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Barnsley roll back to rock United
By Henry Winter | |
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Man Utd (1) 1 Barnsley (1) 1 AT the scene of their most devastating humiliation among the English elite, Barnsley yesterday showed real character and commitment to record their most eminent result. Memories of their 7-0 Premiership submission in October were forgotten as Danny Wilson's men, playing with shape and determination, came desperately close to embarrassing Manchester United, who have not lost a home FA Cup tie in nine years. This FA Cup fifth-round tie may have been drawn, so necessitating a replay on Feb 25 to decide who travels to Newcastle United, but some honours are more even than others. Barnsley did not just secure a replay yesterday; they will draw confidence from their ability to stand toe-to-toe with English football's most famous force. If it felt like victory for Barnsley, whose magnificent supporters noisily echoed the club's spirit of defiance, it will have seemed like defeat to United. Replays are anathema to United in this season of gathering intensity. What makes yesterday's stuttering draw even more embarrassing is that the replay triggers the postponement of the Munich testimonial game featuring an Eric Cantona XI, scheduled for the night before. "I'm very proud of them," Wilson said. "They showed a lot of pride in the shirts." Barnsley could even have won if Mike Riley, the Leeds official, had looked less generously on Gary Neville's late foul on Andy Liddell. "It was a blatant penalty," Wilson said. "Whether you get that bit of luck here, I don't know. The decision by the referee was wrong and it cost us." It was a game of errors, none bigger than Peter Schmeichel's attempted fly-kick that gifted John Hendrie a 38th-minute goal. As mistakes go, Schmeichel's was as big as a manor house. David Watson's long kick was meat and drink for Gary Pallister, who sold Hendrie a leisurely dummy before slipping the ball back to his goalkeeper. Schmeichel cannot have endured many worse moments than this. He kept his eye on the ball as it rose towards him, clearly having elected to play it first time. Catastrophe struck, Schmeichel mis-hitting the ball which looped across the penalty area. Hendrie, meanwhile, had continued his run, showing the willingness to pressurise that characterised all Wilson's players. As the Barnsley supporters leapt from their seats, Hendrie guided a crisp left-footed shot into an empty net. A hush descended on most parts of Old Trafford, bar the Scoreboard End, awash with jubilant Barnsley fans, some stripped to the waist. But Hendrie's goal was no rare bark of the underdog. Barnsley had been so determined, so committed in their harrying of a lacklustre United that such reward was deserved. In explaining their initial disjointedness, their lack of cohesion and creativity, United could point to a host of absent friends, such as the suspended Nicky Butt and Paul Scholes or the injured Andy Cole and Roy Keane, whose uplifting presence would surely have lifted them from this torpor. With two England internationals, Gary Neville and David Beckham, deemed fit enough for the bench, it seemed that Ferguson's rotation policy in domestic cup competitions was also to blame for his team's labouring. Barnsley, too, were missing familiar faces, the cup-tied Jan Aage Fjortoft and the suspended Darren Barnard and Darren Sheridan. They also lost Arjan De Zeeuw to injury after 25 minutes and were without Ashley Ward, momentarily removed from the fray, when United enjoyed one of their brief first-half flurries. Just before the half-hour Brian McClair, brilliantly set up by Giggs, found only the post where once he would scored. The miss appeared even worse when Schmeichel presented Hendrie with his goal. Yet the game's error-strewn nature indicated chances would soon fall United's way. Jovo Bosancic's dreadful back-pass was seized on by Giggs, who was denied only by the quick-reacting Watson. Perhaps fearful of the half-time talk awaiting them, United equalised in thrilling fashion. Giggs, out on the left but increasingly drifting in, chested the ball down and rolled it back to Sheringham, who touched it forward twice before placing it expertly past Watson. United still needed inspiration. Ferguson turned to the bench. Beckham's influence was immediately seen, the ball touched elegantly inside to Michael Clegg, whose lifted cross was met well by