Barnsley 0-0 Derby County: Rams deny Tykes eighth Championship win in a row
- Published
Lee Gregory missed a great second-half chance after being teed up by Colin Kazim-Richards
Barnsley were denied an eighth successive Championship victory as a dogged Derby County avoided a third straight loss in a largely dreary draw.
Both teams struggled to create chances at a windswept Oakwell, but the hosts showed the greater ambition in the first half and had a wonderful opportunity just after the restart when Conor Chaplin could only poke the ball at goalkeeper Kelle Roos from six yards.
The Rams, who were noticeably more direct in their tactics, offered almost no attacking threat until the hour mark, but then grew in confidence and finished strongly.
Lee Gregory should have done better when one-on-one with keeper Brad Collins only to take a heavy touch, while Graeme Shinnie was desperately unlucky when his low, curling 20-yard strike hit the right-hand post and went all the way across goal before going behind.
Derby's point takes them up a place to 18th, seven points clear of third-from-bottom Rotherham but having played three games more, while the Tykes remain sixth but are two points clear of Bournemouth.
Barnsley, who move to 10 games unbeaten, had the better of an uneventful first half devoid of decent opportunities or quality, which was not helped by the blustery conditions.
A mis-hit Callum Brittain cross from the right that went narrowly over was the first chance of note, while Cauley Woodrow was off target with a well-struck volley and Daryl Dike was wayward with two headed attempts.
The Rams were limited before the interval and were not much better immediately after, with their first attempt on target not arriving until a tame Shinnie strike on 60 minutes.
By that stage they were fortunate to still be level, following Chaplin's miss from Alex Mowatt's delightful cross.
Both sides then had decent penalty claims waved away, but it was Derby who finished the better, Gregory and then Shinnie going close inside the final 20 minutes.
Barnsley boss Valerien Ismael told BBC Radio Sheffield:
"It was very difficult. We had to deal with the long balls and the running in behind. We didn't have the possibility to press. It was a fight and we took the fight.
"It was a big surprise to see how Derby played football. It is a compliment for the guys to see Derby completely changing the way they play.
"Sometimes you have to accept a point. In the end it could be a good point.
"We felt some fatigue after a lot of games We have a point, a clean sheet and it is a small step. We don't have the finances of the other clubs but we will recover and we go again on Saturday."
Derby County manager Wayne Rooney told BBC Radio Derby:
"Tonight I wasn't asking them to play football, because Barnsley don't let you do that with how they play.
"It's quite direct, so tonight was all about winning individual battles. Then hopefully you can pinch a goal and get away with three points.
"There was a gameplan to get the ball in behind them and cause them problems.
"I'm really pleased with the players because Barnsley have won their last seven games so it was always going to be difficult. To pick up a point away from home was a good result."