Connell and Cleary Fire Tykes to Stunning Comeback Victory Over Posh

Barnsley 2-1 Peterborough United
League One - Tuesday 17th February

The final whistle brought relief and three points we desperately needed. Barnsley came from behind to beat Peterborough 2-1 at Oakwell, with Reyes Cleary's second-half winner capping off a gutsy performance that showed exactly the kind of character we've been crying out for. After going behind early, the Reds dug deep and found a way back, proving that reports of our demise might have been greatly exaggerated.

Goodman's Gloves Keep Us in It

The opening exchanges suggested this might be one of those nights where everything clicks into place, with McGoldrick getting his head to a cross inside twelve minutes but somehow directing it straight at fresh air rather than the back of the net. You could sense the collective groan around Oakwell – we all know how important it is to take your chances when they come.

Peterborough had other ideas though, and when Declan Frith cut inside in the 21st minute and unleashed one from the edge of the area, Goodman could only parry it straight back into the part of the box universally recognised as “absolutely not there.” Lisbie, sensing opportunity like a striker who’s seen this film before, arrived to tuck home from close range. Not a full-blown howler — more the kind of rebound that screams “second phase?” while our defenders collectively pause to admire the original shot.

Connell Curls Home a Beauty

Credit where it's due though – we didn't crumble. The response came thirteen minutes later when our captain Luca Connell decided to remind everyone why he's got the armband. Cutting inside with the kind of composure that suggested he had all the time in the world, he curled an absolute peach past Bass and into the top corner.

The strike had everything you want from a midfielder's goal – technique, timing, and enough bend on it to make a pretzel jealous. Suddenly Oakwell found its voice again, and you could feel the momentum shifting back towards the home dugout (naturally).

Cleary's Clinical Moment

Whatever Hourihane said at half-time clearly worked, because we came out looking like a team with a point to prove. The breakthrough arrived eight minutes after the restart, and it was our young winger Cleary who provided the decisive moment. O'Keeffe whipped in a cross from the right that seemed to hang in the air forever before finding Cleary at the back post, and the lad made no mistake with his finish.

It's becoming a familiar sight this season – Cleary popping up in the right place at the right time, adding to what's already looking like an impressive tally for someone still finding his feet in League One. The celebration was pure joy, the kind that reminds you why we put ourselves through this every week.

Seeing It Through

The final half-hour became an exercise in game management, with Phillips picking up a booking for breaking up play and Connell joining him in the referee's notebook later on. Peterborough threw everything forward in search of an equaliser, but our defence held firm when it mattered most.

The statistics tell an interesting story – we were outshot 17 to 11 and had less possession, but sometimes football comes down to taking your moments when they arrive. Goodman made six saves to Bass's solitary stop, suggesting this was far from the comfortable evening the scoreline might suggest.

Here's the thing though – wins like this are exactly what we need right now. Not pretty, not dominant, but effective when the chips were down. We've beaten Peterborough three times this season now, which suggests we've got their number, even if they made us work for it on Tuesday night.

The crowd went home happy, the players trudged off with three precious points, and suddenly the league table looks a bit more forgiving. Same drama, different season perhaps, but nights like these remind you why Oakwell remains one of the better places to spend a Tuesday evening – especially when we remember how to win football matches.

Team Line-ups:

Barnsley (4 - 2 - 3 - 1):
O. Goodman, G. Gent, J. Shepherd, E. O'Connell, C. O'Keeffe, A. Phillips, L. Connell, R. Cleary, P. Kelly, S. Banks, D. McGoldrick
Subs: J. Bland, T. Bradshaw, M. de Gevigney, K. Flavell, C. Lennon, M. Roberts, T. Watson
Goals: L. Connell (34'), R. Cleary (53')
Yellow Cards: A. Phillips (59'), L. Connell (83')

Peterborough United (4 - 2 - 3 - 1):
A. Bass, C. Johnston, D. Okagbue, P. Kioso, J. Dornelly, B. Khela, A. Collins, Kyrell Jeremiah Lisbie, J. Morgan, D. Frith, H. Leonard
Subs: P. Aderoju, C. Hayes, Lucca Mendonça, G. Nevett, D. O'Brien-Brady, B. Smith, P. Sykut
Goals: Kyrell Jeremiah Lisbie (21')
Yellow Cards: C. Johnston (74')

Match Stats:

Statistic	Barnsley	Peterborough United
Possession	46.8%	53.2%
Shots	11	17
Shots on target	3	7
Goalkeeper saves	6	1
Aerial duels won	12	6
Fouls committed	14	6
Corners	3	5

Final Whistle

Looking at the bigger picture, this was exactly the kind of result that can kickstart a proper run if we're smart about it. Three wins from three against Peterborough this season suggests we've figured something out about how to handle their approach, even when they're asking serious questions of our defence. The fact we managed it after going behind early shows there's genuine steel in this squad when the pressure's on - something that hasn't always been evident in recent weeks.

What's encouraging is how we adjusted after that early setback. Too many times this season we've let our heads drop when things go against us, but Tuesday night felt different. Connell's leadership from midfield was exactly what you want from your captain, both in terms of his stunning equaliser and the way he kept driving the team forward. Cleary's winner was the cherry on top, but it was built on foundations of proper graft and organisation that bodes well for the battles ahead.

The performance might not win any beauty contests, but sometimes you need to grind out results when the football isn't flowing. Six points clear of trouble with games in hand suddenly looks a lot more comfortable than it did a week ago, and if we can build on this kind of resilience, we might just surprise a few people before the season's done. Same old Barnsley in many ways - doing things the hard way but getting there in the end.