Barnsley ran out 3-0 winners against Queens Park Rangers to get new Head Coach Valérien Ismaël’s tenure off to the perfect start.
A Cauley Woodrow penalty was added to either side of the interval by Conor Chaplin and an own goal from Joann Barbet as the Reds threatened to run riot in the closing stages at Oakwell.
Both sides shared the ball during the early stages, with neither able to create any clear-cut openings. A series of crosses from the wide areas were well dealt with, as both defences stood firm against any early inroads.
Rangers could have opened the scoring in the 15th minute, but Ilias Chair’s corner was headed narrowly over the bar by Lyndon Dykes.
Barnsley grew into the contest, with a raking cross field pass from Callum Styles leading to a snapshot from Chaplin inside the box, but his effort was snuffed out by the QPR defence.
Shortly after, the game changed through a moment of quality. A defence-splitting through ball released Woodrow, who was dragged down in the box with the goal at his mercy. Rob Dickie was shown a red card, and the Reds’ number nine slammed the resulting spot kick home.
Things got even better for the hosts when another through ball found Dominik Frieser on the left of the area, whose cut back was swept home by an onrushing Chaplin.
HALF-TIME: Barnsley 2-0 QPR
With the numerical advantage, Barnsley looked to turn the screw as the second half began. A perfect cross from the left flank found Chaplin unmarked in the centre, but the striker was unable to add his second goal of the evening.
Despite being a man down, QPR twice came close to halving the deficit. A looped header from a corner landed on the top of the Barnsley net, and a long-range effort narrowly cleared Jack Walton’s bar.
An unfortunate own goal gave Barnsley their third of the night, as Woodrow’s heavy touch was diverted past his own keeper by QPR skipper Barbet.
Reds’ captain Alex Mowatt almost added a fourth, with his low shot from the edge of the area well kept out. Chances kept flowing for Barnsley, as second half substitute Patrick Schmidt could only fire straight at the keeper following a swift counter-attack.
In the dying minutes, Barnsley passed up further chances to add gloss to the score line, with Schmidt, Elliot Simoes and Chaplin being denied by an inspired Seny Dieng in the visiting goal.
FULL-TIME: Barnsley 3-0 QPR
Walton, Sollbauer, Helik, Andersen, Brittain, Styles, Mowatt (c), Odour (James), Frieser (Simoes), Woodrow (Schmidt), Chaplin.
Unused: Collins, Miller, Halme, Kane.
