Jon Stead believes City will bounce back stronger after their horror
campaign.
Stead scored in the 51st
minute to seal the win and the club's Championship status for next term.
Central defender Jim McNulty up-ended City full back Ryan McGivern and
Stead celebrated his Player of the Season award - on the back of only sixteen
starts - by converting the penalty for his sixth goal of the campaign.
Former Sunderland striker Stead, 29, reckons the club have a backbone of
good characters and expects his team mates to learn from the experience of
fighting relegation for most of the season. He said:
"When you're having the sort of season we've had, you look around and ask
who you'd have in the trenches with you and there are a lot of lads here who are
hungry to play and even hungry to play in difficult situations. It's a good
dressing room and I'm proud to be part of it.
You hope that you don't have to go into these sort of games too often in
your career, but it does people the world of good if you learn to produce under
pressure, it's going to put you I good stead in the future. I've seen it a few
times in my career and you've got to keep confidence in what you're
doing."
Local lad Cole Skuse, 26, put the Robins ahead in the eleventh minute with
his second goal in two games after playing a one-two with striker Chris Wood and slotting home from about twelve yards. The midfielder suffered a knock and was subbed just before the break, but said afterwards:
"I started to think I'd never score this season, but they couldn't have
come a a better time. I'm really pleased for everyone at the club."
Stead should have grabbed another just before the hour mark when he met
winger Albert Adomah's low cross from the right, but keeper David Button did
superbly to tip the striker's eight yard, point blank shot onto the
bar.
And Button shut out City again with eight minutes left when he beat away a
shot from a tight angle from substitute Neil Kilkenny.
Barnsley didn't look like a team that have only won one in fourteen games
as they dominated the first half and Skuse's opener came against the run of
play.
Midfielders Nathan Doyle and Kallum Higginbotham both came close with long
range efforts in the first ten minutes and skipper Stephen Foster nodded
narrowly wide from eight yards in the 26th minute.
Adomah had a chance two minutes earlier, but his low 20 yard strike was
comfortably stopped by Button.
City manager Derek McInnes was relieved he had steered the club clear of
relegation with one game remaining despite seeing a nervy first half performance
and said:
"The players deserve huge credit for going on a seven-match unbeaten run
when it mattered most. Staying up means so much to so many people.
But the hard work is only just beginning. I know how big this club can be
and I want the next celebration here to be one brought about by
promotion."
Tykes boss Keith Hill is now focusing on rebuilding his squad in the
summer and said:
"To retain our Championship status, even though we were favourites to go
down a the start of the season is enormous, but we've got to build and make sure
we recruit the right players. I'm enjoying it. I'm the right man for the
job."
... and yesterday's effort
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