Barnsley boosted their League One promotion chances with a 1-0 win over Southend United at Oakwell yesterday courtesy of a late Kieffer Moore header.
The Tykes made one change from their win over Bristol Rovers last weekend by bringing Mamadou Thiam in for George Moncur. Southend made two changes with John White and Stephen Hendrie replacing Ben Coker and Stephen McLaughlin.
The visitors started brightly and nearly opened the scoring after just two minutes when Harry Bunn spurned an early chance by dragging a shot just wide from inside the box.
It was a quiet first-half in which both sides had limited chances but Brad Potts should have opened the scoring for the hosts when he fired a volley inches wide from a Thiam cross.
The game sprung into life after the break. Southend striker Simon Cox was played through in the opening stages of the second-half by Timothy Dieng but couldn’t get a shot away as he was closed down well by Barnsley defenders.
Kieffer Moore, who is Barnsley’s top scorer this season, headed an Alex Mowatt corner onto the crossbar on 64 minutes. Daniel Stendel’s side were then denied by the upright three minutes later when Ryan Hedges threaded Brad Potts through on goal but the former Blackpool midfielder blasted a left footed drive onto the bar.
Barnsley fans were starting to think it wasn’t their day but Southend had a goal ruled out for offside when Simon Cox’s smart finished was denied by the linesman ten minutes before the end.
Chris Powell’s men would have taken a draw but were left disappointed when Moore nodded home from a Mowatt corner four minutes from the death to give the home side another valuable three points.
The win has left Barnsley three points off the automatic promotion places, whilst Southend have dropped a place to 12th.
