Peterborough and Barnsley lose ground in relegation fight with goalless draw

Posted Sunday, November 28, 2021 by PA

Relegation rivals Peterborough and Barnsley battled out a 0-0 draw that did nothing to help their Sky Bet Championship survival prospects.

Two teams in the bottom three lost more ground in the fight to avoid the drop after a game interrupted by a floodlight failure 10 minutes from time, although it did provide a first point of new Tykes chief Poya Asbaghi’s reign.

Power was restored within 20 minutes to allow the contest to be completed, and substitute Joel Randall then fluffed a glorious chance to give Posh a surge with his first goal for the club.

The £1million summer signing – out since August with a thigh injury – blazed over from close range after being picked out by Siriki Dembele’s pass and left with just Barnsley goalkeeper Bradley Collins to beat.

That was a rare clear-cut chance in a contest low on quality – something which was perhaps no surprise given the recent form of the two clubs involved.

Barnsley arrived having lost 10 of their last 11 games – a run which cost previous boss Markus Schopp his job at the beginning of the month – while Posh had just one draw to show for their last five outings.

Two managers searching for a winning formula made a combined nine changes for this six-pointer.

Posh boss Darren Ferguson was responsible for five of them after a midweek drubbing at Blackburn, while Asbaghi settled on four changes after seeing the Tykes beaten by Swansea in his first game at the helm.

The most eye-catching inclusion on the teamsheet was that of teenage striker Kai Corbett – a recent arrival after leaving West Ham – being handed an EFL debut by Posh which lasted just under an hour.

The 19-year-old was a lively figure in a largely low-key first half as he provided the hosts’ only effort on target, turned a low Harrison Burrows cross from the left just wide and came within inches of converting a pass from strike partner Jonson Clarke-Harris at full-stretch.

Asbaghi selected three strikers, with Devante Cole, Cauley Woodrow and Carlton Morris all receiving the nod to face the worst defence in the Championship.

Cole dragged an early attempt wide before Woodrow and Morris both tested Posh keeper Dai Cornell just past the mid-point of the opening period.

A Posh change of plan at the break, with Ferguson switching to a flat back four, helped to create a more open game in the second half, although opportunities remained few and far between.

Morris curled wide and Callum Styles saw a long-range blast rise just too high for Barnsley, before Clarke-Harris was denied at close range by Collins.

Randall then squandered the best chance following the resumption before Cornell had to beat away a Morris drive in stoppage time as it ended in stalemate.