Giggs but not with sufficient placement to trouble Watson unduly. Barnsley's own danger was limited to the counter-attack. Hendrie, his legs slowing but the mind still quick, scared United just after the hour, breaking through but shooting off-target under pressure from Sheringham. United were disappointing. Clegg, a neat full-back, was adding to his reputation but more famous feet seemed to be running across quicksand. Pallister, pushed forward, at least gave United a real target in a frantic finale. Pallister and Giggs went close and Watson saved superbly from Giggs and Jordi Cruyff. Yet still Barnsley will have felt they could have caused a sensational upset when Gary Neville fouled Liddell. __________________________________________________________ Man Utd (1) 1 Barnsley (1) 1 Sheringham 42; Hendrie 39. Man Utd: Schmeichel, Clegg, Irwin, Johnsen (Beckham 46), Pallister, Sheringham, Giggs, P. Neville, McClair (G. Neville 78), Berg, Nevland (Cruyff 57). Subs Not Used: Van Der Gouw, Casper. Barnsley: Watson, Eaden, Moses, De Zeeuw (Appleby 25), Hendrie (Liddell 80), Redfearn, Bullock, Bosancic, Krizan, Ward, Morgan. Subs Not Used: Marcelle, Leese, Tinkler. Booked: Ward, Bosancic. Att: 54,700 Ref: M A Riley (Leeds). __________________________________________________________ FERGUSON FURY AT GRAY Alex Ferguson blasted Andy Gray after the Sky TV pundit entered the penalty debate in the wake of Manchester United's 1-1 FA Cup fifth round draw with Barnsley. Ferguson admitted that referee Mike Riley should have given Barnsley a penalty when Andy Liddell went down under Gary Neville's challenge with the tie heading towards a replay at Old Trafford. But the United boss was incensed by Gray's claim that a similar challenge on a United player at the opposite end would have produced a penalty. "They should have had a penalty kick," admitted Ferguson. "I don't think there was any question about that. There was bad refereeing there. "But I'd just like to take Andy Gray up on his point that had it taken place at the other end, it would have been given. "That's absolutely crap. I've never heard such nonsense. We've had 11 penalties here in nine years. I don't know how he can make a comment like that. "He's not biased against Man United, of course," added Ferguson sarcastically. Gray defended his comments and claimed that he had received a lot of mail from viewers who felt he was biased in favour of the champions. "Alex should actually see my mail that arrives at Sky from others around the country who think I'm so biased towards Manchester United that I shouldn't be doing the job," said Gray. "I can see what Alex is saying, but it was my opinion, and he might not agree, but it won't be the first time Alex and I haven't agreed," added Gray. John Hendrie capitalised on a Peter Schmeichel blunder to fire Barnsley ahead after 37 minutes but Teddy Sheringham equalised four minutes later and United could not make their second-half dominance tell. Barnsley keeper David Watson hailed the fighting spirit of his team and agreed the Yorkshire outfit could have shocked United had they not been denied a penalty. "The lads are saying it was a definitely penalty. But we're not going to argue over things like that. We've gotten a 1-1 draw and we're delighted with that. "It's a brilliant result. We thought we had a chance with them struggling lately, and we came here with a lot of confidence. "We've been working hard for two or three months, now, grinding out results. Today's the culmination of all that hard work over the last three months." Ferguson praised Barnsley, beaten 7-0 at Old Trafford in the Premiership in October, for battling hard and helping erase the painful memory of that defeat. "At the end of the day, Barnsley fought hard for their point," he said. © PA Sporting Life __________________________________________________________ February 16 1998 FOOTBALL Ferguson anxious about growing fixture congestion after draw at Old Trafford Barnsley fail to read the script for action replay MANCHESTER UNITED 1 BARNSLEY 1 By Oliver Holt Football Correspondent BEHIND the goal, the Barnsley supporters raised their arms to the skies and burst into a lusty chorus. They sang redemption songs: songs of pride restored and of ridicule banished. Humbled 7-0 at Old Trafford last October, they went some way to wiping the slate clean yesterday and showed that there is still romance left in the FA Cup, even without the minnows. In many ways, it was a terrible revenge over