Keane is betrayed by flash of fury
As Mayhem broke out around him, Roy Keane appeared to be the only man at
Oakwell unaffected by Jon Macken’s 95th minute winner for Barnsley.
A shake of his head as he leaned against the dug-out offered the Irish firebrand’s
only hint of emotion.
He was already up the tunnel when chants of ‘You’re getting sacked in the
morning’ began to echo around - but the calm demeanour was not to last long.
Nobody knows how he dealt with his players, but an outburst at the media
after they failed to ask about a second-half Barnsley penalty, which Iain
Hume had struck against a post, suggested more about the pressure Keane is
feeling.
‘You’ve watched the game and nobody’s asked me about the bloody penalty,’
he snapped as he made his exit.
‘That about sums you up.’
Two reporters were then individually challenged about the spot-kick awarded
by Phil Gibbs for a foul off the ball by Tommy Smith on Hume.
‘Did you think it was a penalty?’ said Keane, When one had the temerity to
say yes, Keane’s fury was thinly concealed.
Macken’s winner came when Ryan Shotton’s freekick was cleared only to the
edge of the area.
The former Ipswich striker had endured a relatively fruitless afternoon but
he was on hand to ensure Keane’s search for a first win of the season must
continue beyond the international break.
‘It clearly wasn’t a freekick,’ said Keane. ‘It’s going to be a long two
weeks now but we’ll regroup. We have to remain together and keep the spirit.
Sometimes things are out of your hands and that’s the most frustrating thing.’
It is proving a different story for Mark Robins, who has enjoyed a steady
start as Barnsley boss.
‘Things are starting to move now,’ he said. ‘It’s been a decent return so
far.’
Certainly it was a decent start to this particular clash, with Hume firing
in a left-footed rocket after just nine minutes to give Barnsley a deserved
lead.
Ipswich rarely threatened until Liam Rosenior headed in the rebound from
Grant Leadbitter’s fierce free-kick just before half time.
But Macken had the last word. ‘It was a great time to score,’ said the match-winner.
Neil Barraclough (Mail Online)
Iain Hume (8)
Jamel Campbell-Ryce
Emil Hallfredsson (66)
Darren Moore (42)
