Championship - Saturday 03rd August 2019, 3:00 PM
Barnsley1
(1)
-
(0)
0
Fulham
Attendance: 14823
Referee: Andy Davies (Hampshire)
Match events
Thomas
13
32
Le Marchand (f)
33
Christie
33
Le Marchand
Mowatt (f)
44
Diaby (f)
54
65
Knockaert
65
Johansen
74
Ayité
74
Cavaleiro
Chaplin
86
Thomas
86
Miller
91
Woodrow
91
Thiam
94
Wilks
94
Wilks (tw)
94
Match review
Match Report
Barnsley (1) 1-0 (0) Fulham
Championship Match Day 01 at Oakwell Ground
Saturday 3rd August 2019 KO: 15:00
Referee: Jarred Gillett (Australia)
|
| Match Stats |
Barnsley |
Fulham |
| Goals |
(1) 1 |
0 (0) |
|
| Scorers |
Thomas 13 |
|
| , |
| Goal attempts |
17 |
15 |
| On target |
4 |
4 |
| Shooting Accuracy |
24% |
27% |
| Possession |
45% |
55% |
| Passes |
344 |
415 |
| Passes Success |
76% |
76% |
| Crosses |
12 |
17 |
| Crosses Success |
33% |
35% |
| Corners |
7 |
5 |
| Tackles |
20 |
17 |
| Tackles Success |
50% |
76% |
| Saves |
3 |
2 |
| Fouls |
16 |
14 |
| Offsides |
2 |
1 |
| Yellows |
3 |
1 |
| Reds |
0 |
0 |
| source: SkySports |
Barnsley turned the Championship upside down on the opening day as highly fancied Fulham were floored at Oakwell.
It wasn't just the result that startled, it was the manner of it. Promotion favourites Fulham were dominated throughout by supposed relegation fodder Barnsley, whose young side refused to be daunted by all the big names in the opposition ranks.
It was one of half-a-dozen debutants in Luke Thomas who won the game for Daniel Stendel's team but it could have been any of them. On the ball, off the ball, attacking or defending, Barnsley's performance was a revelation.
Fans began the day mourning the likely departure of another important player with Kieffer Moore set to seal a £4m move to Wigan. They ended it with new heroes, not least new central defensive pair Bambo Diaby and Mads Andersen.
By contrast Fulham were ragged in possession and wasteful up front, having been harried out of their stride from early in the game.
Promotion favourites in one corner, relegation favourites in the other. In the world of the Champion ship, the fixture computer threw together polar opposites on the opening weekend.
Here we had big budget Fulham just down from the Premier League and bargain basement Barnsley, up again from League One.
In fact, Oakwell boasted the bigger success story. It's remarkable that a club of this size is competing in the Championship for the 12th time in 14 years, a testament to good housekeeping and management on and off the field.
Typically, Barnsley received far more than they paid out in summer trading - but that would not necessarily weaken them for the challenge under bright German boss Stendel.
Fulham expect to be formidable largely on the basis of players they kept, particularly the prolific Aleksandar Mitrovic.
But Barnsley bossed the first half, breezed through it in fact. After Mitrovic and Ivan Cavaleiro, making his debut, wasted early Fulham chances, Parker's side were ripped apart.
Barnsley poured forward with pace and purpose, deservedly leading at the break; their only regret that they couldn't make more of their dominance.
The goal came from one of six players making starting debuts for Stendel's side.
Thomas wriggled into a dangerous position down the right, and with Cauley Woodrow waiting for a cross, the former Derby midfielder pulled the trigger from a tight angle to beat Marcus Bettinelli at his near post.
Other chances came and went with the dangerous Mallik Wilks constantly putting Fulham on the back foot. Denis Odoi was close with a header from a Cavaleiro free-kick in a rare Fulham response.
Parker had made an early substitution with Maxime Le Marchand withdrawn after being cautioned for a poor challenge. Cyrus Christie replaced the centre back.
The second half was more even with chances wasted at both ends. The introduction of Anthony Knockaert for his debut perked up Fulham as Sami Radlinger, the Barnsley keeper, was called on for the first time.
But the home team more than deserved to see out this surprise and stirring victory. And astonishingly they have yet to lose at home under Stendel - in 28 matches in all competitions.
Parker admitted: 'Overall it was very disappointing. I don't think a rude awakening because I think we understood this League.
'But the first half was pretty slow and we lacked intensity at times.' After Thomas's angled first half winner, a 'very proud' Stendel admitted even he was 'a bit surprised' that such a changed side 'can play so good' against what he called 'the biggest team in the league.'
The German added: 'We played with conviction.' On this evidence, Barnsley will ride the loss of striker Kieffer Moore, poised to join Wigan for £4m.
Barnsley: Sahin-Radlinger, Sibbick, Diaby, Andersen, Cavare, McGeehan, Mowatt, Thomas (Chaplin 86), Bähre, Wilks (Thiam 90), Woodrow (Miller 90)
Unused substitutes: Collins, Ben Williams, Halme, Styles
Goals:
Thomas 13 (left footed shot from the right side of the six yard box to the bottom right corner.)
Booked: Mowatt (44,f), Diaby (54,f), Wilks (90+4,tw)
Fulham: Bettinelli, Odoi, Mawson, Le Marchand (Christie 33), Bryan, McDonald, Johansen (Knockaert 65), Cairney, Kamara, Mitrovic, Cavaleiro (Ayite 74)
Unused substitutes: Rodak, Kebano, De La Torre, Rui Fonte
Booked: Le Marchand (32,f),
Referee:
Andy Davies (Hampshire)
Attendance: 23,938