BARNSLEY head coach Neill Collins expressed his satisfaction at coming out on the right side of a penalty call for once on a milestone night in the 3-0 League One victory over Shrewsbury Town at Oakwell.
The Reds were awarded a spot-kick on home soil in the league for the first time in 591 days since Carlton Morris netted against Fulham in March 2022. The run had lasted 34 league games.
There was a touch of karma with Barnsley being on the receiving end of a tough penalty call at the weekend which saw Leyton Orient convert in a 1-1 draw.
Herbie Kane slotted home the penalty on 19 minutes after Carl Winchester was penalised after Barry Cotter’s ferocious shot caught his arm to put Barnsley 1-0 up.
Moments later, Barnsley added a second courtesy of Callum Styles and a classy third from Devante Cole – who had splendidly set up Styles’s strike – made the game safe 15 minutes from time as Collins’s side made light of some early-season issues at home.
Collins said: “We said that the law of averages meant it was so strange that a team who over the last seven or eight games have been at the top end of the league – which means you have a lot of attacking situations – haven’t had a penalty and have given up four.
“We got the type of penalty that we have been getting against us and Herbie stepped up and put it in the net. It was good for the fans to see that.
Gloss was provided by way of Cole’s tenth goal of the campaign to sum up a fine personal performance.
Collins, whose side welcome Fleetwood on Saturday, continued: “It was an excellent goal from Devante and just typical Devante. And then there was the selflessness to set up Callum Styles, which was great (for the second goal).
