Neill Collins rues two points dropped as Barnsley are held by Cheltenham
Posted Sunday, March 17, 2024 by PA
Barnsley head coach Neill Collins was left frustrated as his promotion-chasing side were held to a 0-0 draw by League One strugglers Cheltenham.
The Tykes had numerous chances to break the deadlock but could not find a way through a resilient Cheltenham side who are fighting for survival.
The draw prevented Barnsley from moving up to fourth and they now sit seven points behind the automatic promotion places.
Collins said: “I don’t think the players did an awful lot wrong. We’re really frustrated because obviously it’s a game at home that we expect to win.
“It felt right up until the 96th minute that we could score.
“It’s hard to be too critical because I think on another day we get that first goal and we go on and win the game.
“(We’ve got) a couple of lessons to learn. We’re all frustrated but I think what probably makes it feel worse is we just had that disappointment here last week (a 5-1 home defeat to Lincoln) and we wanted to put it right today.”
On regular captain Jordan Williams dropping to the bench, Collins said: “Jordan’s played more football than anyone in our team.
“I felt today we needed the extra height at the back to deal with aerial balls. Then (at) right wing-back, I felt Corey (O’Keefe) deserved the opportunity because I think he’s been good.”
Cheltenham head coach Darrell Clarke was pleased with the result, which edged his side to within four points of safety.
“Clean sheet, point at a tough, top-six team to come up against,” Clarke said.
“They ask you a lot of questions in different variations of the game and we defended our box well at times. We had a couple of opportunities as well.
“We’ve had a lot of illness, a lot of injury in the camp and the boys dug in well to gain that point.
“It wasn’t pretty on the eye at times. We didn’t have enough control, for me.
“We had to dig in, we had to defend. But like I said, the lads are putting their bodies on the line.
“The lads were on their last legs at the end there.
“We huffed and we puffed, couldn’t quite get that goal but a clean sheet away at Barnsley, against a team that scores a lot of goals is pleasing.”
Clarke picked out the performance of 39-year-old defender Curtis Davies.
“That experience in the backline helps us at times just to settle things down,” Clarke added.
“I’ve forgotten the amount of balls he headed out the six-yard-box for us, which is why he’s in there and he’s important for us. A great lad.”
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