‘The bloke is a lion’: Barnsley FC boss Darrell Clarks hails Marc Roberts once again as play-off chasing Reds secure another precious League One away win
Clarke’s side prevailed thanks to two strikes from top-scorer Davis Keillor-Dunn, but had to survive a nervy last quarter.
A mistake from Corey O’Keeffe enabled Sam Hoskins’ to pull one back and the visitors had to play with ten men for more than 10 minutes of time after Mael de Gevigney’s late red card for a foul on Tariq Fosu.
But the Reds held out to make it back-to-back away wins after the weekend derby triumph at Rotherham to move within four points off the play-offs.
Clarke said: “Fair play to the boys. It’s tough when you have a Saturday away and a Tuesday night away again. Six points, I am delighted with that.
“I thought Marc Roberts was outstanding. In the last two games, Robbo has been absolutely outstanding and he headed everything in between the sides. The bloke is a lion and we needed him and he came up trumps. The rest followed suit, defending the box.”
On the game overall, he added: “It was a bit of ‘us’ if I am honest with you. But fair play to the boys, for digging in with 10 men.
“We looked in control of the game without getting loads going. We never looked in danger of conceding but then gave a really silly goal away and then it’s backs to the wall and Mael (de Gevigney) gets sent off.
“It took a few years off my life, for sure. But it’s testament to the boys. We have talked about it a lot this season that when we have had those moments when we have had to dig in, we’ve had to put our bodies on the line and defend and none more so than this last 15 minutes. Credit to the players for that.
“Players make mistakes. Corey has done great this season, but the lads have got him out of it there by defending superbly. On whether he club will appeal against De Gevigney’s red, he said: “I don’t think he needed to, but we will have a look at it and see. Obviously with the injuries and suspensions we have got, it is not a good thing.”
