Barnsley secured a vital win in their battle against survival with a 2-1 home success over Yorkshire rivals Huddersfield Town. 

Alex Mowatt put the hosts ahead after a quarter of an hour then Conor Chaplin doubled the lead early in the second half. The Terriers pulled one back almost instantly but were beaten. 

The Reds moved up a place to third-bottom in the Championship table, and are now a point from safety, while they are unbeaten in their last five home games. 

Gerhard Struber made one change from the previous league match at Derby County with new signing Marcel Ritzmaier replacing Mike Bahre and playing on the left of the diamond midfield with Mowatt behind the strikers. 

The hosts took the lead in the 15th minute when an excellent crossfield ball by Mads Andersen was taken down on the right wing by Jacob Brown who sent in a low cross for Mowatt to tap-in for two yards out for his third goal of the season. 

Luke Thomas and Clarke Oduor then fired over from long-range and Bambo Diaby headed an Oduor corner well wide as Barnsley looked by far the more comfortable and threatening side in the opening half an hour. 

The visitors’ only opportunities came from poor play at the back by Barnsley, such as when Diaby lost the ball in his half and ex-Huddersfield defender Jordan Williams had to make a fine last-ditch tackle in the box to deny Fraizer Campbell. 

Ritzmaier’s deflected shot from just outside the box went narrowly wide of the bottom right corner then Barnsley went off for the interval knowing they had had the better of the first half. 

Town made two changes at half-time with £11m striker Steve Mounie and £4.5million left-back Florent Hadergjonaj coming on for top-scorer Karlan Grant and left-back Jaden Brown who had been given a tough time by his namesake Jacob. 

It was 2-0 on 64 minutes when a good Barnsley move led to Oduor’s ball finding Brown on the right of the box and his low cross was collected by Chaplin who turned and fired in from eight yards out for his ninth goal in 12 games.  It was 2-1 two minutes later as Huddersfield’s first shot of the match was fired into the top corner by Lewis O’Brien with an impressive strike from the edge of the box. 

Mounie came close to levelling soon after but his shot from a tight angle on the right of the area was well kept out by Sami Radlinger. Campbell then sent an acrobatic volley just over the bar from ten yards out. 

Campbell fired a superb chance over from five yards out with a volley from a Juninho Bacuna free-kick on the left wing that had been conceded by Diaby after an errant pass by Radlinger gifted Huddersfield possession.  After a flurry of chances for the away side, the game settled down until Mounie volleyed well wide from 15 yards out on the left side of the box in the 88th minute. 

Barnsley (4-4-2 diamond): Radlinger; J Williams, Diaby, Andersen, Oduor; Halme, Mowatt, Thomas (Schmidt 87mins), Ritzmaier; Chaplin (Simoes 90+1), Brown. Unused: Collins, Thiam, Dougall, B Williams, Bahre. Yellow cards: Diaby, Thomas..  Goals: Mowatt 15, Chaplin 64. 

Huddersfield (4-3-3): Grabara; Simpson (Koroma 63mins), Schindler, Stankovic, Brown (Hadergjonaj HT); Bacuna, Chalobah, O'Brien; Kachunga, Campbell, Grant (Mounie HT). Unused: Coleman, Koroma, Edmonds-Green, Duhaney, Daly. Yellow cards: Simpson, Chalobah, Bacuna, Hadergjonaj, Campbell.  Goals: O’Brien 66. 

AS IT HAPPENED
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  • 15:05pm
     
    2 Huddersfield win a corner on the right, It is cleared out for another which is taken short then the crosses is kicked away by Alex Mowatt. The visitors work the ball back into the box and Karlan Grant has a shot which is deflected and easily saved
  • 15:07pm
     
    4 Mads Andersen loses the ball deep in his half but gets away with it as Trevoh Chalobah's pass is intercepted
  • 15:10pm
     
    7 Some good play from Huddersfield but as Lewis O'Brien goes down under the challenge of Aapo Halme he's judged to have dived, right on the edge of the box. Conor Chaplin is then fouled as the Reds break upfield
  • 15:11pm
     
    9 Clarke Oduor's corner is parried away by Kamil Grabara and Barnsley win a throw-in, still in a decent position in the opponents' half
  • 15:15pm
     
    12 Some good build-up from the Reds starts on the left with Jordan Williams and Luke Thomas, before the ball is sent to the other side of the pitch for Marcel Ritzmaier to cross. His ball in is poor and goes over the bar.
  • 15:17pm
     
    GOAL!
    Alex Mowatt opens the scoring!
  • 15:17pm
     
    GOAL!
    14 Alex Mowatt nets from close range after getting on the end of Jacob Brown's cross.
  • 15:18pm
     
    14 The move was started by a superb ball over the top from Mads Andersen, which found Jacob Brown on the right. He jinked around the defender before firing a low cross across the goal.
  • 15:19pm
     
    16 Marcel Ritzmaier attempts to get the counter going on the left as the Reds win the ball back, with a great lofted ball to Jacob Brown. The move breaks down as Brown tries to play it infield to Alex Mowatt.
  • 15:22pm
     
    18 Good play from the Reds sees Clarke Oduor play in Marcel Riztmaier on the left of goal, but Kamil Grabara is there to collect before the midfielder can get his foot to it. The home side are enjoying more of the ball after the opening minutes.
  • 15:22pm
     
    20 Christoper Schindler gets a good opportunity for a strike just inside the Reds' box, but he fluffs it and it's cleared. It came as a Juninho Bacuna free kick was headed down by Jon Gorenc Stankovic.
  • 15:26pm
     
