Barnsley FC 'reset' impresses Michael Duff as Reds pull off statement win over Sheffield Wednesday

There were three distinct phases of Tuesday's South Yorkshire derby in League One, with the Reds flying out of the blocks and racing into a 2-0 lead through Devante Cole and James Norwood.

But when the Owls finally cleared their heads they roared back with two goals from Lee Gregory which set them up as the most likely winners.

Rather than panic, a side who were unbeaten in 11 matches before kick-off, got back to the way they started the game and won it 4-2 with goals from Max Watters and Liam Kitching.

"I thought it was a good game," said Barnsley manager Duff. "Not a brilliant game in terms of the quality on show but a proper local derby, both teams going absolutely hammer and tong and we came out the right side of it so it was a really pleasing night.

"We did every part of the game well against a really tough team.

"They tried to play through us for the first part of it and we got two goals from two good presses.

"If there is a downside to going 2-0 up so early, the lads go into self-preservation mode straight away.

"They stop trying to play through us and just kept putting it in our box, which is tough because they've got some good players and some big lads. We just wanted to get them in at half-time because I thought the first goal was a poor goal to give away.

"We just wanted to show them they weren't going to be able to defend their way through the next 50 minutes or whatever it was.

"We didn't quite get what we wanted, we flipped formation and they kept putting it in the box and it was difficult to deal with.

"But the one thing we did believe and we talked about it a lot before the game was the last 20 minutes we'd get chances, just because of the age of our team and the energy we've got, the youthfulness of it.

"We actually went back to what we'd be doing and it would have been handy if we'd done that for the 50 minutes inbetween but it's a natural thought process."

Duff was delighted with the way his side responded to the equaliser, passing the ball well and playing with composure.

"It was almost like you saw a reset because all of a sudden the thing they were protecting wasn't there any more," he commented.

"The players aren't stupid, they know it's a big game, a big moment, and it's a natural human instinct to protect what you've got. They've gone 2-0 up in 12 minutes and then we went on the back foot.

"That was a moment of reset and the third goal was a good goal. We started passing the ball again.

"It is hard when the ball comes into your box to have that clarity. You get jittery.

"That ws a pleasing part, the character of the team to survive that absolute onslaught right in front of their 5,000 supporters and reverse the momentum again and score a good goal."

It was the first time Sheffield Wednesday had lost in 23 League One matches, and comes on the back of victories over Derby County and Plymouth Argyle, who regained top spot as a result of the win,but are only eight points ahead of Barnsley from two games more.

"I think it is a statement win," said Duff. "The rest of the league are going to raise their eyebrows because we scored four against a team that had conceded nine away from home all season.

"That's 14 goals in four games at home. Probably the rest of the league will talk more than we will. We know what we are and what we need to do."