Markus Schopp was able to reflect on a winning home start as Barnsley head coach as Dominik Frieser’s first-half goal gave them a 1-0 victory against Coventry at Oakwell.
Coventry were on top for spells and had a number of good chances to equalise, including a stoppage-time penalty which Viktor Gyokeres failed to convert, Bradley Collins saving.
Schopp replaced Valerien Ismael over the summer and took a point from his first clash in charge away to Cardiff last weekend.
“It’s so important to start with three points in our first home game. Everything gets easier when you get some points on the table,” he said.
“To play at home with the home supporters makes it different and I’m so glad that we have three points.
“I’m so glad for Dominik that he scored. He gives us something we need.
“When you get a penalty five minutes from the end, it’s always a tough one, but I guess it’s a moment each goalkeeper is waiting for so that he can bring something to the team. To save a penalty five minutes from the end when the team is 1-0 up is a big thing. I’m happy for him.
“Coventry did play really well and we were struggling a bit. We take the three points but we know what we have to do better.
“I know we have to improve in a lot of situations. We have to improve in so many different ways.”
Coventry’s Callum O’Hare shot just wide in the first half and the visitors hit the woodwork in the 26th minute when a volley from Gyokeres came back off the bar.
Barnsley scored the winner in the 39th minute, with Frieser finding the net with a shot from the right-hand side of the area after receiving the ball from Romal Palmer.
Coventry won a penalty in stoppage time when Jamie Allen was brought down inside the area but Gyokeres’ effort from the spot was saved by Collins.
Coventry boss Mark Robins said: “I thought it was a good game, for a start. I thought they were two good, young teams.
“There was a lot of energy and I thought we dominated from start to finish. There was a really poor chance in the first half that ended up in the back of the net. Apart from that, they’ve done nothing.
“We didn’t allow them to do anything in fairness. I thought we were outstanding in most areas.
“We have to take the chance from 12 yards and we have to be more clinical in that final third when we’ve got opportunities.
“I thought there were some really good balls into the box and we probably should have made more of our dominance really.
“Nobody likes losing but I’ve got to come away thinking there are loads of positives from it.
“We were playing against a team who were in the play-offs last season and I thought we were good all game.”
