Barnsley got back to winning ways with a hard-earned 2-1 victory over Shrewsbury Town on Easter Monday.

A Chey Dunkley own goal late in the first half was added to shortly after by Devante Cole as the Reds claimed all three points to continue their Sky Bet League One promotion bid, with Killian Phillips’ injury time header proving to be little more than a footnote.

On a blustery, wet afternoon at Oakwell, it was Michael Duff’s side who made the brighter start as Max Watters and Cole both forced Marko Marosi into smart saves low down.

Following intricate play on the right flank, the ball broke to Herbie Kane who also saw an effort clawed out of the bottom corner by the Shrews’ stopper.

Barnsley continued to apply pressure and almost found a way through when Adam Phillips’ rasping strike was palmed out by Marosi and hacked behind by a flailing defender before Cole could pounce on the rebound.

Eventually, we made our dominance tell – via a slight bit of fortune – as Nicky Cadden’s low cross was diverted into his own net by Dunkley five minutes before the interval.

In stoppage time, we doubled our advantage after Liam Kitching’s fierce drive proved too hot for Marosi to handle and Cole was on hand to prod home the rebound from close range.

HALF-TIME: Barnsley 2-0 Shrewsbury Town

The second half was largely uneventful, by comparison, but not without incident.

Watters had a glorious opportunity to put the game beyond all doubt as he latched onto Kane’s exquisite through ball, lofted the ball over Marosi, but took too much time to finish before Dunkley rescued the visitors with a heroic goalline challenge.

With just over quarter of an hour remaining, though, the Reds were reduced to 10 men when Cadden saw a straight red card for a tackle on Shrews midfielder Phillips.

In a fiery encounter, there were plenty of stoppages and as a result, an additional nine minutes were added on, and Shrewsbury halved the deficit to set up a nervy finale as Phillips rose highest to plant Jordan Shipley’s cross beyond Harry Isted.

Temperatures boiled over soon after when Luke Thomas was hacked down on the break and, in the ensuing melee, Ryan Bowman was shown a second yellow card for dissent as both sides finished the encounter a player light.

Ultimately, in what was a scrappy, tense affair, it’s the three points that are all important as we made ground on both Ipswich Town and Plymouth Argyle heading into the final six games.

FULL-TIME: Barnsley 2-1 Shrewsbury Town

REDS XI: Isted (GK), Williams, B Thomas, Andersen (C), Kitching, Cadden, Phillips (J Benson, 64), Connell (L Thomas, 81), Kane (Larkeche, 90+5), Cole (Russell, 80), Watters (Norwood, 65).

Not used: Collins (GK), Tedić.

SHREWS XI: Marosi (GK), Leahy (C), Pennington, Moore (Bloxham, 79), Winchester (Bennett, 46), Phillips, Bowman, Street, Dunkley, Shipley, Flanagan.

Not used: Burgoyne (GK), Craig, Barlow, Hutchings.