Barnsley maintained their 100% home record under Valérien Ismaël with a richly-deserved 2-0 victory over Nottingham Forest.
It could have been an even more convincing margin of victory for the Reds, who hit the woodwork on no less than three occasions. But late goals from Callum Styles and Cauley Woodrow ensured a fourth win in our last five outings.
After a slow start from both teams, it was Barnsley who came closest to breaking the deadlock inside the opening 12 minutes when Woodrow saw his splendid curling strike cannon back off the crossbar.
The Reds came agonisingly close again moments later as Conor Chaplin spun in the area and unleashed a fierce drive that, once more, cracked off the frame of the goal with Brice Samba stranded.
Jack Walton then had to be at his best to thwart Miguel Ángel Guerrero with an outstretched leg after the Forest forward got goal side as the game sparked into life.
Styles was on hand to block Joe Lolley’s first time effort at the back post after the Forest man had been picked out by a deep cross.
The visitors were in the ascendency, with Lolley pulling the strings and Michał Helik produced a fine last-ditch tackle to deny the winger as he cut in from the right flank.
Lolley was at it once more as he burst forward on the counter-attack, playing a lovely through-ball for Guerrero, but the Spaniard’s tame effort was gathered comfortably by Walton.
HALF-TIME: Barnsley 0-0 Forest
Barnsley made a bright start to the second half and Chaplin played a magnificent through ball into the path of Styles, who fired a cross into the six-yard box but Dominik Frieser couldn’t get enough on his header to divert it home.
A couple of chances came and went for the Reds, with Woodrow seeing a neat backheel hacked away from goal, but Forest always posed a danger and, when they won possession back, Lyle Taylor saw his glancing header tipped away by Walton just before the hour mark.
Valérien Ismaël opted to make two changes and within seconds of being introduced, Herbie Kane whistled a free-kick narrowly past the upright.
For the third time, Barnsley were denied by the bar as Woodrow latched onto Luke Thomas’ cutback but was left frustrated yet again as his fierce drive thundered off the woodwork, bounced on the line and away to safety.
However, the deadlock was finally broken when Victor Adeboyejo muscled his way forward, picked out Woodrow who in turn laid it off for Styles. The little magician rifled an unstoppable strike into the far top corner with five minutes remaining to spark wild scenes amongst the Reds players and staff.
It was soon two for Barnsley as the ever-dangerous Callum Brittain marauded down the right flank and cut it back for Woodrow, and our number 9 clinically swept it into the far corner to seal all three points.
FULL-TIME: Barnsley 2-0 Forest
REDS: Walton, Sollbauer, Helik, Andersen, Brittain (J Williams), James (Kane), Mowatt (Oduor), Styles, Frieser (Thomas), Woodrow, Chaplin (Adeboyejo).
Unused: Collins, Palmer, Miller, Schmidt.
