at half-time allowed the hosts to have the better of the second half, with skipper Mowatt curling an effort over after skipping past two challenges.
Woodrow almost snatched a late winner with a close-range strike, but Marko Marosi produced a fine stop to continue City's encouraging start to their Championship return, which has taken them to 13th place thanks a win and a draw from their first three matches.
On speculation linking him with MLS side New York Red Bulls, Barnsley head coach Gerhard Struber told BBC Sheffield:
"Some clubs have interest in me and this is an honour for me, but not more, I am head coach here and I like to work here in Barnsley.
"I have an exit clause in my contract, this is clear, but at the moment it's not a big topic to speak about, the exit clause, it's more to speak about the game.
"Right now I am head coach here and this is my duty and my responsibility and what will come in the future we will see and then we can speak.
"It was very important today from one side to get the clean sheet home and from the other side to pick up points. This was the first good step in the league."
Coventry manager Mark Robins told BBC Coventry and Warwickshire:
"Any point away from home in the Championship is a brilliant point. I don't think we played brilliantly, but I thought we let them off the hook in the first half, I thought we were better.
"They (Barnsley) are an out-of-possession team, and out of possession they are brilliant - they are one of the best pressing teams outside the Premier League and they really come after you.
"We were a little bit on the back foot in the second half, it was a little scrappy. We got into good positions to create opportunities, and then the final ball wasn't brilliant, but I'll take it and move on."