Barnsley’s Head Coach, Neill Collins, offered a frank assessment in an interview with iFollow Barnsley following the team’s 2-1 loss to Exeter City at Oakwell. The defeat was a result of early goals from Jack Aitchison and Reece Cole of Exeter, creating a challenging situation for the Reds in the second half.
Despite Maël de Gevigney’s late goal for Barnsley, it was not sufficient to turn the tide in their favour. Collins did not hold back in his evaluation of the match, deeming it “extremely disappointing.”
He highlighted the lacklustre performance of the team in the first half, using descriptors such as “horrific” and “poor” to illustrate the team’s struggles. According to Collins, only Maël de Gevigney stood out in the first half, seemingly holding the team together single-handedly.
When reflecting on the team’s previous match against Carlisle, Collins acknowledged individual errors that contributed to their defeat. However, he also admitted that the team’s overall performance was lacklustre. Regarding the match against Exeter, Collins conceded that the opposition had surpassed them in every aspect until the second half.
The loss to Exeter has undeniably left Barnsley disheartened, prompting a need for introspection and refinement of their gameplay. Moving forward, the team will need to exert greater effort to address their shortcomings and strive for improved results in the future.