Peterborough United 0-0 Barnsley: Posh held to goalless draw by Tykes
- Published
The lights went out at the Weston Homes Stadium towards the end of a match that was low on entertainment
Peterborough United and Barnsley had to settle for a point each, after a cagey 0-0 draw that was subject to a delay after the floodlights failed inside the Weston Homes Stadium.
With both sides confined to the relegation zone and struggling for wins, it was unsurprising the match was bereft of quality in front of goal.
Teenager Kai Corbett, making his first start for Peterborough since signing from West Ham, saw a first-half attempt go begging, while Barnsley keeper Brad Collins used his feet to deny Jonson Clarke-Harris after the break.
The result keeps both teams in the bottom three with just six wins between them this season.
Both Peterborough and Barnsley came into the match on the back of torrid runs, having lost their past three games in the league, sat in the relegation zone and desperate for a win.
Collectively, they had lost 24 matches between them this season, while Barnsley's tally of 13 goals is the fewest in the Championship.
The first half saw just one shot on target apiece, the first of which did not come until 20 minutes in when Barnsley's Cauley Woodrow forced Posh keeper Dai Cornell to dive low and make a save with a long-distance strike.
The best chance of the half then fell to 19-year-old Corbett on his debut. He stretched but couldn't quite tap the ball in after Clarke-Harris sent a shot across the front of the goal.
Collins made a crucial save just before the hour mark, using his feet to deny Clarke-Harris who found space in the box.
But when the floodlights went out at London Road with 10 minutes to go, it was a metaphor fitting of the uneventful spectacle fans had been subjected to.
The players were briefly sent to the changing rooms and when they returned a short while later, Joel Randall missed a golden opportunity to snatch all three points for the hosts.
He was picked out in the box by Siriki Dembele but sent the ball flying over the bar.
The result means both teams remain in the relegation zone, with Peterborough four points from safety and Barnsley eight.
Peterborough United manager Darren Ferguson told BBC Radio Cambridgeshire:
"It was a game lacking real quality I have to say, from both teams. Probably understandable to a degree - a couple of nervous teams not getting good results at the moment.
"They played three at the back which they hadn't played in the few previous games - a new manager had come in - so we worked playing against a back four and it kind of nullified us a little bit. I think we kind of cancelled each other out, nothing much happened in the first half.
"Then a change at half-time, we went to a back four and played with a bit more width, but in a game like that when there's not much quality and both teams are cancelling each other out, there wasn't great chances in it.
"When you get the one big chance and you win it and go away and think 'OK it wasn't a great game but you pick up the three points'.
"We've played far better this season at home and lost. So that was a big moment."
Barnsley manager Poya Asbaghi said:
"We had ambition to win the game, so of course there is disappointment we didn't come away with all three points.
"But we don't know how important this point will be until the end of the season. Maybe then it will be worth something for us.
"A clean sheet is very pleasing and shows we are building something, but it is clear we need to link-up better with each other than we did in this game and understand better how to use the spaces on the pitch.
"We have to create chemistry between the players and we now have a full week to train and work on that. I will not be surprised if a lot of the technical errors are due to a lack of confidence."