Michael Duff calls on Barnsley to be more ruthless after Accrington draw

Posted Tuesday, December 27, 2022 by PA

Michael Duff says his promotion-chasing Barnsley side need to be more clinical after their 1-1 draw at struggling Accrington.

The fourth-placed Tykes were on the back of five successive league wins and had 20 shots at the Wham Stadium.

They converted only one, in the eighth minute when an Adam Phillips cross found James Norwood in the area and he flicked home his fourth goal of the campaign.

Despite Barnsley’s dominance, Stanley equalised on 62 minutes when Joe Pritchard’s shot was judged to have hit a hand in the area and Tommy Leigh converted the penalty.

Barnsley pressed, had their own penalty appeal turned down when Devante Cole went down in the area, and Toby Savin made a number of superb saves to keep them out.

Duff said: “The overriding emotion is frustration. It is two points dropped but ultimately we have picked up a point at a tough place and it’s another game unbeaten.

“It was a game of two penalties – one that was given for them which wasn’t a penalty and one which wasn’t given for us which was one. I have watched them both back.

“We were in control without being at our best but you are never in total control at 1-0 and then it’s left to the referee’s decisions.

“We should have been out of sight at half-time, we need to be more clinical, more ruthless and I think, if we score a second, they do not get back into the game.

“I cannot remember them having a shot except the penalty. The big decisions went against us today.”

John Coleman’s side are still battling near the bottom and haven’t won at home since October 1 but they are now six games unbeaten in all competitions.

The Stanley manager said: “We looked rusty in the first half, we couldn’t get going, we couldn’t mount a challenge. They scored a decent goal from their perspective, it was poor from us.

“We didn’t look ourselves and the lads were told in no uncertain terms at half-time.

“In the second half we livened up and sometimes you have to take what you get and, not playing particularly well, we got a point.

“We were better in the second half, we competed better. It would be easy to make excuses, we have had injuries and sickness, which isn’t ideal.

“But sometimes, when it’s all hands to the pump and you get a result when you are not quite at your optimum force, you have got to be grateful. Overall they have been on a good run and you have got to be pleased with a point and we have to keep moving the scoreboard along.”