Match report
Barnsley hold off late Crewe rally to win League Cup thriller
Barnsley beat Crewe 3-2 at Oakwell in a Round of 64 League Cup tie that swung wildly in the first half before the hosts held on. Daniel Stendel's side scored three times in 17 second-quarter minutes to turn an early deficit into a commanding lead, and though Crewe pulled one back deep into stoppage time, it proved too late to force extra time.
AI-assisted match report written from official match data.
Crewe struck first through Adrien Thibaut, who converted a Charlie McNeill assist in the 21st minute to put Lee Bell's side ahead. Barnsley responded almost immediately, with Reyes Cleary levelling in the 29th minute before Tyrese Noslin put the hosts in front two minutes later. Corey O'Keeffe added a third in the 38th minute, sending Barnsley into the break 3-1 up.
The second half passed without further addition to the scoreline until the 89th minute, when J. Ewusi, assisted by Lewis Billington, scored to make it 3-2 and set up a nervy finish. Barnsley dominated territory throughout, and that control over possession and chances ultimately proved decisive despite the late scare.
Corey O'Keeffe scored Barnsley's third goal of the first half and finished with a 7.7 rating, while Adrien Thibaut matched that mark for Crewe after opening the scoring.
Barnsley enjoyed 67% of possession and doubled Crewe's corner count 20 to 5, underlining their control of proceedings at Oakwell.
Barnsley beat Crewe 3–2 (half-time 3–1).
Barnsley met Crewe in the League Cup (Round of 64). Kick-off was Tuesday, 25 August 2026, 18:45 UTC at Oakwell Ground. Referee: Leigh Doughty.
Team pages: Barnsley · Crewe · League Cup
Key moments
- 21' Goal: Adrien Thibaut (assist: Charlie McNeill) — 0–1
- 29' Goal: Reyes Cleary — 1–1
- 31' Goal: Tyrese Noslin — 2–1
- 38' Goal: Corey O'Keeffe — 3–1
- 89' Goal: J. Ewusi (assist: Lewis Billington) — 3–2
Starting line-ups
Barnsley (4-2-3-1)
Crewe (5-3-2)
- 1 Tom Booth
- 3 Reece Hutchinson
- 12 J. Stephenson
- 6 Luke Offord (c)
- 22 P. Croker
- 30 Stan Dancey
- 30 S. Dancey
- 20 Calum Agius
- 4 Kyle Ure
- 32 Luca Moore
- 29 Adrien Thibaut
- 23 Charlie McNeill
About this match
On this page: the Barnsley vs Crewe final score and result, who scored, starting lineups, match stats and the full match report from this League Cup fixture.
- Who scored and when — a goal-by-goal timeline of the match.
- Match stats — possession, shots, expected goals (xG), corners and cards.
- Starting lineups and player ratings for both teams.
- Head-to-head record and recent form for both sides.
The full match report above covers the goals, key moments and stats. Explore more on the Barnsley and Crewe team pages or the League Cup page.
Quick answers
›What was the final score of Barnsley vs Crewe?
Barnsley beat Crewe 3–2 (half-time 3–1).
›Who scored in Barnsley vs Crewe?
Adrien Thibaut (21') for Crewe; Reyes Cleary (29') for Barnsley; Tyrese Noslin (31') for Barnsley; Corey O'Keeffe (38') for Barnsley; J. Ewusi (89') for Crewe.
›Where can I watch Barnsley vs Crewe highlights?
This page carries the full match report, stats and lineups for Barnsley vs Crewe; goal clips are added as soon as official highlights are available.