Barnsley in dreamland as Chelsea crash out
By Alex Morfey
Sport.Telegraph, 9th March 2008
As if beating Liverpool at Anfield in the fifth round three weeks ago was
not enough, the Coca-Cola Championship side managed to go one better, with
Odejayi the man of the hour.
The Nigerian striker, a £200,000 buy from Cheltenham in May, had not
found the net for 28 appearances, but he undoubtedly scored the most important
goal of his career to send Barnsley into the semi-finals at Wembley.
Make no mistake, this was no fluke because although manager Avram Grant made
six changes to his team from the one that romped over Olympiacos in the
Champions League in midweek, there was still a star-studded line-up on view.
Barnsley boss Simon Davey had described that win as "men against boys," and
departed Stamford Bridge feeling quite "unnerved" at how the Blues had
dismantled the Greeks.
Needless to say, though, he was expecting far more from his Tykes, and that
is what he duly received as Yorkshire grit took on the might of the millionaires
from the Kings Road.
There was no Frank Lampard, Didier Drogba, Claude Makelele, Paulo Ferreira or
Ashley Cole, who were all rested.
Even without Lampard, there was a distinctly English slant towards the Chelsea
side as captain John Terry was joined by Wayne Bridge, Joe Cole and Shaun
Wright-Phillips.
As if to prove no fear would be shown, Barnsley took the game to their
opponents, carving out the opening chance inside three minutes. The livewire
Jamal Campbell-Ryce's through ball found Brian Howard inside the area, the
Tykes captain who had scored the late winner at Anfield.
Although Howard's stabbed shot was blocked by Michael Essien, it at least
underlined Barnsley's intent that they would not be as easy a pushover as
Olympiacos.
Half-chances followed for Chelsea, interspersed by a number of counter-attacks
from the home side, who used Campbell-Ryce's pace along with the height and
power of strikers Istvan Ferenczi and Odejayi.
In the 15th minute, Joe Cole drilled an effort goalwards, and despite a
slight deflection that carried the shot inches wide, there was no corner.
Underlining Barnsley's commitment, Rob Kozluk threw his body in front of a
Cole drive that followed three minutes later, and that was it in terms of
first-half chances for Chelsea.
Instead, it was the Tykes who should have headed into the break with the
lead, initially in the 21st minute when Carlo Cudicini was caught napping
on the edge of the six-yard box. The Italian goalkeeper made a hash of
attempting to trap a backpass, allowing Odejayi to thunder in, but his
nudge was wide.
Then, eight minutes from the interval, Ferenczi should have found the target
after latching onto Bobby Hassell's free-kick from deep.
But after flicking the ball up with his right foot, he fired wide from 12
yards, with the Hungarian then sinking to his knees and with his head in
his hands as he appreciated he should have done better.
Within a minute, Barnsley were on the attack again as Howard played in
Odejayi, and although forced wide, he still fired in a powerful shot that
forced Cudicini into his first save via his legs.
Perhaps inevitably, Chelsea then dominated the opening 20 minutes of the
second period as Barnsley were penned back inside their own half, resorting
on occasion to desperate, but effective defending.
From their sporadic opportunities, Cole had a further shot blocked by
Dennis Souza, while on-loan goalkeeper Luke Steele made an easy save from
a low Nicolas Anelka drive.
Cole and Terry then combined to set up the Frenchman in the 57th minute, but
again the determined home side thrust bodies in the way when it mattered most.
After weathering the storm, Barnsley then conjured a goal to lift the proverbial
roof off Oakwell, one which is likely to result in further inquests from
Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich following those held in the wake of the Carling
Cup final defeat to Tottenham.
Ferenczi initially fed Martin Devaney on the right, and after a run from
Marciano van Homoet pulled away Bridge, the right winger delivered a piercing
cross to the heart of the area.
At 6ft 2ins, Odejayi managed to rise in front of the outstretched hands of
Cudicini and nod home only his second goal for the club this season into an
empty net.
Chelsea poured forward for the remainder of the game, but despite the
pressure, not once was Steele was forced into a save as a wall of 10 red
shirts protected him.
When the final whistle sounded, and despite warnings over the tannoy not to
do so, a pitch invasion ensued - one you could not begrudge the delirious
Barnsley faithful.
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