Barnsley 0-1 Swansea: Championship play-off, first leg – as it happened

5.24pm EDT 17:24

Thanks for joining me everyone! Until we meet again.

The great man, Richard Jolly, has written a lovely match report.

Read it here:

Moment of class from André Ayew puts Swansea in driving seat against Barnsley

5.22pm EDT 17:22

As the pundits keep pointing out, Ayew did pretty much nothing else in the game apart from score. Not a bad way to play. Very much like me at five-a-side.

5.18pm EDT 17:18

Guehi says Woodman and the defence were fantastic.

He seems a nice man and praises the Barnsley fans for creating an atmosphere after so many months playing without one.

On Ayew: “He’s done that for us all season. He’s shown fantastic quality.”

5.14pm EDT 17:14

Big news from the Premier League.

Tottenham left reeling after Harry Kane tells club he wants to leave this summer

5.10pm EDT 17:10

“Not everyone following you is an American, there is one casually reading Blades fan from Finland too…,” says Petri Paimander

“And definitely supporting Swansea for promotion. Premiership always need that one Welsh touch (whether Swansea or Cardiff).”

5.09pm EDT 17:09

Some incredible stuff from Woodman to keep Swansea ahead there but Barnsley created enough chances to make Cooper’s side worried about the second leg.

5.08pm EDT 17:08

Jason Smith points out: “I think you’re getting a lot of US readers today because the game is on ESPN+ here and nobody really wants to pay for yet another streaming service…”

Thanks ESPN.

5.07pm EDT 17:07

Full-time: Barnsley 0-1 Swansea

Swansea’s only real moment of quality won them the game. They also have Freddie Woodman to thank for seeing them through with a lead.

5.06pm EDT 17:06

90+2 mins: Barnsley get a corner on the right. Mowatt swings it into the near post where he hits a crowd of bodies and a Swansea man clears the bouncing ball.

There is another corner on the other side, from where Woodrow sends it into the box. It reaches Morris who flicks it from in front of the near post, sending the ball onto the crossbar. A lucky escape for Swansea.

5.03pm EDT 17:03

89 mins: Ayew is fouled on the right by Mowatt. Hourihane ships it into the box where there are a few Swansea shirts waiting, but he sends it over all of them and out for a goal-kick.

5.02pm EDT 17:02

87 mins: Adeboyejo is on for Dike.

Jon Sternberg is also here to say: “Re the ideological feud between Cameron and Mary, let’s not forget the Baggies “Ideal Boilers ” on full view yesterday. This NorCal fan supports Swansea because the Ayew brothers both did time with Marseille, which is my primary club, as my daughter did a year of high school in Marseille.”

I think I am the only person in England on this blog.

5.00pm EDT 17:00

85 mins: Dike does a couple of rolls after a fierce challenge from Guehi but the referee sees nothing wrong.

Grimes pings a shot from about 35 yards which swerves in the air a little, forcing Collins to parry rather than catch but he collects the ball at the second time of asking.

“For the benefit of the seemingly hundreds of Americans following this, can I briefly paint a picture of Swansea for them?” You might as well Matt Dony. “It’s a beautiful, modern city, with an air of prosperity and a progressive, arty atmosphere. Everything you could hope for. Think Austin crossed with LA crossed with New York. Definitely come visit.”

Matt’s views are very much his own.

4.57pm EDT 16:57

83 mins: Styles winners a header 35 yards from the Swansea goal and wins a free-kick after Hourihane clatters into him a split second later. Mowatt whips in the free-kick but it bounces straight through to Woodman.

Peter Pearson joins the love-in: “Another American here (hi from NYC). Just chiming in with a polite request for Mary Waltz to guest on Football Weekly please.”

I am here too people! LOVE ME!

4.55pm EDT 16:55

81 mins: Lowe wins Swansea a corner on the left. Hourihane fails to beat the first man, however, and Barnsley clear.

Routledge gets a toe onto a pass and tries to spin the defender in the box but goes down under a challenge. He squeals in pain after colliding with Andersen. It’s not a foul and we continue.

4.52pm EDT 16:52

79 mins: Palmer off, Jordan Williams on for Barnsley. Swansea’s aim is very much to hold what they have here.

Fred Decker says: “As an overseas neutral myself, I always find it interesting how people latch onto a specific team to root for.

