BARNSLEY 0
SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY 0

BARNSLEY blew their lines as another chance to beat Sheffield Wednesday went begging after a tense and tight local derby lacking in any real quality from either side.

Reds boss Simon Davey made three changes following the stalemate against QPR with Daniel Nardiello, Diego Leon and Rob Kozluk all returning to the starting eleven. Dennis Souza, Martin Devaney and Istvan Ferenczi were missing from the side that drew with Rangers on Tuesday night.

The Reds were on the front foot from the first whistle and Brian Howard almost opened the scoring inside two minutes as he let fly from Stephen Foster's flick but his effort was well charged down in the area. Jon Macken then turned provider on five minutes as he found Jamal Campbell-Ryce in the area but the Jamaican could not get his volley on target under pressure.

Wade Small looked to ease the growing pressure on Wednesday a minute later as he darted into the area and looked to have the beating of Marciano Van Homoet but opted to throw himself to the ground in a bid to win a penalty. The referee gave nothing.

Adam Bolder was then lucky to escape a yellow card on ten minutes as he hacked down Leon after being beaten all ends up by the Spaniard. Kozluk fired in a great free kick that Macken managed to take down and let fly from 20 yards but the striker's effort flew a foot wide of the post with Lee Grant nowhere

The pressure was growing on Wednesday as the Reds camped in the Owls half and the visitors had to hang on for dear life. Macken and Nardiello saw half chances go begging as Wednesday's error strewn defence struggled to hold on under an early first half onslaught.

Leon then easily beat his marker on 17 minutes to cut into a shooting position and had Grant scrambling but his shot flew a yard or so wide.

The nearest Wednesday got to a decent effort on target came on 18 minutes when Graham Kavanagh's free kick took a wicked deflection but Luke Steele was agile enough to turn the ball over the bar. Marcus Tudgay then lashed one well wide of the target a minute later as he pounced on a loose ball on the edge of the box.

Barnsley stepped up the pace again and Van Homoet lashed a shot well over on 22 minutes before Small was rightly cautioned seconds later after another ridiculous dive under the lightest of pressure on the edge of the area. Bobby Hassell quickly followed Small into the book on 25 minutes for a heavy tackle on Tudgay on the half way line.

Barnsley got in again seconds later as Nardiello beat Richard Wood to the ball in the area but could not get it under control with only Grant to beat.

Wednesday forced the Reds back with a succession of corners but the wind played havoc with Kavanagh's delivery although Wood managed to get his head to a centre on 34 minutes but his effort flew well over Steele's crossbar.

Another Hassell long throw almost caught out Wednesday again on 39 minutes as the Owls defence stood and watch Macken volley over his shoulder but the ball flew high over the bar. It was another half chance that went begging.

At the other end Enoch Showunmi flashed a shot across goal on 40 minutes but Lewin Nyatanga was in the right place to touch the ball clear with Tudgay lurking.

Sheffield Wednesday had the best chance of the half on 43 minutes as Kavanagh's free kick bounced off Steele and left Wood as simple tap in from four yards but the defender somehow managed to head over the bar.

Richard Hinds then flashed a shot just wide in stoppage time as the Owls finished the half strongly.

The Reds had their own clear sight of goal late on in the half as Leon turned his way into the area before bringing a fine save from Grant.

Barnsley started the second half strongly with Leon testing Grant with a low shot on 47 minutes before Adam Bolder rightly picked up a caution on the hour mark as his over the top dive conned no one especially referee Steve Tanner who only brandished a yellow card.

Sheffield Wednesday finally played some football on 64 minutes as Tudgay did wonderfully well to split open the Reds defence and give Burton O'Brien a chance but the midfielder could only shoot straight at Steele from 18 yards. Showunmi then found a yard on 69 minutes to get a shot away but his effort was again easy for Steele.

Steele then showed great reactions seconds later to race out and smother Tudgay's pass before Ben Sahar could pounce in the area. Steele again denied Sahar on 73 minutes after the youngster had let fly from 30 yards but his shot was comfortable for the West Brom loanee.

Barnsley finally got their act together in a disjointed second half on 80 minutes when Foster brought a fine reaction save from Grant with a point blank header from Campbell-Ryce's cross.

Steele was lucky on 89 minutes as he twice struggled to deal with balls into the area but neither Sahar nor Deon Burton could pounce.

There was still time for Kozluk to pick up his second yellow card in stoppage time for a wild lunge on O'Brien that will cost him in place in the side against Blackpool on Tuesday night. Wednesday went close to a winner seconds later as Hinds drove a foot or so wide with Steele scrambling across his goal frantically.

BARNSLEY: Steele, Van Homoet, Foster, Nyatanga, Kozluk, Campbell-Ryce (Coulson 83), Hassell, Howard, Leon (Devaney 77), Nardiello (Odejayi 61), Macken.
Subs: Togwell, Ferenczi.

SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY: Grant, Gilbert (Spurr 72), Hinds, Kavanagh, Tudgay, O'Brien, Wood, Beevers, Small (Sahar 53), Bolder, Showunmi (Burton 77).
Subs: Wallwork, Burch.