Barnsley vs Wolverhampton Wanderers. Sky Bet Championship.
Oakwell StadiumAttendance16,050.
Saturday 13 January 2018 19:20, UK
Leaders Wolves had to settle for a Sky Bet Championship point as they were held to a 0-0 draw by struggling Barnsley.
Helder Costa and Diogo Jota had goals ruled out for offside in each half, whilst the latter also missed a glorious chance late on which would have seen the visitors snatch all three points.
Barnsley were able to hold on for a point though, as they continued a run of unbeaten matches which now stretches to four in the league.
Romain Saiss carved out the game's first opportunity in the opening 10 minutes, seeing a shot blocked then firing the loose ball high and wide of the target.
Much of the first half was dominated by the visitors and they could have gone into the break a goal to the good if it was not for the assistant referee's offside flag. Costa was able to take the ball down brilliantly inside the area before smashing home - only for the goal to be ruled out.
Leo Bonatini was restricted to an effort from outside the box for Wolves which he pulled wide, with Barnsley's only notable attempt in the first half was a tame shot from Adam Hammill.
As the half drew to a close, Ruben Neves tried his luck - an effort which yet again came from range for Wolves - but his dipping effort went harmlessly over Adam Davies' bar.
The opening exchanges of the second half were not much different before Wolves had a second goal disallowed just before the hour mark.
Saiss' ball to the back post found Costa, who was able to slide the ball across to Jota to tap the ball home. However, Costa was adjudged to have been in an offside position and the goal did not stand.
Minutes later, Stevie Mallan went close for Barnsley as he found space outside the box but his shot was an easy save for John Ruddy.
Wolves' best chances came in the final 20 minutes. Matt Doherty made a surging run forward but saw his shot blocked brilliantly by Andy Yiadom, before Jota rattled the bar with a thumping attempt at goal shortly after.
Before that the hosts had a good chance of their own. Ethan Pinnock's flick-on found Hammill but his volley went past the post.
The final 10 minutes saw big chances go begging for both sides. Jota first spurned a wonderful chance from a matter of yards out, firing over the bar, before George Moncur's shot went wide for the hosts as the game fizzled out into a goalless draw.
Paul Heckingbottom: "It's a good point. For a 0-0 we saw limited goalmouth action - I enjoyed it. It was high-intensity, competitive and good football. Both teams were good at defending, organisation and discipline. It's difficult. We saw when we played Wolves away how good they are defensively.
"They are the best team defensively in the league and from set plays. We still struggle to create chances against them because they are a good side. If they get in front they're a different team. Neither team did enough to win it."
Nuno: "This is football, it's a tough game. Barnsley fight, they are well organised, they have a game which is difficult to break. If there was going to be a winner it would be Wolves. We didn't concede anything to Barnsley.
"Teams are trying to adapt their shape to our idea. That was not the case of Barnsley. Paul knows what he's doing. There are a lot of teams adapting but that makes you grow."