“In my case I started watching the Premier League after the 2014 World Cup revived my interest in the sport. In the 2014-2015 season, as you may recall, two of the big stories were the emergence of Harry Kane (and with him, an exciting young Spurs club) and the little matter of Leicester City’s giddy, unthinkable run to the league title. Though I do consider myself a true neutral, able to enjoy any match on its merits without bias, I definitely retain a soft spot for both of those clubs.”

4.51pm EDT 16:51

77 mins: Cameron Dunbar offers: “As fellow American and frequent follower of the MBM reports, I have to say I find it strange for Mary to be talking of the ‘corporate sludge’ of the NFL while extolling the Premier League, in which the entire game is one big advertisement. Hope she remembers to Fly Emirates, gamble with Skybet, and bank with Barclays!”

Barnsley v Swansea really is big in America.

4.48pm EDT 16:48

75 mins: Woodrow receives the ball on the wrong side of the Swansea defence, he gets it out of his feet and is about to take a shot but Naughton nips in to tackle the striker. Woodrow thinks he has been fouled but it’s a fine tackle.

I can’t.

Sujjay karthikeyan (@CanceloCultur)

@Will_Unwin As a man city fan from the US, I can see man city losing here next season.

May 17, 2021

4.46pm EDT 16:46

73 mins: This has been a very good game of football plenty going on. I watched Derby v Sheffield Wednesday last week and I was worried the Championship was complete and utter filth.

Lowe gets the ball on the left, dribbles his way into the box and then tries to curl a shot into the far corner but it flies wide.

Jordan Williams of Barnsley holds off André Ayew of Swansea City to prevent a counter attack. Photograph: Chris Cooper/Action Plus/REX/Shutterstock

Updated at 5.34pm EDT

4.45pm EDT 16:45

71 mins: Fulton gets into the box and pulls the ball into the corridor of uncertainty but Barnsley get it clear.

Down the other end Woodman sprints out of his box to beat Morris to a ball over the top from Dike.

4.41pm EDT 16:41

67 mins: Swansea win a free-kick in a dangerous position on the left-flank. Hourihane sends it towards the goal, forcing Collins to palm it clear.

Yash Gupta adds: “Though Mary Waltz has explained to her students including me, I always presumed the reason behind Mary Waltz’s wealth of footballing knowledge is because of being an Evertonian and acceptance of English Football Heritage(ESL punts take notice).As for MBM’s tactics stuff I’m not sure about that, the first match I followed on MBM(after watching it live) was Brazil vs Germany 2014 and even to this day, I don’t think MBM has explained Brazil’s tactics.”

Again, not a place for tactics. I am sure there is a Jonathan Wilson article out there that might. I am more of a ‘they win because they are better’ journalist.

4.39pm EDT 16:39

65 mins: Mary Waltz says: “I choose to root for Everton and even after years, not as many as others but still, I have no intention of bolting. How well adjusted can I be?”

4.37pm EDT 16:37

63 mins: Bidwell earns a throw-in next to the corner flag after his cross is blocked. He upgrades it to a corner a few seconds later. Hourihane takes it but Barnsley clear and counter, only for Dike’s pass towards the two men in space to be overhit, allowing Swansea to regroup. In the end Woodman comes to claim a looping cross and the danger is over.

4.35pm EDT 16:35

61 mins: The referee calls up Brittain for taking a throw-in in the wrong place. Now this game is really cooking.

Alan Davis adds: “What a lovely email from Mary. I hope she feels welcomed into our football community, this being a far cry from the one the ESL envisaged.”

4.33pm EDT 16:33

59 mins: Collins is supposedly in the team over Walton due to his more aggressive style and I can confirm he has spent most of this half outside his own box. He has just headed a pass to his full-back.

There is some argie-bargie between Mowatt and Fulton but the referee steps in to tell them both to grow up.

4.31pm EDT 16:31

57 mins: Barnsley counter following a poor Swansea corner but Morris’ cross into the box is removed from danger by a backtracking Fulton.

Matt Dony says: “Firstly, very pleased with how this has gone for Swansea so far. Da iawn, bois. Dal ati. Secondly, the estimable Mary Waltz learnt a lot about the workings and history of football through the MBM? But she seems so knowledgeable and well-adjusted. It just doesn’t add up …”

No one who has ever written one of these live blogs is well-adjusted, I can confirm.

