Trip down memory lane

The Premiership years... Barnsley VS West Ham
I've decided to scour the net for match reports of the reds outing in the Premiership. A brilliant time for Barnsley and admired by others, in what turned out to be a very memorable season and one which every Barnsley fan will never forget. I will post them one at a time in chronological order. Here goes:

Barnsley 1 West Ham 2
By Ian Parkes, PA sport.

Frank Lampard gatecrashed Barnsley's opening day Premiership party as West Ham staged a late smash and grab raid.

Lampard, son of the Hammers' assistant boss and the former Upton Park star with the same name, had barely been on the field for a minute when he touched home a Michael Hughes cross 13 minutes from time.

It brought a sad end to a day which had started out so gloriously for Barnsley and the hoards of fans hoping to greet the dawn of a new era with a famous victory.

After waiting 110 years for football among the game's elite, Barnsley set out their stall in sensational fashion following a rapturous welcome from the 19,000-strong crowd.

As Danny Wilson's side ran out onto the pitch, they were greeted by a continual chorus of "We're in the Premier League" by the Tyke fans, while a thousand red and white balloons were released into the clear blue skies above.

As the temperatures soared on one of the hottest days of the year, Barnsley warmed to their task and the Oakwell cauldron soon exploded when skipper Neil Redfearn grabbed the opener in the ninth minute.

Nicky Eaden's right wing cross was headed back by Paul Wilkinson for Redfearn, last year's leading scorer with 19 goals, to open his account with a simple header and send the Barnsley faithful into delirium.

For the remainder of the half, Wilson's troops remained in control as the visitors were left with nothing but a series of long range shots to show for their efforts.

Redfearn should even have had a second just before the break, but a late, clearing header by Rio Ferdinand prevented the Tykes captain from setting the seal on a wonderful first 45 minutes in the top flight.

But within eight minutes of the restart it all went horribly wrong for Barnsley as Welsh international John Hartson, the saviour of manager Harry Redknapp's campaign last season, spared the London club's blushes again.

Steve Potts, switched from left to right back to accommodate the substitution of Stan Lazaridis for Tim Breacker at the interval, was the instigator as he delivered a high, hanging cross.

Hartson, West Ham's club record ?5million signing towards the end of last season, rose above a cluster of Barnsley defenders to head home into an empty net after keeper David Watson had needlessly raced off his line.

Within a minute Barnsley should have been back in front when John Hendrie was sent clear inside the West Ham half, but keeper Ludek Miklosko raced off his line and blocked the attempted chip at point blank range.

Watson almost handed West Ham the lead in the 58th minute when he failed to collect a simple Lazaridis cross delivered low from the left, but Hartson, seemingly caught unawares, failed to turn home the loose ball.

Within seconds Miklosko had raced out of his box to clear a long Barnsley through ball and this handed Hendrie the chance of a chip with the Czech keeper out of position, but his effort flew over the bar.

Wilson brought on club record signing in ?1.5million Macedonian international Georgi Hristov, but he failed to make an impact and give Barnsley the point they richly deserved.

Then came the killer blow in the 77th minute after Lampard had been brought on just moments earlier for Israeli international Eyal Berkovic.

Hughes delivered and Lampard flicked home with the outside of his right boot past the despairing dive of the helpless Watson to send Barnsley trudging off the field with the muted applause of the home fans to bring the curtain down on an unfortunate end to the day.

Teams:

Barnsley: Watson, Eaden, Moses, De Zeeuw, Hendrie, Redfearn, Wilkinson (Hristov 68), Bullock (Liddell 84), Shirtliff (Marcelle 62), Tinkler, Barnard.

Subs Not Used: Sheridan, Leese.

Goals: Redfearn 9.

West Ham: Miklosko, Breacker (Lazaridis 45), Potts, Rieper, Kitson (Terrier 89), Hartson, Lomas, Ferdinand, Moncur, Hughes, Berkovic (Lampard 76).

Subs Not Used: Dowie, Forrest.

Booked: Breacker, Moncur.

Goals: Hartson 53, Lampard 76.

Att: 18,667.

Ref: A B Wilkie (Chester-le-Street).