Bookings: Leadbitter (21, foul); Pinnock (63, foul)

Referee: Peter Bankes (Merseyside) – did well to keep a pretty frantic game flowing in the main. 7

Attendance: 18,282

Entertainment: 3/5

BARNSLEY (4-4-2): Davies 6; Cavare 7, Lindsay 7, Pinnock 6, Pinillos 6; Green 6 (J Williams 68, 5), Mowatt 6, Dougall 5, THIAM 7; Woodrow 6, Bahre 5 (Adeboyejo 80). Subs (not used): Walton (gk), Hedges, Jackson, Styles, B Williams.

SUNDERLAND (4-2-3-1):

7 McLaughlin: Had to be alert a number of times to keep Barnsley at bay;

5 O’Nien: Given a tough night by Thiam from the moment the game kicked off

6 Dunne: Not as effective as he has been without Flanagan by his side

7 Baldwin: Made a couple of vital blocks to give Sunderland hope

5 Matthews: Struggled to deal with the pace of Green down his flank in the main

6 Leadbitter: Sent over a number of decent deliveries and that was when Sunderland looked more dangerous

6 Cattermole: Always looked to get involved without having the impact he would have liked;

5 Gooch: Improved after the restart with a couple runs at his marker without creating too much

6 Power: Went closest to scoring with a chance in each half, and the second should have been a goal

5 McGeady: Not as exciting or influential as he needed to be in an attacking sense

6 Grigg: Unable to test the Barnsley goalkeeper but did hold the ball up confidently

Subs

Morgan (for Gooch 75)

Sterling (for Power 90)

(not used): Ruiter (gk), McGeouch, Ozturk, Wyke, Hume.

MAN OF THE MATCH: Jack Baldwin – was the defender who really stood tall and also almost created a winner.