Barnsley 1-0 Bolton Wanderers (Agg 2-1): Tykes to face Yorkshire rivals Sheffield Wednesday in final

Barnsley edged a decent League One play-off semi-final second leg towards Bolton to arrange an all-South Yorkshire ultimate towards Sheffield Wednesday at Wembley.

Bolton loved the lion’s share of possession however struggled to place the house purpose below any actual strain.

The Tykes will now face their native rivals on Monday, 29 Might as they give the impression of being to safe an instantaneous return to the Championship.

In contrast to Thursday’s wild second leg at Hillsborough, that noticed Wednesday produce a stunning comeback to ultimately beat Peterborough 5-3 on penalties, this was a recreation excessive in depth however low on critical probabilities.

Bolton’s greatest alternative to stage got here when Aaron Morley crashed a fierce strike over the bar after an oblique free-kick was rolled to him inside the realm.

Ian Evatt’s males – who lifted the Papa Johns Trophy final month – will now face a 3rd successive season within the third tier, with the ultimate to be performed between the perimeters that completed third and fourth within the desk.

From disarray to please

It has been an epic season for the Tykes, who suffered an embarrassing relegation from the Championship final season.

Only one yr after taking part in within the second tier play-offs the Reds completed backside of the desk with 30 factors, 4 factors adrift of a Derby facet who had been deducted 21 factors.

Michael Duff was appointed in June after a profitable stint with Cheltenham and he instantly set about turning the membership’s fortunes round.

They spent 205 days within the prime six, the fifth most within the division, and went on a run of 9 successive dwelling wins to briefly put themselves in automated promotion rivalry.

Defeat by Ipswich on the finish of April extinguished that and so they ended the season with only one level from their ultimate three video games as boss Duff turned his focus to the post-season.

He has been justly rewarded with two extremely environment friendly shows from his well-organised and punchy crew.

Followers ended the sport chanting “Sheffield Wednesday, we’re coming for you” – with Owls boss Darren Moore watching within the stands – and the native rivals will now battle it out for promotion, precisely one week shy of a yr since among the Barnsley squad got here again in for pre-season.

Wanderers come up quick

As in Saturday’s first leg in Lancashire, Bolton dominated possession.

Nonetheless, they struggled to place the house facet below any sustained strain and the Reds may have received extra comfortably, as Adam Phillips’ effectively hit volley clipped the bar and Jordan Williams smashed a shot large within the final seconds.

Barnsley boss Duff had stated within the week that the sport would come right down to “massive moments” and so it proved.

The away facet simply handled Connell’s preliminary free-kick into the center however didn’t get any strain on the ball, and it was recycled again to the previous Wanderers man in acres of area on the left – he despatched a wonderful ball to the again put up for Kitching to crash dwelling.

Kitching and the remainder of the Barnsley defence had been then splendidly well-organised to see the consequence over the road in stunning consolation.

Evatt can be disenchanted at how his facet, who had received 3-0 at Oakwell within the league in January, didn’t match their opponents’ depth and make away goalkeeper Harry Isted work.

Star Liverpool loanee Conor Bradley, who was effectively shackled in each legs, will now return to his guardian membership and the Trotters will look to rebuild over the summer time to have one other go at promotion subsequent season.

Barnsley boss Michael Duff instructed BBC Radio Sheffield:

“We had been glorious. We confirmed all the pieces that we’re: younger, energetic, on the entrance foot, with a good condition and actually organised. Once we noticed a destructive go, we went after it collectively.

“We scored an excellent purpose. We knew we must endure however we restricted them to not rather a lot. I could not be extra proud. The noise, the environment and the grins on folks’s faces is 10-and-a-half months of laborious work – not simply on my own and the gamers, however off the pitch as effectively.

“There isn’t any time out at Wembley. We’re in it to win it. Sheffield Wednesday can be favourites however we are able to damage them.”

Bolton supervisor Ian Evatt instructed BBC Radio Manchester:

“The most important disappointment for me was the result. We managed the sport tonight. We began the higher crew. We had the ball, we quietened their crowd and the purpose got here out of the blue.

“It is positively not a foul [for the goal], then the second section of the set-play we concede from and that rocked us a bit.

“It took us some time to seek out our stride once more and that got here within the second half. We had management, we had been dominating the ball however we lacked a innovative.

“That is the story of the season. In the event you take a look at our defensive document, it is up there with Ipswich. That ought to have seen us within the prime two however we have not scored sufficient targets.”