Dave Challinor feels Stockport deserved their point at Barnsley

Posted Sunday, September 29, 2024 by PA

Stockport manager Dave Challinor said his side deserved to get something out of the game after they rescued a point late on in a 1-1 draw with Barnsley at Oakwell.

Adam Phillips scored from the spot early on for the Tykes before Louie Barry levelled in stoppage time.

Challinor said: “I had a little bit of a go at the players last week because I thought we lost a little bit of our identity and what we’ve become since I came to the club.

“I think the second half – that’s it for me. Front foot, wanting to press, wanting to get after the ball, wanting to play forward, wanting to play some good stuff as well alongside that.

“We deserved to get something from the game.

“Did we make mistakes? Yes, we made mistakes. Did we make bad decisions? Yes, we made bad decisions.

“Did our mistakes get punished? Probably more so than their mistakes.

“There was a good bit of composure from Jayden Fevrier to pick out Louie (Barry) for the goal.

“A great moment for everyone – for our players to celebrate with our supporters behind that goal.

“A deserved point but more importantly, us being back to us.”

On his side conceding so early, Challinor said: “It was a really poor start for us and we were a little bit (like) rabbits in the headlights.

“They (Barnsley) are the best team in the league from set pieces, they ask questions of you from throw-ins, free-kicks and corners. You have to deal with direct stuff.”

Barnsley head coach Darrell Clarke was pleased with his defence but disappointed with other areas of the team.

He said: “We didn’t get our cohesion and the attacking element of our game going as well as I’d like tonight.

“Stockport kept coming and putting more attacking players on, I thought we defended our box really well but it wasn’t to be.”

On his side’s good start to the game, Clarke said: “Great start to the game, good move that gets the penalty then a little bit flat after that.

“We created one or two bits of good quality but one or two had an off day with the ball, certainly my midfield tonight was a bit off which is unusual for those boys.

“We were very loose with the ball, lack of control at times.

“The effort and commitment is there for everybody to see, they’re a good group, but we need to get better on the ball and with our passing and cohesion.

“Most of the time when we give the ball away it was our own individual mistakes.

“I thought we defended our box really well, I know Gabriel Slonina made a great double save.

“Certainly Marc Roberts defended well, as did a lot of the back three at times.”