Preview - Well hello everyone. After a break from reporting due to personal reasons, The Dukinfield Dazzler is back for the final furlongs of this crucial campaign. And wow, hasn't the environment changed while I've been away.
Not only has our already precarious financial situation hit rock bottom, the Latics have began to slide away from the crucial automatic promotion slot which would help the clubs long-term future. After a surprise resignation of Chairman Chris Moore on the very day we played QPR, the Latics now appear to have an air of inevitability about them. It isn't a lack of desire or lack of passion. It's just that feeling where when you have to dig deep to produce a win (like against Port Vale) there's that winning something that's missing. Maybe it could simply be called a goalscoring striker?
So to review the past few weeks, no-one has been more pleased than me to see some creditable draws against tough opposition in QPR & Luton. However, the latter of the two let us badly down four days later when they allowed Crewe to turn up and turn them over 4-0. But again, maybe that is the difference I have just mentioned - that winning something.
However, the tide looked to have turned against Northampton. Josh Low returned to give the side much needed balance, Darren Sheridan gave a sterling midfield performance, Wayne Andrews did a sweet strikers job and all in all, the team looked to play as a well-oiled side, ready to embark on a vital season run-in. Alas not though! Back to Boundary Park, back to the same old, same old.
Last week was one of the most frustrating games to endure. The Latics huffed and puffed but just couldn't blow the Vale defence down a 2nd time. Even more frustrating was that the Latics were cheated out of a win by a former player - just minutes before Vale equalised, Adie Littlejohn clattered Pogliacomi in a late, reckless challenge causing the Aussie to depart early. Miskelly, in his place, should've stopped Micheal Cummins near post drive. The TV replay shows a poor attempt to save and I have no doubt that Pogi would've at least parried the effort. The fact remains though, the home form has cost us again.
So what now? Well, doom and gloom has unfortuantely been the keyword in recent weeks. News that Moore and Dowie cleared the air this week is extremely welcome, but you can't help feeling now that this season is a bubble waiting to burst. If we don't go up, as Dowie said, the building blocks which have been put in place may be smashed to pieces. Hall, Hill, Pogi and Wiggy could all leave or be sold. Fans heroes, Eyres and Carss might not get a new contract. The side could be ripped apart, like a leopard tending to it's prey.
Before any demise might occur should failure be the result, I did manage to part-take in an unusual custom of being in the box last Saturday. I'd normally prefer my seat in the Chaddy End or a place on a cold wintry terrace in Chesterfield, but this time the box was welcome for one reason only - I was lucky enough to spend 5 minutes with each of my heroes - Carss and Eyres.
Carss took part in a Q&A session before the game, whilst Eyres accompanied Paul Murray in an after match speech. I wasted no time in asking vital questions. Carss admitted in the Q&A that with no massive TV deal ever being on the horizon again, players are now taking any offers of a contract more seriously, with the amount of money being offered on the table not the highest priority. With thousands likely to be out of work in football this summer, Carss stressed 2 things - security is the keyword and he admitted that he would love it to be with Oldham Athletic. His honesty was warming.
I had an even more intruiging question on my lips though. This was specifically aimed for Carss and Eyres (not during the Q&A) and neither disappointed with their answers. I began by telling Carss and Eyres that, as they'll remember, when they both arrived at the club we were in dire straits and relegation-threatened. However, I reminded them that they turned the season around. I added that largely because of this, both players are huge favourites of the fans and most would be gutted if they left tomorrow. However, I continued by asking why a player such as theirselves had an aura about them which makes fans idolise them, whereas others, namely a Ben Burgess appears totally the opposite? The response was excellent...
Carss started to answer by tapping his chest, indicating that a lot of it is in the heart. He added that it is down to being passionate about the game and regarding Burgess' failure to impress, Carss indicated that "nobody told Ben more than any of us in the team."
Eyres' answer was slightly different. The scouser indicated that "if you know you have the skill, you want to give 100% every week to show it. But you can't always do that and sometimes you have a bad game." Eyres was obviously talking about himself and indicating the self belief he had. It was clear that Eyres knows his abilities.
