“It was not good enough”: Duff on Barnsley’s dramatic draw with MK Dons

Barnsley boss Michael Duff said his side’s dramatic comeback from 4-1 down to draw 4-4 with MK Dons was ‘not good enough.’

Despite leading at half-time, Barnsley conceded four goals in 24 second-half minutes, with Mo Eisa (2), Jonathan Leko and Warren O’Hora finding the back of the net.

While Max Watters came off the bench to set one up and bag two to complete a dramatic turnaround on his former stomping ground to secure a remarkable point at Stadium MK, Duff said his side had to be better if they are to progress in the League One play-offs in a few weeks.

“It was not good enough,” said Duff. “Credit to them for getting back in the game but we had too many people not at it today. It has to be a warning shot for a few of them. All we proved was we’re not as good as we think we are.

“We need to be bang at it all the time. When we show proper intensity, desire and purpose, we look a good team but we didn’t do any of that today.

“I don’t know why and it’s for me and the staff to work out why. It’s not even about the result, it’s just certain things I didn’t like - their players running past ours, conceding from set plays – all the things we pride ourselves on. It was nowhere near the level we need to be at. It was 20 minutes of madness. We were miles off it.

“We didn’t show up for the second half, we probably thought it was going to be easy. MK Dons are fighting for their lives and they have some good players. There is no God-given right to beat anyone in football.

“Players are human, they know we’re probably going to finish fourth, I just get frustrated after the standards we have set. But I know what sort of team will turn up for the first play-off game.”