“So much against us”: Stendel’s Barnsley slip to a fourth league game without a win
Sunday 11 October 2026 · By Ian Rawcliffe
Daniel Stendel summed up Barnsley’s afternoon at Stockport County in four words. “So much against us,” he told BBC Sounds after a 3–1 defeat at Edgeley Park on Saturday extended the Tykes’ winless league run to four games.
The match started brightly for Barnsley. Patrick Kelly gave them the lead on 13 minutes, and for much of the first half the visitors looked capable of holding on to it. Rogan Ravenhill started in goal for Barnsley, according to PA.
The second half was a different story. Stockport’s Kyle Wootton headed the equaliser on 61 minutes and then headed a second on 73 minutes. Mikael Mandron added a third in the 90th minute to seal the result in front of 9,790 supporters.
The defeat leaves Barnsley 19th on eight points from eight games. They have won two, drawn two and lost four, and a goal difference of minus seven shows the problems they have had at the back.
It has been a frustrating spell for Stendel’s side. Since back-to-back wins earlier in the season, Barnsley have lost three and drawn one of their last four league games. One of those, a 1–1 draw with Leicester City on 19 September, was played with ten men after Luca Connell was sent off in the first half, as reported by Sky Sports and Leicester’s official site.
The table remains tight, though. Barnsley are level on points with Blackpool, Peterborough United and Bromley, and only one point behind Leicester and Doncaster Rovers. A couple of wins would quickly change the picture.
They also have a game in hand on several clubs. Barnsley’s home game against MK Dons on 3 October was postponed, and no new date has been set yet.
Stendel has spoken about changing Barnsley’s system in recent weeks, according to the Yorkshire Post, and how quickly his players adapt will be important.
The next run of fixtures will test them. Barnsley host Cambridge United on Saturday (15:00), against a promoted side who have lost only once in the league this season. They then travel to Luton Town on Tuesday 20 October (19:45) and to Reading on Saturday 24 October.
Stendel will look for positives in the first half at Edgeley Park. Kelly’s early goal showed Barnsley can hurt good sides, and they held the lead until just after the hour. The challenge is to maintain that level for longer.
Oxford United visit Oakwell on Saturday 31 October. It is a demanding set of games, but the early lead at Stockport showed Barnsley can trouble good sides. The challenge for Stendel is making that last for 90 minutes.
Oakwell has been home to Barnsley Football Club since 1888. For visiting supporters it is a compact, old-fashioned English ground: four stands tight to the pitch, floodlight pylons on the corners, and the away allocation in a single covered end. The official address is Grove Street, Barnsley, S71 1ET. Capacity is listed at 23,287, though parts of the historic West Stand have been closed at times for safety work.
Away fans are housed in the North Stand, also known as the Barry Murphy Stand. It is a large, covered, single-tier bowl built in 1999. Typical allocations are around 2,000 seats on the west side of that stand, expanding towards 4,500 when demand is high. Views are generally good and there are few pillars. Wheelchair bays for visitors sit on a raised platform in this stand, with accessible toilets on the away concourse. Catering is inside the same concourse.
The opposite goal is the South Stand — the Norman Rimmington Stand, still called the Pontefract Road End or Ponty End by home fans. That is the noisy home end. The East Stand, completed in 1993, is the biggest structure: two tiers, executive boxes, the Family Zone in the upper tier, and the main camera gantry. Opposite it, the West Stand is the only original part of the ground. Its upper tier is covered; the lower tier is open to the weather. Dugouts sit in front of the West Stand.
On the diagram above, north is at the top. The white goals sit immediately in front of the North Stand (away) and the South Stand (Ponty End). The pitch measures 110 by 75 yards, so the plan is drawn longer north–south than east–west. The East Stand is shown deeper than the West Stand because it is the larger, two-tier structure.
Barnsley Interchange is about a 10–15 minute walk. Leave the station away from the town centre, pass under the dual carriageway and follow the signs downhill towards Grove Street. By car, leave the M1 at junction 37 and take the A628; the ground is signed. Visiting supporters should use Queens Ground car park (S71 1AN): £5 for cars, £10 for minibuses, £20 for coaches, cash or card on the day and not usually pre-bookable. Vehicles are asked to stay put for at least ten minutes after the final whistle. On-site parking at S71 1ET is mainly for home and permit holders.
Pre-booked away tickets can be collected from main reception in the South Stand, often from 2pm. The Reds Superstore and box office are in the same building. Dedicated away turnstiles sit next to the North Stand and are clearly signed. Stewards expect ground regulations to be followed; standing in seated areas and items on the prohibited list will be dealt with promptly.
Pubs near the ground and in the town centre generally welcome away fans if you arrive early and keep colours low-key until you are in the designated end. Food inside the North Stand is standard football fare. If you have accessibility questions, contact the club box office on 01226 211183 or [email protected] before you travel. Check Barnsley FC’s official site for the latest allocation, kick-off and any West Stand restrictions on the day you visit.