It makes you wonder about the spirit of the team though, when you hear how these two talk. If Carssy's right about Burgess, then maybe the whole team must be trying to push each other and the solidarity is there rather than it being paper talk. However, you just feel that solidarity and fate aren't going together, hand in hand. If there was any justice this season, the Latics would get those breaks now and go on a vital 6 win run. Unfortunately, at present, I struggle to see us winning more than 3 games out of the 6. To change this, Wiggy needs to start scoring and chances like those created against Port Vale must be converted, then maybe we could do it. The sands of time are fast running out though. We don't want the play-offs and should we get them, well - who would want a vital 2nd leg at Boundary Park. The atmosphere is improving slightly, but we'd need to raise the roof if it came down to that. The roulette wheel is now spinning. Latics, place your bets please!
Team News - Latics
If I could think of a non-swear word to describe a certain Vale player who robbed us of Pogi last Saturday, I'd use it. But it's impossible! Thankfully, Pogi should only miss this Barnsley game and be fit for Cheltenham. But that means Miskelly keeps goal and my confidence in him is going down. I've praised the lad for his shot-stopping in the past, but hand on heart, his effort to stop Cummins last week wasn't good enough and elsewhere, there are too many faults with his game. A keeper with 18 clean sheets (Pogi) would've done much better in my eyes. However, we must watch even more nervously at home and hope & pray that the NI U21 can do the job.
The Latics should welcome Tony Carss back tomorrow. Lee Duxbury had an unusually quiet game against Vale and I expect Carss to slot back into a midfield with industrious Murray and Darren Sheridan, 2 players whose performances are getting better every week. Josh Low is starting to get his fitness back on the right wing, however he does need to be much stronger and have more of an end product. Low was disappointing against Vale and he has a point to prove to himself in this one. Eyres will complement on the left side and upfront, Wiggy and Andrews should stay in place. But they really need to sparkle now.
Finally, the defence may be the key to this game tomorrow. Barnsley's main threat will come through the experienced duo of Bruce Dyer and Mike Sheron. It's a shame the rest of the side isn't the same quality because these two are a real handful. If Hall, Haining and Armstrong can keep them quiet for the first half, frustration might creep in and the Latics will gain the advantage over The Tykes.
Team News - Barnsley
The visitors have two major worries over young promising defender Neil Austin and Bruce Dyer. Both have struggled in training as Dyer fights a chest complaint, whilst Austin appears to have flu-like symptons. Dyer is expected to play though. Other than that, the same team should play as last weekend. Overall, I see Barnsley with 2 very dangerous quality strikers and a mediocre side throughout the rest of the team. As mentioned above - keep Dyer and Sheron quiet and we've a good chance.
Match factor 1 - Mini-Shez
Darren Sheridan faces his former club who he graced the Premiership with. And that is even more of an incentive to win tomorrow according to Shez. To put one over a previous club, whose fans once idolised you as a player must be a weird feeling but for some reason football players seem to embrace it. Hopefully Shez will command some respect and may even be given too much, allowing him to dominate. Here's hoping.
Match factor 2 - Opponents elsewhere
Another part of my conversation with Eyres and Carss discussed our challangers for that 2nd place. Carss admitted that they sit and look over the fixtures like we do as fans and if that's the case, then there is no bigger incentive to win than knowing Crewe host Bristol City. We've all said that the top teams must still face each other - as we must count on that factor now, we must do our own bit too!
Match factor 3 - Form equals draw
No surprise that we focus on the Latics inabilities at home again. But the worry is that with just 1 win in 6 home games, Barnsley have lost just 1 in 4 away games and that was to Bristol City, by the same 2-0 scoreline the Latics lost to. And add to this, both teams seem to be often avoiding defeat by drawing more games than winning or losing. Both have drawn 4 out of the last 8 games. Add that to Latics inability and uncertainty at home and this has a draw written all over it.
Form tables -
Latics - DWLWDDWD - 13pts
Tykes - LDWWDDDL - 10pts
Latics home - DWDD - 6pts
Tykes away - DWDL - 5pts
Verdict -
Normally, for a team chasing promotion against a side slowly edging to safety in the division, this should be a home banker for the Latics. However, those who have been betting on draws at Boundary Park must be cleaning up (the bookies still keep us red-hot favourites to win these home games despite the evidence.) This has a draw written all over it when you look at the aforementioned factors.
There is a difference in this game though. The Tykes will hopefully come and be more adventurous than Vale were. Both sides know that defensively, they can't come to Boundary Park and look for a point, because the Latics will probably pick them off. It's in Barnsley advantage to play to their strengths - Dyer and Sheron upfront. And if we can frustrate them and attack the spaces then we've a great chance to win. Therefore, although my head says a draw, I'm going to plump for a narrow victory for the Latics.
Prediction - Latics 2 Barnsley 1