DERBY COUNTY 2 (Hulse 26, Barker 90)
BARNSLEY 3 (Hammill 36, Gray 57, Anderson 90)

BARNSLEY put an end to their early season disappointments with a fine win at Pride Park.

He might have only been in the job for less than a week but Mark Robins wasted no time in shaking things up after speaking of his disappointment in the wake of Saturday's defeat at Watford. Out went O'Neil Thompson, Martin Devaney, Jamal Campbell-Ryce and Anderson de Silva while Hugo Colace, Jacob Butterfield, Iain Hume and Hammill were given the opportunity to earn a shirt at Pride Park. There was no place in the 18 for striker Kayode Odejayi or Mounir El Haimour.

Derby had former Reds loanee Gary Teale in their starting eleven while Barnsley defender Darren Moore made a return to Pride Park after winning the Rams Player of the Year award during their brief spell in the Premier League a couple of seasons ago.

Barnsley were on the front foot from the first kick and Hume brought an early save from Stephen Bywater in the first minute although the referee had already pulled the play back for a foul. Hammill then did well to cross on three minutes and almost caught out the Derby defence but Hume saw his first time shot well blocked away and through to Bywater.

It was fast, frantic and just the sort of game where the Reds really had to step up to the plate and show their commitment and desire. There was a little too much of both from Colace on 12 minutes as he hauled back Lee Croft on the right hand touchline to earn a booking.

Barnsley were almost caught out just seconds later as Kris Commons and Teale combined to give Rob Hulse half a chance in the area but Stephen Foster was in the right place to make a good block. Dean Moxey then almost had Pride Park on its feet on 18 minutes as he let fly from 30 yards but his volley flew a few feet wide of the post.

Robbie Savage then picked up a yellow card on 23 minutes after throwing himself to the floor over Colace's challenge in the middle of the park.

Barnsley were undone on 25 minutes through a goal of real quality. There was nothing the Reds could have done about it after Croft's cross arrowed in from the right wing and onto the head of Hulse, who powered his effort past Preece and into the back of the net.

The Reds had a great chance to get back on level terms inside six minutes when Shaun Barker was - rather harshly - adjudged to have fouled Andy Gray right on the edge of the box. Hume got his free kick around the wall but did not curl the ball back enough to trouble the goal.

It really should have been two on 33 minutes when Croft again found acres of space down the Derby right to cross and put the ball on a plate for Hulse six yards out but the striker completely missed his free header and the chance went begging.

Barnsley were right back in it on 36 minutes through a moment of magic by Hammill. The ex-Liverpool winger picked the ball up on the left wing, cut inside and curled a fantastic shot past Bywater's outstretched arm and right into the top corner.

It was a goal the Reds badly needed and Colace tried to find a second just moments later as he let fly from 30 yards but the Argentine midfielder dragged his shot wide.

County were almost back in front on 48 minutes as Hulse managed to get in behind the Barnsley defence to slide the ball across goal but Bobby Hassell was in the right place to prevent Jake Livermore from tapping in at the back stick. Commons also went close two minutes later with a deflected free kick that flew inches wide of the post. Commons was again the architect for Derby on 50 minutes as his corner gave Barker a chance but the big defender headed wide under pressure.

Barnsley had the benefit of a debateable refereeing decision, for a change, on 57 minutes when emil Hallfredsson's pass put Gray in on goal. It looked close but the striker did not need a second invitation to beat Bywater with a fine finish.

County felt aggrieved and almost levelled things on the hour mark when Commons' cross fell nicely for Hulse in the area but Foster was well-placed to smother the ball clear. At the other end Hallfredsson lashed one well, well wide on 61 minutes.

Preece finally had a save to make on 62 minutes as Teale's cross dropped to Barker in the area but the Reds keeper was alert enough to smother the ball. Croft then picked up a caution seconds later for a crude challenge on Kozluk on the touchline. Kozluk was then booked himself on 65 minutes after kicking the ball away - although the game could have done without Savage chasing other to the official to remonstrate for a caution.

A howler by Bywater put the Reds on the front foot again on 77 minutes but Colace could not find a finish from 30 yards with Derby floundering.

Hallfredsson's game ended in agony on 83 minutes after he was caught by a poor challenge by Commons' which went unpunished by the referee. The Icelandic midfielder left the pitch on a stretcher to be replaced by Anderson.

Preece gathered the ball off the foot of Paul Dickov on 84 minutes and got a whack for his troubles as Derby threw everything at the Reds in the closing moments. Livermore then flashed one high over the bar on 87 minutes.

Even the officials seemed to have everything against the Reds holding on for a priceless win as the fourth official indicated an outrageous eight minutes of stoppage time.

It was the Reds who were celebrating moments later as a brilliant piece of vision and skill on the byline by Gray sent Anderson clean through on goal and the Brazilian was coolness personified in beating Bywater to roll the ball into the net.

There were some last minute nerves as Barker rose highest to meet Commons' corner to cut the deficit and trigger some tense faces on the Reds bench.

DERBY COUNTY: Bywater, Connolly, Addison, Croft (Pearson 83), Savage, Hulse (Dickov 67), Commons, Teale, Barker, Moxey, Livermore.
Subs: Deeney, McEverley, Leacock, Pringle, Hendrie.

BARNSLEY: Preece, Hassell, Foster, Moore, Kozluk, Hammill, Colace, Butterfield, Hallfredsson (Anderson 83), Hume (Macken 60), Gray.
Subs: Rusling, Devaney, Coulson, Heslop, Thompson.

Referee
Nigel Miller (County Durham)
Assistant Referees
Gary Hilton (Lancashire) and Stephen Martin (Staffordshire)
Fourth Official
James Adcock (Nottinghamshire)

Attendance - 27,609
Away Attendance - 748

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