Kenya’s Clarke Oduor was an unused substitute when Barnsley picked up a 2-1 Championship win over Birmingham City on Tuesday.
Cauley Woodrow, who would have ensured Oduor’s side emerged with a bigger scoreline as he wasted a number of chances, scored the equaliser through a penalty. Callum Styles grabbed the winning goal to punish Birmingham at home who scored a goal via Scott Hogan.
Hogan’s 56th-minute goal would have given Birmingham a first win in six games that would have ended a run of 326 minutes without a goal in open play.
Woodrow, who will be celebrating his 26th birthday on Wednesday, equalised for Barnsley in the 71st minute after he had missed two clear chances in the first half.
In the 84th minute, Styles scored the second for Barnsley who had lost the previous two Championship engagements.
Oduor’s coach Valerien Ismael explained the reasons that made him happy apart from the win away from home.
“I am very happy with the start – it gives you a good feeling and improves our standing in the Championship,” Ismael said according to Sky Sports.
“This win will give us more confidence. We told the players before the game they had two tasks: To sustain their performance – and I was delighted with that – and show more mentality and the desire to get the points.
“It was very important to have a game-changer after going one goal down.”
On his part, Birmingham’s Aitor Karanka claimed their opponents were more aggressive and thus deserved the win.
“They were more aggressive than us and again it is something we have to analyse,” Karanka said.
“They had more energy than us and it is something we have to correct. Sometimes if you argue with a teammate it is nothing personal and something we have to learn.
“They are very good (well behaved) but we have to demand much more from each other. They are too nice.
“It was a frustrating performance, a frustrating game. We couldn’t pass the ball three or four times in a row in the first half and it was difficult.
“We started the second half much better and the only time we put two or three passes together we scored. I don’t understand why we are not doing it more often.”
Barnsley will face Bournemouth on December 4.
