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Barnsley V Pool

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After a terrific Christmas period topped off by the New Year Day win over Burnley the F.A. Cup is back on the agenda with a trip to Oakwell in the third round.

Barnsley Team News:

Barnsley may have new signing Diego Leon ready to play in their squad for the FA Cup depending on completion of documents. The former Real Madrid midfielder signed for the Tykes on the 1st of January from Grasshoppers Zurich.

Defender Lewin Nyatanga has returned to Derby after a loan spell, Dennis Souza should partner Stephen Foster in the center of defense. Jon Macken also returned to Derby after a loan spell which yielded goals, Kayode Odejayi will look to start up top.

Player to watch: Brian Howard

Home fan`s eyes may be on the new signing Leon but the Blackpool defense will have to watch Brian Howard who grabbed his tenth league goal of the season in the 2-2 draw with Southampton on New Years Day. That goal made him the joint 8th top 10 goal scorer in the league. One of those goals was from 12 yards in the league match against Blackpool earlier in the season.

Blackpool Team News:

Shaun Barker is suspended after picked up a fifth booking of the season in the Colchester win. The booking was most likely on purpose to avoid missing a league game. Danny Coid will should start at right back. It also means that Rhys Evans may be on the bench as Barker was the designated back up keeper.

Grayson may also rest a few of the players that played all the minutes of the Christmas period notably Kaspar Gorkss, who could be replaced by Ian Evatt. Regards to the ins and outs, Forbes has gone to Millwall, Parker is still a Blackpool player, with a deal in principal for £200k agreed with the opposition ( at time of writing Friday evening) even if a deal goes through it will stipulate that Parker cannot play. Bartosz Slusarski’s loan has been extended and cleared to play in the cup. There is no news on Stephen McPhee who is due to join Pool from Hull.

Player to watch: Ben Burgess

Another goal in the Burnley match moved Burgess up to 4 goals in the league and 5 in total. He grabbed one goal last year in the third round in the win over Aldershot Town with a late penalty.

Match Facts & Stats

The sides met in the league back in November with a little help from the referee Barnsley ran out 2-1 winners, a pen and red card for Michael Jackson helped the home side. The sides have met a few times in the cup, the last meeting in 2002 in the first round. Pool ran out 4-1 winners at Oakwell, Hills, Murphy, Dalglish and Taylor.

The first meeting the cup was back in 1910, after 1-1 draw at Bloomfield the Tykes tonked Pool 6-0 at Oakwell.

Ref Watch:

M J Jones – Chester – Games: 27 Yellow Cards: 85 Red Cards: 4 – MIB Ration 1, second bottom!!!

Assistant Referees N Murphy & G S Stretton

Fourth Official – A E Rayner

Match Prediction:

Barnsley 0 – 2 Blackpool

Next Fixtures:

Football League Championship Charlton A 12-01-2008

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