a depleted United side. The advent of a replay at Oakwell a week on Wednesday raised the dreaded spectre of fixture congestion for Alex Ferguson, the one thing above all others that the United manager had wanted to avoid. He had said he would throw Schmeichel, the United goalkeeper, into attack for the last ten minutes if a draw loomed. He tried Pallister instead, but it did not work. In the end, it was Barnsley who nearly profited from an attitude that Ferguson admitted was "gung-ho, do-or-die", when Gary Neville scythed down Liddell in the box in the dying minutes. Even Ferguson conceded that it should have been a penalty, but the referee, Mike Riley, chose not to give it. United now have to play four games in the next 12 days, the sort of schedule that could compromise their pursuit of the European Cup. If some of the gloss of Barnsley's achievement was taken off by Ferguson's ambiguous attitude to the competition and the fact that he had been forced to field a side shorn - either through injury or suspension - of six regular first-team players, it was still a glorious result for a team that had been portrayed once more as lambs to the slaughter. A bizarre mistake by Schmeichel had allowed Hendrie to give Barnsley the lead seven minutes before half-time, but United equalised four minutes later through Sheringham. Each side had numerous chances to seal victory, but neither could manage it. United had begun with only five of the players that had trounced Barnsley here last October. Butt, Scholes, Cole, Solskjaer, Beckham and Gary Neville were all missing from the starting line-up, and the team included unfamiliar names such as Eric Nevland, the Norwegian bought from Viking Stavanger for £1 million in the summer. With Philip Neville on the right side of midfield and McClair having a rare outing in the centre, United began tentatively. Neville had to head out from under his own crossbar after a run and cross by Hendrie, then Schmeichel had to sprint out of his area to head the ball clear as Hendrie ran on to a through ball unchallenged. The champions began to establish themselves as Johnsen dominated midfield and Giggs, playing just behind Sheringham and Nevland, wove some familiar magic. It was a sublime header by the young winger, changing the direction of the ball and wrong-footing the entire Barnsley defence, that provided United with a gilt-edged chance midway through the half. McClair, though, could only crash his left-foot shot against a post. Then, seven minutes before half-time and against the run of play, Barnsley scored a freak goal that is destined for many reruns on football blooper videos. Pallister played a gentle back-pass to Schmeichel, but he kicked at it wildly and succeeded not only in slicing the ball across the area, but in throwing himself off balance and on to his back, too. Hendrie began the pursuit as Schmeichel leapt to his feet and, after what seemed an age, the Barnsley forward got to it first and slid it left-footed into an empty net. It was a short-lived advantage. Barnsley had not regained their composure when, three minutes before the interval, United equalised. Giggs took a long ball on his chest and tricked the Barnsley defence with a backheel that allowed Sheringham to advance on Watson and slide the ball past him. Before the second half was five minutes old, United had forged another chance, this time from the unlikely source of Pallister. He was allowed to burst up the field by a retreating Barnsley and played the ball to Giggs. Giggs opened up the defence with a sublime flick back to Pallister, but he crossed behind the onrushing Sheringham and the moment was lost. After a short hiatus, United nearly went ahead when Beckham lobbed a pass into the box for Clegg but the young full back headed wide. Barnsley missed an even better chance 12 minutes from time when Bullock laid a pass to Hendrie in the box. Hendrie, exhausted now, could only blaze his shot high over the bar. A frantic final ten minutes saw Barnsley denied that penalty and Moses make a last-ditch challenge to deny Giggs. In the last minute, Watson saved a low shot from Cruyff to ensure the replay and the 8,000 Barnsley fans behind the goal exulted in the joy of honour regained. MANCHESTER UNITED (4-4-2): P Schmeichel - M Clegg, H Berg, G Pallister, D Irwin - P Neville, R Johnsen (sub: D Beckham, 46min), B McClair (sub: G Neville, 79), R Giggs - E Sheringham, E Nevland (sub: J Cruyff, 58). BARNSLEY (3-5-2): D Watson - A Moses, A de