Barnsley recorded back-to-back wins and made it four Sky Bet Championship games unbeaten with a 2-1 victory over Blackburn Rovers on Wednesday evening.
Carlton Morris' fine strike 18 minutes from time was added to in the final minute by Alex Mowatt, before Adam Armstrong’s last gasp consolation, as the Reds climbed to 10th in the table.
After a cagey opening exchange, it was Barnsley who registered the first real attempt in anger as Conor Chaplin took the ball down on his chest and unleashed a fierce strike at goal from 20-yards that Thomas Kaminski parried away.
Shortly after, Cauley Woodrow rose highest to meet Callum Styles’ outswinging corner but he headed narrowly over as the Reds looked to gain an advantage.
Midway through the half, Romal Palmer took aim from the edge of the box but his effort whistled just beyond the upright.
Barnsley continued to carve out opportunities and Victor Adeboyejo was next to try his luck when he latched onto a quickly taken free-kick and bent one from a tight angle that Kaminski tipped onto the bar.
HALF-TIME: Barnsley 0-0 Blackburn Rovers
Moments after being introduced from the bench, Carlton Morris had a half-chance inside the area but saw his effort charged down by a Rovers defender.
The triple change made by Valérien Ismaël appeared to be having the desired effect, with Daryl Dike, Dominik Frieser and the aforementioned Morris breathing new energy into Barnsley’s attack.
Mowatt whipped in a free-kick from the right and Mads Andersen’s header almost squirmed past Kaminski, who just managed to shovel it away from danger.
When the visitors only half-cleared a corner, Callum Brittain fired a deep cross to the far post that Michał Helik headed back across the face of goal, but no one in red was there to apply the finish.
The breakthrough eventually came, though, when the Blackburn defence stood off Morris and allowed him too much time to pick his spot from the edge of the box and he brilliantly bent it in off the far post.
Morris then had another opportunity to double the Reds’ lead a few minutes later, but his low strike was comfortably saved by Kaminski.
Barnsley continued to push forward for a second goal, and Herbie Kane tried his luck from distance but his rising effort cleared the cross bar with time ticking away.
Eventually, the killer goal finally arrived when Dike laid a fine pass into the path of Mowatt, who burst into the area, rounded Kaminski and slotted home.
However, Armstrong made for a nervy finale when he latched onto a through ball before deftly lobbing the onrushing Collins in stoppage time, but the Reds held on for all three points.
REDS XI: Collins (GK), Sibbick, Helik, Andersen, Brittain, Palmer (Kane, 63), Mowatt (c), Styles (J Williams, 46), Chaplin (Frieser, 55), Woodrow (Dike, 55), Adeboyejo (Morris, 55).
Not used: Walton (GK), Sollbauer, Moon, Oduor.
ROVERS XI: Kaminiski (GK), Downing (Evans, 75), Armstrong, Gallagher, Douglas, Harwood-Bellis, Dack (Elliott, 75), Lenihan (c), Travis (Rothwell, 84), Branthwaite, Bennett (Dolan, 75).
Not used: Pears (GK), Bell, Davenport, Brereton, Buckley.
