Sheron strike slows Wolves chase

A first-half goal by Barnsley's Mike Sheron at Oakwell last night dashed Wolverhampton Wanderers's hopes of moving joint level on points at the summit of the First Division.

The match was not only a test of Wolves' resolve to stay on the coat tails of Manchester City at the top of the table but of Barnsley's renaissance since Steve Parkin took over as manager. His first game, a 4-1 hammering at the hands of last night's opponents at Molineux in November, was inauspicious but his side are now unbeaten in their 10 league games since.

Wolves showed early intent with Michael Branch utilising his pace down the right flank, and the twin strikers, Nathan Blake and Dean Sturridge quick off the mark if not quite clinical with their finishing. But the first nailed-on chance fell to the home side after 15 minutes.

Gary Jones received the ball 25 yards out from a corner and slammed a half volley through the narrow clearing between himself and goal. The ball rattled the underside of the bar with considerable power but when it fell to the ground it bounced away to safety.

With the visitors seemingly content to soak up pressure and go forward on the break chances were few and far between. The one clear opportunity in the first half came their way with the result of a free kick which was moved forward after dissent by Darren Barnard. Mark Kennedy whipped in the dead ball but it flew narrowly past the left post. Blake and Sturridge combined a few minutes later to set up the latter but he was guilty of a woeful miss when one on one with Kevin Miller in the home goal.

Barnsley broke the deadlock with a move straight from the Route One manual. Miller belted the ball upfield, Mike Sheron chested it down into the box and, in doing so, turned the defender, and rifled it into the corner of the net.

Wolves could have levelled things within the first couple of minutes of the second half but for missed opportunities by Sturridge. The first saw him lamely tap the ball into Miller's hands from close range and the second saw him poke wide after winning possession from a goalmouth scramble.

From then on it was the visitors who dominated although the fruitless and repetitive nature of their attack will have brought no smiles to the face of their manager, Dave Jones. Mohamed Camara was increasingly involved running down the left and lofting crosses into the centre. But, inevitably, each cross was followed by a hooked clearance, a dash up the park, another change of possession and another Wolves counter.

If Barnsley's defending was sometimes not pretty it was certainly effective. Indeed their system almost led to a second goal, for Jones, on 70 minutes but his volley from 35 yards screamed high into the stands.

Barnsley (4-4-2): Miller; Mulligan, Morgan, Chettle, Barker; Donovan, Lumsdon, Jones, Barnard; Dyer, Sheron. Substitutes not used: Marriott, Neil, Ward, Crooks, Bertos.

Wolverhampton Wanderers (4-4-2): Oakes; Muscat, Butler, Robinson (Andrews, 87) , Lescott; Branch (Miller, 64), Camara, Rae, Kennedy; Sturridge, Blake. Substitutes not used: Naylor, Ndah, Murray.

Referee: G B Frankland (Teesside).