4.29pm EDT 16:29

55 mins: It certainly is frenetic stuff at Oakwell. I fear for my poor fingers typing away. Guehi drags down Dike on the halfway line but avoids a booking for his cynical foul. The free-kick is lumped into the box, where he it is knocked down for Morris to volley but he whacks it well over.

Fans react inside the stadium during the match as a limited number of fans are permitted to attend the game. Photograph: Carl Recine/Action Images/Reuters

Updated at 5.31pm EDT

4.27pm EDT 16:27

53 mins: Ayew goes into the book for taking Morris down from behind 20 yards from goal. The subsequent free-kick is curled round the wall by Woodrow, line just in front of the goal-line but Woodman gets down well and holds onto it. Barnsley very much on top here.

4.25pm EDT 16:25

51 mins: Barnsley are bombarding the Swansea box with corners and long throw-ins. The latest ends with Mowatt volleying a shot from 25 yards, which Bidwell diverts for a corner. The set-piece finds Dike at the front post but he heads it in the wrong direction.

Down the other end, a long pass in sent down the left-hand channel for Lowe to chase but Collins sprints out of his box to head clear.

Matt Burtz says: “Your readers may be amazed to know that, like Mary Waltz, I’m an Everton fan. And I’m also in the U.S. Though I’m only in the Central Time Zone, I did have occasion to get up at 6:30 in the morning to watch Everton lose at home to Newcastle. A fire might have been more welcome than those two hours.”

4.23pm EDT 16:23

49 mins: How have Barnsley not equalised?! Morris drives into the box and then tries to pick out the bottom – it looks like a simple save for Woodman but he parries it straight out to Brittain whose follow up pings into the goalkeeper’s stomach as he dives back across his goal.

4.21pm EDT 16:21

47 mins: Barnsley have started with their trademark intensity. They will be ensuring the battle continues for the next 45 minutes.

4.16pm EDT 16:16

There is a ‘Dike The Tyke’ banner in the stands but it seems to be pronounced Dee-kay, which is bad news for everyone involved.

4.15pm EDT 16:15

Trying getting a five-month old, you’re always up at that time. I am more surprised I am awake now.

Chris Ballard (@chrisjballard)

somebody on the Guardian MBM/ @Will_Unwin report saying they get up at 4am to watch premier league games.

Have to admire that – hell, I probably wouldn’t get up at 4am even if my house was on fire

May 17, 2021

4.11pm EDT 16:11

I just want to apologise to Mary if she is here looking for some insight from me.

4.11pm EDT 16:11

Dear Mr Hirst,

I will try to keep this short. In my disgust with the NFL I quit watching around 10 years ago. (The CTE scandal and other issues.) A Indian ex-pat from the UK who I worked with suggested the Premier League. I knew nothing about football or soccer if you like. At first it was just fun to watch, a refreshing break from the corporate sludge of the NFL. After a month of watching I got hooked and I wanted to end my ignorance. So I started to use the MBM in the Guardian as a tutorial on tactics and, more importantly, the history of the game. The writers and the commentariat provided me with an in-depth degree in UK football and enhanced my enjoyment of the game.And since I am retired I can get up at 4 A.M. every weekend and take that afternoon nap while American football is on!. So a big tip of the hat to my tutors.

Regards,

Mary

4.10pm EDT 16:10

Bournemouth are in the driving seat in the other playoff.

Arnaut Danjuma gives Bournemouth play-off advantage over Brentford

4.08pm EDT 16:08

Peter Oh says: “If I were the Barnsley manager I would take my inspiration for the halftime talk from the club badge, which features a glassblower and a miner. Apply heat, and be good in tight spaces.”

I think we know why Peter is not the Barnsley manager.

Updated at 4.14pm EDT

4.04pm EDT 16:04

Barnsley might need a plan B that isn’t just using Dike’s physicality against Guehi and Cabango, as it ain’t working. There might be a reason why Barnsley are yet to score against the Swans this season.

4.01pm EDT 16:01

Half-time: Barnsley 0-1 Swansea

Barnsley have had the better of the ball but Swansea showed what a little quality can do with Ayew’s goal easily the best piece of skill of the match.

Updated at 4.04pm EDT

3.59pm EDT 15:59

43 mins: Palmer lifts a cross to the back post where Helik is waiting but he can only head the ball straight at Woodman.