Football: Barnsley's poor late, late show

THE AWFUL truth of Barnsley's relgation from the Premiership is that had the players whose bravery manager Danny Wilson has so praised been able to last the full 90 minutes they might today be contemplating another season in the top flight.

The statistics of the season show that no team conceded more goals than Tottenham in the last 15 minutes of their games but that Barnsley were only one behind, having let in 18 - and among those were eight that cost Wilson's team nine precious points.

Goals by Rod Wallace (79 minutes) and Derek Lilley (82) turned a likely win into defeat at home to Leeds in November, since when a goal given away in the last 10 minutes has cost them a point on six occasions.

First there was Paolo Di Canio's 88th-minute winner for Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsborough, then Dion Dublin's penalty (89 minutes) at Coventry. Steve McManaman (90) inflicted defeat in the infamous battle with Liverpool at Oakwell in March, followed by Kevin Gallacher (87) at Blackburn, an Adie Moses's own goal (80) at Leeds and Alan Shearer's killer blow after 86 minutes at Newcastle.

However, before Barnsley decide their fitness trainer is to blame, it should also be pointed out that they have tended to leak alarmingly at other stages too, surrendering 18 goals between the 31st minute and half- time and 16 between half-time and the hour, including Saturday's winner by Leicester.

Statistics, of course, can mean something or nothing. Probably the best last-15-minutes team, for example, is Sheffield Wednesday, who have scored 15 goals in that period of play and let in only three, which, given their finishing position in the Premiership, falls firmly into the latter category.