The Reds leave Lancashire empty-handed after disappointing PNE display.
Barnsley were seen off by Preston North End this afternoon in a very drab affair thanks to a goal in either half from the mid-table Lilywhites.
There were two changes to the starting XI following last weekend's victory over Rotherham United, with Aapo Halme and Carlton Morris dropping to the bench and starts for both Romal Palmer and Conor Chaplin.
After defending a couple of early corners and long throws pretty well, the Reds began to assert dominance over their hosts and really should have gone in front inside 10 minutes. It was good play on the left-hand side of the attack which saw Cauley Woodrow skip infield towards the box and pick out Chaplin, eight yards from goal and central, but the forward screwed a shot well wide of the net with the goal at his mercy.
Brad Collins had to be smart at his near post on the half-hour mark to thwart Sepp Van Den Berg who had nipped in behind the defence after a flicked header into the box.
A Barnsley long-throw from Callum Brittain was next to test the hosts, with Daryl Dike flicking the ball into the six yard box but Michał Helik's overhead kick was straight at home 'keeper Daniel Iversen.
North End took the lead seven minutes before the interval, following another corner that Barnsley struggled to deal with; unable to clear the ball out of their six yard box, leaving Jordan Storey a simple finish, low beyond Collins.
HALF-TIME: PNE 1-0 Barnsley
Head Coach, Valérien Ismaël went to his substitutes bench during the break, introducing all of Toby Sibbick (Sollbauer), Jasper Moon (Palmer) and Carlton Morris (Chaplin) but things only got worse early into the second half.
A badly defended long throw on the left-hand side was flicked on at the near post, and Ched Evans got in front of his marker to slot home from a yard out.
There was very little in response from the visitors until the last 20 minutes when they seemingly set up camp in the North End half but without ever looking likely to hurt their hosts.
Mads Andersen saw a bullet header flash just wide of goal from an Alex Mowatt corner kick whilst Dike somehow saw an effort from a yard or two out deflect wide via a defender's thigh.
The final opportunity fell to Moon, 10 yards out after Preston failed to clear a Mowatt free-kick but the youngster's effort was saved well by Iversen low down, ahead of a crowd of bodies.
A disappointing afternoon to complete our season on the road, and much to ponder for the gaffer with just one more game before the play-offs begin.
FULL-TIME: PNE 2-0 Barnsley
Collins, Brittain, Sollbauer (Sibbick), Helik, Andersen, Styles (J.Williams), Mowatt, Palmer (Moon), Woodrow (Adeboyejo), Dike, Chaplin (Morris).
Unused: Walton, Oduor, Halme, Thompson.