Zeeuw, C Morgan - N Eaden, J Bosancic, N Redfearn, M Bullock, A Krizan - J Hendrie (sub: A Liddell, 81), A Ward. Referee: M Riley. Copyright 1998 Times Newspapers Limited. ______________________________________________________________________ February 16 1998 FOOTBALL FA Cup Barnsley block the route to Newcastle BY OLIVER HOLT, FOOTBALL CORRESPONDENT AFTER the heroics of Stevenage Borough in the last round of the FA Cup, Barnsley, the team rooted to the foot of the FA Carling Premiership, carried the banner for romantics everywhere yesterday when they held Manchester United to a 1-1 draw at Old Trafford. It ensured that they remained in the draw for the sixth round, where they face the prospect of a trip to face Newcastle United. The performance of Danny Wilson's team, and the unexpected advent of a replay at Oakwell in ten days' time, overshadowed the Cup draw and the assumption that it had provided football with a battle of the giants in the pairing of Newcastle and United. It also forced the postponement of the testimonial game that United had been planning to raise money for the families of victims of the Munich air crash. Eric Cantona will have to wait a little longer for his triumphant return to Manchester. The prospect of a clash between Newcastle and United, though, is still something to whet the appetite: another showdown between Alex Ferguson and Kenny Dalglish; a reprise of the fine league match at St James' Park earlier in the season, when a wonderful header from Andy Cole decided a passionate match. Terry McDermott, the Newcastle assistant manager, said: "It's going to be tough whoever we meet. Manchester United are the best team in the country at the moment and Barnsley are really battling. There are easier ties. But we'll be playing at St James' Park and we have to be delighted with that." If Barnsley, who profited from a dreadful error from Peter Schmeichel, the United goalkeeper, yesterday, emerge as the victors, the tie of the next round could be between Arsenal and Blackburn Rovers, if they manage to negotiate Crystal Palace and West Ham United respectively. Arsenal stumbled to a goalless draw with Palace at Highbury yesterday, and Arsène Wenger, their manager, did not seek solace in the prospect of a home tie in the next round. "We did not beat Port Vale at Highbury and now we have not beaten Palace," he said. "Why should we beat West Ham or Blackburn?" The big winners in the draw were Coventry City, who were paired at home to Sheffield United in the only clear tie of the round. Leeds United, too, will be happy with their fate after the draw raised the possibility that they will face a Nationwide League first division team at Elland Road for the fourth time in succession. If Wolverhampton Wanderers beat Wimbledon in their replay at Molineux, they will be the visitors to Yorkshire. All eyes, though, will be on the outcome of the Barnsley v Manchester United replay, if only because of its timing - three days before United's morning kick-off against Chelsea in the Premiership and a week before the first leg of their Champions' League quarter-final against AS Monaco. Barnsley must have more than an even chance. "We will only have one replay in the Cup this season, son," Ferguson said after the game yesterday, "and that will be the last one. I'm looking forward to the replay at Oakwell. I have never taken a team there and I suppose it will be one of those cold, Yorkshire nights. "The FA Cup is good for us. It gives you a different kind of excitement and it helps young players like Michael Clegg. He has come on a bundle, that boy, and it will be a great tie up there. It was a penalty kick at the end for them, but there is a general reluctance among referees now to give them and Barnsley suffered because of that." Wilson, predictably, was delighted with his team's performance at the scene of their humbling earlier in the season and was relishing United's first visit to Oakwell for 34 years. "Of course, we are delighted about the result," he said. "We thought we had a clear penalty, but maybe the luck evened itself out because a mistake by Peter Schmeichel is a rarity in itself. "Our players were very determined today. They wanted to show that the 7-0 result last year was not really a true reflection of our club. They put that right and this result will lift everybody and give us confidence for the fight in the league." Copyright 1998 Times Newspapers Limited. |
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