With most of the Non-league matches competed, apart from play offs and a few minor league games being caught up, I pre bought tickets to see Barnsley v Peterborough on the final League One games day of the season.
Barnsley is a hilly town and the Oakwell ground sits at the bottom of one below the town centre. An early arrival meant nearby parking in what turned out to be for Peterborough supporters. Parking near the entrance meant a prospective quick get away but also a steep walk down to the stadium.
Sitting high up in the East Stand you overlook the distant Town Hall and you could see many of the 14000 plus crowd streaming down the hill in time for the mid-day kick off. The 20 degrees shown on the car computer seemed believable as summer clothes were on show. The sunshine, blue and white skies and a beautiful green grass pitch made for a colourful tapestry.
Barnsley had already booked their place in the League One play offs but their opponents, Peterborough, needed to win and Derby away at local rivals Sheffield Wednesday needed to lose to book their place.
Barnsley are a long standing club having been formed in 1887 and located at their Oakwell home since a year later. They won the FA Cup in 1912 and been in two other Cup finals. They have reached the highest league in England but have spent most of their time going up and down the lower leagues.
In contrast Peterborough are juniors starting in 1934 and not being elected to the Football League until 1960. They too have spent most of their times since their elevation yo-yoing up and down the leagues with the Championship being their highest level achieved.
Barnsley 0 Peterborough 2
Sunday 7th May 2023 Midday kick off.
The Tykes v The Posh. 4th v 7th
Barnsley; Crimson red shirts, white shorts. Peterborough; Royal Blue shirts, black shorts.
Peterborough’s need to win showed from the off with a more direct approach and they scored on just 6 minutes when Harrison Burrows launched a curling left foot cross into the goal mouth which sailed over the Barnsley defence to the unmarked Jonson Clarke-Harris who chested it down and slammed it home.
Barnsley settled after this but made little impact on the visitors backline, they did score but it was ruled offside. Peterborough kept probing on the wings but neither side made a clear cut chance. The Peterborough fans erupted on 41 minutes as the news came through that Derby’s Curtis Davis had been sent off and a penalty awarded to the home team. A short while passed and ‘The Posh’ fans made more noise as Sheffield Wednesday scored. So with Peterborough on top at the break and Derby behind there was a buzz from the away end.
The second hand started with Peterborough needing to hold on and hope that Derby would not equalise. Barnsley did start in a more positive mood plying a much higher line and competing for the ball. They had more goal attempts in the first 20 minutes than the whole of the first half. As the game drifted on Peterborough forced a corner from the right and the right footed outswinger was met by Jack Taylor’s head as he glanced the ball into the left side of the net. Peterborough fans erupted knowing that they were going to win but were still nervous of the score from Hillsborough. Both ended about the same time and the Peterborough fans were ecstatic with the performance, the results and making the play offs. Their singing and chanting put a damper on the end of season parade for Barnsley fans. Both clubs are now in the play-offs so you would expect that if they meet again the match will be more competitive.
No chips just Pukka Pies and I chose a Pukka Sausage Roll which if I kept a table of scores for them rather than chips this version would surely be bottom.
Payonthegate 