Birmingham City player ratings vs Barnsley: Onel Hernandez stars as Blues end winless run

Birmingham City ended their eight game winless run with an all important 2-1 victory over League One destined Barnsley.

Onel Hernandez opened the scoring with a superb solo goal before Scott Hogan doubled the lead five minutes into the second-half.

Victor Adeboyejo made for a nervy finish when he struck in the 87th minute but Blues held on for a vital three points.

It wasn’t vintage by any means but a win is a win and it was always going to be a scrappy one to end the baron run of eight without victory.

The result takes Lee Bowyer’s side to 18th, 12 points above the bottom three, with the team that occupy that third bottom spot, Peterborough United, next up on Tuesday evening.

Neil Etheridge - 7.5

Made some superb saves at 0-0 to keep the game level and was solid throughout. Let down by his kicking in the second-half though.

Maxime Colin - 6.5

A steady game from Colin but faded after the restart.

Marc Roberts - 6

As above, was solid for the most part but had the odd shaky moment.

Teden Mengi - 7

The best of the defenders. An 80-yard run to get back following a Barnsley counter summed up him as a player.

Kristian Pedersen - 6

Didn’t offer enough going forward but it is better to see him at left-back than centre-back.

Ryan Woods - 7

His performance was more like the Woods that started the season today. Without doing anything too spectacular he controlled the middle of the park and put a number of teasing deliveries in from set-pieces.

Gary Gardner - 5

I’ve said it in my winners and losers piece but I just don’t see what he offers this team. He was poor defensively and even worse going forward. Should have been the one that came off for Sunjic in my opinion.

Jordan James - 7

Linked up with Hernandez superbly and seems to get better every time he plays. Just a reminder that he was born in 2004.

Onel Hernandez - 8.5*

My man-of-the-match and my Twitter account is now a Onel Hernandez fan account.

His goal was superbly taken and he provided an added quality that in truth was above everyone else on the field.

Too early to sign him on a permanent?

Lukas Juktiewicz - 6

Made a nuisance of himself as he always does but the final bit wasn’t there for him today.

Was always going to be one of those days after he turned a goal-bound shot onto the crossbar from one yard out after just one minute.

Scott Hogan - 7

Got a proper striker’s goal today, prodding home from a corner from a few yards out.

Ran his socks off too. Him and Juke have to start together moving forward.

Subs

Ivan Sunjic - 6

Thought he helped the midfield gain a bit of control following his introduction but didn’t agree with James coming off

Jeremie Bela - N/A

Brought on for the final five minutes

George Friend - N/A

Replaced Gardner in stoppage time

Birmingham City (4-3-3): Etheridge (GK); Colin, Roberts, Mengi, Pedersen; Woods, Gardner (90’ Friend), James (69’ Sunjic); Hernandez (84’ Bela), Juktiewicz, Hogan

Subs not used: Trueman (GK), Graham, Bellingham, Campbell

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