Blackpool 1-0 Barnsley: Shayne Lavery goal gives Seasiders victory
- Published
- comments
Shayne Lavery joined Blackpool from Irish Premiership side Linfield in June
Northern Ireland striker Shayne Lavery scored his sixth goal of the season to give Blackpool victory over struggling Barnsley.
Lavery found the net from a tight angle as the Seasiders registered only their second win in five home Championship games.
The Tykes had won the previous three league meetings between the clubs but Markus Schopp's side were once again found wanting up front as they slipped to 20th in the table.
Victor Adeboyejo saw an effort well saved by Chris Maxwell before the break and defender Michal Helik was narrowly wide with a header from Cauley Woodrow's cross in the closing minutes.
Schopp made five changes for the game, with former Burnley midfielder Josh Benson among those returning, having spent time in isolation because of Covid-19.
Lavery and Luke Garbutt forced saves from Barnsley's Brad Collins before a clever backheel pass from Keshi Anderson gave the former another opportunity and he made no mistake.
Collins prevented Tyreece John-Jules from making it two as the Arsenal loanee latched onto a through ball, but the Tykes could have been level at the break when Adeboyejo took aim for the far corner, only for Maxwell to push it away.
There was little to choose between the teams after the break, with Callum Styles firing just wide for Barnsley and substitute Gary Madine bringing another save from Collins with a late header.
Blackpool began the match one place below their opponents, but their third win four games lifted them up to 14th, while Barnsley have now failed to win in seven - and have only done so once in nine since the start of the campaign.
Blackpool boss Neil Critchley:
"Shayne was a real pest today - he deserved his goal. His speed of thought is amazing and he has great positional sense.
"He attacks spaces so well and he can be a major threat for us. He put in an excellent centre-forward's display.
"We were very good, in the first half particularly, but sometimes when you don't make it two when you're on top it can come back to bite you.
"Hopefully we're finding our feet in this league, and that's a big thing for a side that is newly promoted."
Barnsley head coach Markus Schopp told BBC Radio Sheffield:
"I was really disappointed after the first 45 minutes. There was not a big difference between the teams but a couple of guys didn't do their basic work.
"The goal came after a throw-in and five or six players were around the ball and nobody was responsible for the situation and this is something we have to learn fast.
"It really hurts to lose a game like today because I think it was unnecessary.
"The lads have to understand that first of all in the Championship the most important thing is to compete and to be ready. If there is anybody who is not ready, then we are going to start struggling."
