SEASON REVIEW: MARCH 2008
March 2008
MARCH 2008 kicked off with a massive local derby at Oakwell as Sheffield Wednesday came to town.
Again the weather was the only real winner on the day as both sides struggled to play and neither could find a decisive goal. Rob Kozluk provided the only real talking point of the 90 minutes when his late challenge in stoppage time earned the ex-Blade a second yellow card and an early walk to the dressing room.
Barnsley picked things up on March 4 when they made the trip to Blackpool for a rematch with the Seasiders. Jamal Campbell-Ryce grabbed an equaliser for the Reds on the stroke of half time after Gary Taylor Fletcher had put Pool into an early lead. The game finished level.
The world's media again turned its attention to Oakwell on Saturday March 8 when the millionaires of Chelsea came to town in the Sixth Round of the FA Cup. Although the Blues were missing Didier Drogba and Frank Lampard, they still turned out a very, very strong team packed with multi-million pound players and international superstars.
Barnsley responded with the performance of a decade and took the game to Chelsea from the off. There were a few hairy moments along the way but when Kayode Odejayi rose to nod in a memorable goal on 66 minutes, Oakwell was in raptures and history was made. Simon Davey's side hung on magnificently to record a very famous victory and book a place in the FA Cup Semi Final against Cardiff City at Wembley in early April.
The Reds could have been excused for a slip up the following Tuesday when Ipswich Town arrived at Oakwell and things looked bleak when Pablo Counago netted early on.Brian Howard dragged the Reds back into the game before the Reds skipper turned in a memorable second half with another goal and two assists as Jon Macken and a David Wright own goal capped another great night.
The wheels started to come off the Reds league form in mid-March as they crashed away at Crystal Palace before slipping to a home defeat at the hands of Sheffield United. They faired little better at Burnley on April 29 as a waterlogged Turf Moor got the better of the Reds and the Clarets rode out 201 winners.
Again the FA Cup proved to be a massive distraction as three straight defeats at the end of March plunged the Reds into a relegation scrap. They ended March just a point out of the bottom three in 20th place.
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