Michael Duff hails Slobodan Tedic as Barnsley remain in promotion picture

Posted Sunday, April 23, 2023 by PA

Michael Duff praised the performance of Slobodan Tedic as his Barnsley side defeated Oxford 2-0 to keep their hopes of a League One top-two finish alive.

Tedic scored the goals either side of the interval with Adam Phillips providing the assist on both occasions.

The Reds have now won nine successive home matches, while struggling Oxford are only outside the relegation zone on goal difference and are without a win in 17 games.

On the performance of Tedic, Duff said: “He’s been excellent. We’ve watched him grow during the season.

“He’s definitely a different animal now compared to when he first came here.

“He came back from injury, physically miles better. Manchester City don’t pay three million euros for someone they don’t think is very good.”

Duff, whose side remain fourth, added: “I thought it was a good professional performance, a little bit scruffy at the start but we scored at a good time.

“The second half was as comfortable as you can get, I thought we dominated the second half.

“It’s tough to win games, there’s an expectancy now.

“We were much better with the ball today, we hurt them in lots of different ways.”

On his side’s strong home form, Duff added: “It’s an unbelievable achievement.

“Word got out a long time ago that we’re not a bad team, so teams are coming in to be difficult to beat and we’ve found a way every time.”

Despite the league’s top three sides all winning, Duff said: “I’m not delighted they’ve all won but I can’t control it. We’ve done our job and they’ve all won – fair play to them.”

Oxford head coach Liam Manning thought his side still threatened, saying: “We were a little bit off it, I don’t think they caused us huge problems.

“Despite the quality not quite being there in the basics, we still carried a threat.

“The biggest challenge was the timing of the goals. If we came in at 0-0 it’s a different mindset and conceding so early in the second half puts you on the back foot.

“The biggest word I said to the players today was ‘belief’. We have to believe we’re a good team, believe we can win games and believe in yourself individually.”

Teenage forward Gatlin O’Donkor’s left the pitch midway through the first half due to injury but Manning was confident the 18-year-old might be back for the season run-in.

He added: “I don’t know yet. It’s a big ask, we’ve been reliant on an under-18 as our main striker and I have to say, the games he has played up to date, he’s been terrific.

“I don’t say this lightly but in terms of under-18’s, I’d be very surprised if there are any that would be able to do what he’s done against some of the experienced centre-halves he’s played again.

“Hopefully it’s not too bad and he’ll be available in the last few games.”