Shrewsbury Town 0
Reds 2 (Winnall 15, 21)
The Reds are in complete control in Shropshire but have Adam Davies to thank for a penalty save and a wonderful one-handed stop in first-half stoppage time - but it's Sam Winnall's double that makes it 2-0 to Barnsley.
An early ball in from Bree on four minutes almost found Marley Watkins in the box but Jack Grimmer did well to recover and clear for a Barnsley corner.
Two minutes later, Sam Winnall had half a sight of goal following a decent White delivery but he probably should have teed up Hourihane who was lurking on the edge of the box as Winnall saw his effort blocked by a crowd of Shrews defenders.
On 11 minutes Winnall went even closer as he rose highest to meet Hourihane's corner but Junior Brown was in the right place on the line to head clear.
With quarter of an hour played there was no stopping Winnall with this attempt as he blasted Barnsley into the lead. Davies cleared downfield and the ball broke for Barnsley's number nine who raced into the box to lash home low as the ball dropped over his shoulder.
On 21 minutes Winnall made Shrewsbury pay again as he doubled his side's lead. The striker picked up possession midway through the Shrews' half, charged at goal before planting a shot low and beyond Halstead's grasp from outside the box.
Marley Watkins will have felt hard done by on 27 minutes after the forward finished off a brilliant sweeping Barnsley move. Bree charged forward, exchanged passes with Winnall before slipping Watkins in.
The Reds were in complete control with the hosts not really getting a look-in. Hammill was looking his dangerous self and almost saw his deflected cross drop in but Halstead turned it over the bar.
On 41 minutes, the hosts were handed a lifeline into a game that had seen them offer virtually nothing all half. Mangan was hauled back by Bree in the box leaving the referee with no hesitation to point to the spot. Manga dusted himself down but Davies was more than equal to his penalty with a fine, low save.
In first-half stoppage-time, Adam Davies again came to his side's rescue again when Knight-Percival rose unmarked to head at goal from six yards. All of Greenhous Meadow was waiting for the net to bulge but Davies turned over with a wonderful one-handed stop.
Half time.
Teams
Shrews: Halstead, Whitbread, Black, Brown, Gerrard, Grimmer, Vernon, Mangan, Knight-Percival, Clark, Cole.
Subs: Leutwiler, Grandison, Vassell, Wellens, Whaller, Akpa Akpro, Wallace.
Reds: Davies, Bree, Long, Hourihane, Winnall, Brownhill, Watkins, Hammill, Mawson, Isgrove, A. White.
Subs: Townsend, Roberts, R. Williams, Abbott, Fletcher, G. Williams, H.White.
Referee: P. Gibbs.