Match Preview: Reading vs Barnsley

Date: Saturday, 3 May 2025
Kick-Off: 15:00 GMT
Venue: Select Car Leasing Stadium
Competition: Sky Bet League One

Barnsley make the trip to the Select Car Leasing Stadium on Saturday lunchtime to take on a Reading side with everything still to play for. With playoff hopes hanging in the balance for the hosts, the Reds enter the final day of the season looking to restore a measure of pride after a deflating 2-1 loss to Shrewsbury.

Conor Hourihane’s side will be hoping to end a turbulent campaign on a positive note, give the away end something to cheer, and perhaps spoil the Royals’ late push for the top six.

Recent Form (Last 5 Matches)

Team	Form	Points
Reading	W D L W W	10
Barnsley	L W L D L	4

Reading: Flying into the final day with 10 points from five and playoff hopes very much alive. They’ve netted 10 and kept things relatively tight at the back.

Barnsley: Just one win in their last five, though they’ve at least been hitting the net—11 goals scored, but 12 shipped.

Statistical Breakdown

Metric	Reading	Barnsley
League Position	7th	12th
Goals Scored (Last 5)	10	11
Goals Conceded (Last 5)	5	12
BTTS This Season	25/45 (56%)	31/45 (69%)
Points Per Game (Home/Away)	2.09 (Home)	1.45 (Away)
Last H2H Result	Reading 0–0 Barnsley (Dec 2024)

Team News

Barnsley:

A depleted squad heads to Berkshire. Still ruled out: Stephen Humphrys, Corey O’Keefe, Neil Farrugia, Fabio Jalo, Jackson Smith, and Georgie Gent. No fresh injuries, but limited options mean the starting XI will remain mostly unchanged.

Expected XI: Gauci; Lembikisa, Roberts, De Gevigney, Earl; Connell, Russell; Cotter, Phillips, Bland; Keillor-Dunn

Key Men:

• Keillor-Dunn – 16 league goals and still our biggest attacking hope
• Russell – Strong presence, must keep Reading’s midfield quiet
• Bland – Youngster earning minutes, could offer spark

Reading:

The Royals are expected to name an unchanged side from their 2-0 win over Bristol Rovers. Key players like Michael Craig and Ben Elliott remain out, but the rest of the squad is fit and firing.

Expected XI: Pereira; Rushesha, Bindon, Mbengue, Garcia; Savage, Wing, Knibbs; Campbell, Wareham, Ehibhatiomhan

Ones to Watch:

• Harvey Knibbs – Top scorer with 14 goals
• Lewis Wing – Dictates the tempo, two goals in last two games
• Chem Campbell – Dangerous on the flanks, can exploit tired legs

Tactics and Key Battles

Reading will press high from the first whistle. Expect a frantic start as they aim to get in front early and keep pressure on Leyton Orient in the playoff race. Their wide players and aggressive full-backs will stretch Barnsley—who’ll need discipline, organisation, and maybe a touch of luck.

Barnsley? With no pressure on their shoulders, they might just enjoy the freedom. Expect us to sit deeper and look to break. If Keillor-Dunn can get on the ball in space—or if Phillips can pull the strings—there might be something in this.

Key Battles:

• Connell vs Wing – Midfield control = match control
• Keillor-Dunn vs Mbengue – Needs to isolate and strike
• Earl vs Campbell – Massive test for our left-back

Prediction

Reading have more riding on this and it shows. Form, squad depth, and momentum are all in their favour.

Score Prediction: Reading 2–1 Barnsley

The Reds may find the net, but Reading’s firepower and playoff drive will likely be too much.

Final Thought

So here we are—Game 46.

It hasn’t been the season many of us hoped for. What began with cautious optimism and flashes of promise has faded into a frustrating campaign of near-misses, mounting injuries, and too many what-ifs. A year that promised progress ends with mid-table mediocrity, and that stings.

But final days are always about more than just the league table. For the players, it’s a last chance to show pride in the shirt. For the manager, a final glimpse at who’s part of the plan and who may not be. And for us—the fans—it’s a reminder of why we care in the first place.

We’ll make the long trip to Reading not to spoil the party, but to support our own. To stand together. To sing one last song. Because no matter the score, no matter the performance, being Barnsley means showing up—especially when there’s nothing left to play for but pride.

This isn’t the end—it’s the beginning of something new. A summer rebuild. A fresh mindset. A new chance to put things right.

Whatever happens on Saturday, remember: this club is bigger than one season. And next time we kick a ball in anger, we’ll be there again—louder, prouder, and still believing.