Although West Ham secured a good grip on this League game by a goal in the first ten seconds, and another in 16 minutes. They came very near to losing one at the points in the second half when they faded out and allowed the Initiative to pass to Barnsley.
If the latter's forwards had had the ability to finish they could not have lost, but time, after time they worked the ball cleverly within range only to fritter away their chances by indifferent marksmanship.
The game did not live up to Its early promise so far as the Hammers were concerned. They got a sensational goal straight from the kick-off, and within ten seconds the ball was in the Barnsley net. Robinson tapped the bill to Bainbridge, who in turn swung it out to Bainbridge on the left. The winger gathered it, took deliberate aim and fired in a shot which 'keeper Kelly got his right hand to near the foot of the upright, but could not stop the ball's progress into the net.
For most of the next quarter of an hour West Ham did the attacking, and after 16 minutes Bainbridge sent over a centre. A defender turned the ball towards his own goal, where Pallister, standing on the goal line, headed it out, but only far enough to reach Gazzard’s head and, standing close in, he steered the ball into the net to register his first goal for West Ham. Barnsley had a great chance to reduce the arrears when a penalty was awarded them for a foul on Smith, but Baxter, who took the kick, did not get enough pace on his shot, and Gregory brought off a good save. That was a bad lapse on the part of the visitors, and in the end they paid for it. Another shot by Griffiths was saved by Gregory, and later on in the game the West Ham 'keeper just managed to stop a shot from Wright on the goal line, although the Barnsley players claimed that the ball had cross it.
It was poor fare for a long time in the second half, Gazzard tried two long range shots which were just off the mark, but, apart from them, the home forwards did little shooting. Gradually, Barnsley got a better hold on the game and, in just under half an hour, following a corner kick. Whyte gathered the ball just inside the penalty area and scored with a shot which went in off Devlin's leg. Barnsley cut out the work in attack after that and Wright seemed a possible scorer when he raced through, but was challenged in time by Devlin, and his shot went over. Nearing the end. Kelly J. put in two great; runs on the left, the second of which nearly brought a goal. In the end, West Ham were fortunate to take both the points. There was some uncertainty about the defence under pressure, and the forwards and wing-halves failed to keep up their earlier liaison. Taken by and large, it was a poor match. Gazzard continued to show much promise with some neat work. Outstanding player for Barnsley was centre-half Whyte.