Barnsley returned to winning ways at Huddersfield tonight and increased their lead in the race for the Sky Bet Championship playoffs!
A glorious Daryl Dike goal settled this Yorkshire Derby clash at the John Smith's Stadium, earning the impressive Reds a priceless three points.
Having made three changes to his starting lineup, hoping for a much improved start to games, Valérien Ismaël will have been pleased with the opening 45 as Barnsley created a handful of opportunities, with a couple in particular that should have been taken.
Inside the opening minute of play, the Reds didn't enjoy the call of the officials when Callum Brittain's deep cross was seemingly handled by a defender with Dominik Frieser looking to head home at the far post.
Back in a more central position, Cauley Woodrow had a number of efforts himself in the first half. Twice he saw tries from the edge of the box comfortably saved by home 'keeper Ryan Schofield. But it was his chance from eight yards out, having capitalised on a defensive error that he'd rue the most, firing just wide of the post from an acute angle.
Restored to the starting XI, Michael Sollbauer was solid upon his return and made one excellent sliding block to thwart a Terriers forward who was all set to shoot from inside the box.
Frieser was set up nicely inside the six-yard box by Woodrow but his tame effort was easily held by the Huddersfield stopper. Before an Alex Mowatt free-kick whistled inches wide, finding the side-netting from 20-yards out.
The hosts had limited forays into Reds territory in the first period, it wasn't all one-way traffic, but the biggest moments were certainly for Barnsley, and the biggest of all came within added time at the end of the half. A fine run from Frieser set Carlton Morris away down the left and he cut back to Mowatt on the edge of the box but the skipper saw hos strike fly a couple of yards over the bar as he leaned back whilst striking.
Dike replaced Frieser immediately prior to the referee blowing for half-time.
HALF-TIME: Huddersfield 0-0 Barnsley
After the interval, the Reds remained in charge, continuing to press for a deserved lead, going close in the very early stages when Morris got his head to a Callum Styles cross at the near post, forcing Schofield to tip round the post.
That pressure paid off on 66 minutes as another Morris run and this time a dinked cross from the left found Dike with his back to goal, and the American produced a stunning bicycle kick to fire the Reds in front.
Barnsley had further chances to extend the lead when Morris saw a goalbound header cleared off the line by Naby Sarr, before Michał Helik crashed a half-volley against the crossbar from close range.
Reds' stopper, Brad Collins had to be alert inside the final ten minutes to hold a dipping effort from the ever-industrious Lewis O'Brien, but defensively, the Reds were solid throughout, with Sollbauer in particular a rock at the back.
The Austrian made a stunning block challenge as the Terriers looked to catch Barnsley on the break, before seeing his own shot hacked off the line from a late Reds corner kick.
Another huge win on their travels for Ismaël's men and they now hold a six-point lead over the club in seventh position, with just three matches still to play.
FULL-TIME: Huddersfield 0-1 Barnsley
Collins, Brittain, Sollbauer, Helik, Andersen, Styles, Palmer (J.Williams), Mowatt, Woodrow, Morris, Frieser (Dike).
Unused: Walton, Oduor, Sibbick, Halme, Moon, Adeboyejo, Chaplin.
