There was late drama in S71 as Barnsley snatched a point from the jaws of defeat against relegation-threatened Cambridge United. In Conor Hourihane’s first home game in charge, it took a 92nd-minute header from Jonathan Lewis to prevent the Reds’ losing run from stretching to four.
But for all the stats, territory, and second-half pressure – it was another frustrating afternoon where Barnsley left the pitch asking more questions than they had answers.
Nightmare Start, Again...
If Hourihane had scribbled a plan for his Oakwell debut, it didn’t involve conceding within the opening ten minutes. A clever reverse pass from Ballard sliced through Barnsley’s backline, and James Brophy tucked it away neatly past debutant Kieren Flavell – a baptism of fire for the 18-year-old in goal.
From there, the visitors bunkered in. Cambridge were winless in four, deep in the relegation mire, and had no interest in playing pretty. Bodies behind the ball. Time-wasting. And to be fair to them, it was working.
It might’ve been worse too – a goalmouth scramble midway through the first half nearly saw the U’s double their lead, only for some last-ditch defending and a bit of luck to keep it at 0–1.
Possession but Painfully Blunt
The numbers were outrageous. Barnsley ended with 74% possession, 17 shots to Cambridge’s 4, and a whopping 84.6% pass completion rate. You’d think that paints the picture of a dominant win – but football isn’t a spreadsheet sport.
It wasn’t for lack of trying. Adam Phillips forced a decent save, Max Watters huffed and puffed, and Davis Keillor-Dunn rattled the crossbar late on. Two strong penalty shouts were also waved away, much to the disbelief of the home support.
Youth, Grit and a Glimmer of Hope
When the equaliser did come, it felt like something was shifting – not just in the game, but in the makeup of this team. Fabio Jalo, back from injury, dropped a teasing cross to the far post, and Jon Lewis – the American forward making just his third appearance – buried his header with calm authority.
It was a proper limbs moment. Not for the win – but for what it represented. A bit of fight. A bit of belief. And a reward for persistence.
Hourihane praised his young players after the game – Flavell, Bland, Jalo – and the crowd’s response backed it. “90% of the crowd stayed and clapped because we showed some balls... That’s all these people want to see,” said the interim boss.
Reds Still in a Rut
Let’s not sugar-coat it – a 1-1 draw at home to the side 23rd in the table isn’t something to celebrate wildly. Cambridge hadn’t picked up a point in four games and were twelve adrift of safety. Yet Barnsley, despite all the dominance, looked short on invention.
The bigger picture sees the Reds sat 11th in League One, seven points off the play-offs and with serious soul-searching to do heading into the final stretch. Three points from the last 15 available isn’t promotion form – but if this new era is about building foundations, then Saturday might be seen, in time, as a start.
Match Stats
| Stat | Barnsley | Cambridge |
|---|---|---|
| Possession (%) | 74 | 26 |
| Total Shots | 17 | 4 |
| On Target | 5 | 2 |
| Passing Accuracy (%) | 84.6 | 54.3 |
| Corners | 5 | 4 |
| Fouls Committed | 8 | 14 |
| Fouls Won | 13 | 8 |
| Yellow Cards | 3 | 4 |
| Saves | 1 | 4 |
Team Lineups
Barnsley XI:
K Flavell, D de Gevigney (Bland 59'), D Pines, C McCarthy, J Benson (Jalo 90+2'), L Connell (c), C O'Keeffe, A Phillips, M Watters (Humphrys 62'), D Keillor-Dunn, N Nwakali (Russell 77')
Substitutes not used: Hayton, Kitching, Cotter
Goal: J Lewis (90+2')
Yellow Cards: De Gevigney, Benson, Keillor-Dunn
Cambridge United XI:
N Bishop, J Gibbons (Nlundulu 79'), M Morrison (c), K Watts, S Malone (Kakai 66'), B Stevenson, P Digby, J Stokes (Ballard 79'), K Kachunga, J Brophy (Ballard 66'), D Ballard
Substitutes not used: Stevens, Bennett, Hoddle, Lofthouse
Goal: J Brophy (9')
Yellow Cards: Digby, Ballard, Gibbons, Kachunga
Referee: Richard Eley
Attendance: 10,790
Final Whistle: A Point, A Pulse, A Project?
It wasn’t pretty, and it certainly wasn’t polished – but there was enough heart in that final 15 minutes to suggest something new is being stitched together under Hourihane. Jon Lewis’ late leveller spared the Reds’ blushes, but it was the energy from the academy lads and the defiance of the Oakwell faithful that gave the biggest reason for hope.
Still plenty of work to do. But for the first time in a while, it felt like the team were playing for the badge – not just wearing it.
What’s Next?
Barnsley hit the road on Saturday, 29 March 2025, with a trip to Wigan Athletic next on the League One calendar. The Reds will be desperate to build on the draw against Cambridge and reignite their fading play-off hopes. With Wigan hovering just above the relegation zone and fighting for their lives, it’s set to be a proper scrap at the Brick Community Stadium.
Time is running out, and if Hourihane’s side are serious about making a late surge, three points here are non-negotiable.
FT: Barnsley 1–1 Cambridge United
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