Barnsley eased to 2-0 victory over Burton Albion on a chilly afternoon at Oakwell on Saturday.

Devante Cole’s brace – one in either half – was enough to claim all three points as we secured a fifth successive Sky Bet League One victory.

In an uneventful opening exchange, it was the Reds who had two of the better opportunities. First Liam Kitching saw a close range header blocked before James Norwood floated a dangerous ball across the face of goal that narrowly evaded Cole on the quarter hour mark.

Shortly after, Barnsley broke from a Brewers set-piece, with Matty Wolfe leading the charge as he surged forward 60 yards from his own box and played in Herbie Kane, but his low effort was comfortable for Ben Garratt to make a routine save.

Midway through the half, Liam Kitching fired a superb first time ball out to Jordan Williams, who in turn found Kane in space on the edge of the box, but our midfielder could only drag his attempt wide of the upright.

Ten minutes before the interval, however, we eventually made the breakthrough following a swift attack down the right. After being picked out by another sensational Kitching diagonal pass, Williams slipped in Wolfe, who turned the ball into the six-yard box for Cole to deftly flick home.

With confidence high, Luca Connell took aim from distance and almost found the top corner with a speculative drive that whistled narrowly over the crossbar.

HALF-TIME: Barnsley 1-0 Burton Albion

In what was a rather lacklustre start to the second period, Burton looked to seize the initiative and push forward for a leveller.

It almost came midway the half following a bout of head tennis in the Reds’ area, with Sam Hughes forcing Brad Collins into a save to his left.

However, against the run of play, we found a second and ultimately killer goal as Nicky Cadden skinned his man before firing a ball onto the foot of Cole, who had the simple task of converting from point blank range.

The Reds searched for a third in the closing stages, with substitute Fabio Jalo and Kane seeing efforts blocked.

It perhaps wasn’t vintage from Barnsley at times, but a comfortable victory nonetheless as we made it five consecutive league wins.

FULL-TIME: Barnsley 2-0 Burton Albion

REDS XI: Collins (GK), Williams, Cundy, Andersen (C), Kitching, Cadden, Wolfe (Aitchison, 58), Connell, Kane, Cole (Martin, 89), Norwood (Jalo, 74).

Not used: Walton (GK), Moon, Larkeche, Ackroyd.

BURTON XI: Garratt (GK), Brayford (C), Oshilaja, Hughes, Onyango (Carayol, 76), Adeboyejo, Ndaba (Borthwick-Jackson, 76), Taylor, Hamer, Kamwa (Smith, 46), Dodoo.

Not used: Sinisalo (GK), Butcher, Mariappa, Keillor-Dunn, Smith.