    23 Another fine attacking move from Barnsley starts with the goalkeeper, who finds Aapo Halme between two Huddersfield forwards with a good pass. It's worked up the pitch for Marcel Ritzmaier to cross from the left, and the side win a throw.
  • 15:26pm
     
    24 Luke Thomas fires over from long range after collecting a throw from the right.
  • 15:29pm
     
    27 Good pressure on the right sees Barnsley win a throw-in, which is sent to Jacob Brown down the line. He's off balance when he attempts the cross and it bounces out for a goal kick.
  • 15:32pm
     
    29 Mads Andersen advances with the ball and plays a lovely lofted pass over the top for Alex Mowatt just on the left of goal, but the skipper's cross can't find anyone and is cleared for a corner. Clarke Oduor delivers and Bambo Diaby heads it wide.
  • 15:34pm
     
    31 Luke Thomas does well to keep then ball in the centre of the pitch and find Jordan Williams on the right, who passes to Jacob Brown. The winger bares down on Huddersfield's defence, but his cross is wayward.
  • 15:35pm
     
    32 Alex Mowatt is tripped on the right hand corner of the penalty area as the Reds again produce some promising build-up play.
  • 15:36pm
     
    33 Clarke Oduor steps up, but overhits his effort on goal from the free kick.
  • 15:38pm
     
    35 Jordan Williams with a great sliding challenge to stop Fraizer Campbell from getting a shot away as the Huddersfield forward broke from a long ball. Moments before, the Reds defence had looked shaky as Bambo Diaby headed a long ball straight up in the air.
  • 15:43pm
     
    40 Marcel Ritzmaier goes close with a deflected effort after Clarke Oduor's corner from the right is cleared. The Austrian's low strike from the edge of the box narrowly missed the right hand post.
  • 15:45pm
     
    42 The pace of the game has slowed considerably after a spell of 20 minutes in which the Reds showed a great deal of attacking intent. They'll be happy with the scoreline and their performance going into half-time.
  • 15:46pm
     
    43 Fraizer Campbell heads a Juninho Bacuna free kick wide. That's the first real chance for the visitors in some time.
  • 15:47pm
     
    44 Barnsley get a free kick 30 yards out in the middle of the pitch. It looks like a training ground routine as Clarke Oduor pings it to Aapo Halme, but the Finn, under pressure, heads it out for a goal kick.
  • 15:48pm
     
    ADDED TIME
    1 minute added time
  • 15:50pm
     
    HALF-TIME: Barnsley 1, Huddersfield Town 0. A good performance is capped off with a well-worked goal from skipper Alex Mowatt.
  • 16:05pm
     
    The Barnsley players are the first out of the tunnel for the second half.
  • 16:09pm
     
    Huddersfield Town make two changes at half-time, with Florent Hadergjonaj and Steve Mounie coming on for Jaden Brown and Karlan Grant.
  • 16:11pm
     
    48 Alex Mowatt appears to take a blow to his head as Fraizer Campbell loses control of the ball in his own half, but the midfielder is up and the visitors get the free kick. They win a throw further up the pitch on the right.
  • 16:13pm
     
    50 Trevor Chalobah beats Clarke Oduor with a neat feint and whips the ball in from the right, but it's cleared by Mads Andersen. He gets a loud cheer from the away fans.
  • 16:15pm
     
    52 A good burst up the pitch by Jordan Williams, who plays a one-two with Jacob Brown on the right before being caught for a free kick. The full-back then powers forward and receives the ball, winning a corner.
  • 16:15pm
     
    YELLOW CARD
    53 Danny Simpson loses the ball after a superb challenge by Marcel Ritzmaier, and pulls the midfielder back.
  • 16:17pm
     
    55 The away side seem lifted by the break, and the double change. They're much more threatening than they were in the first half.
  • 16:21pm
     
    58 Barnsley with some good play on the left involving Alex Mowatt, Clarke Oduor and Conor Chaplin, who had dropped deeper in support. Aapo Halme then turns his man superbly and spreads it back out to the left, but the attack breaks down.
  • 16:24pm
     
    61 Elias Kachunga is judged to have handled the ball after a long ball was knocked down by Steve Mounie, who appears to be causing the Reds centre-backs a few problems with his strength and aerial ability. He's the outlet Huddersfield were lacking in the first half.
  • 16:26pm
     
    SUB OFF
    64 Danny Simpson
  • 16:26pm
     
    SUB ON
    64 Josh Koroma
  • 16:27pm
     
    GOAL!
    Conor Chaplin doubles the lead!
  • 16:28pm
     
    65 Conor Chaplin finishes off another good team goal. Clarke Oduor drove infield and played a long ball to Jacob Brown on the far post, who crossed it low for Alex Mowatt. Chaplin then collected and, taking a touch, fired it toward the centre of goal past the diving Kamil Grabara.
  • 16:29pm
     
    66 Lewis O'Brien with a superb strike from outside the box pulls one back for the visitors.
  • 16:31pm
     
    68 Another good chance for the visitors, only denied by Sami Radlinger. A free kick from Juninho Bacuna came into the box and Steve Mounie, taking a touch with his back to goal, swivelled and fired it towards the near post. The keeper produced a fine stop to turn it out for a corner.
  • 16:33pm
     
    YELLOW CARD
    69 Trevoh Chalobah booked for a foul on Luke Thomas.
  • 16:34pm
     
    71 Fraizer Campell's acrobatic effort is narrowly over the bar, as he beats the defender to a throw-in from the right.
  • 16:37pm
     
    YELLOW CARD
    73 A mistake from Sami Radlinger, who gives the ball away to Lewis O'Brien as he attempts to play it out. Bambo Diaby then kicks O'Brien up in the air as he puts in a very late challenge, and gets booked.
  • 16:38pm
     
    74 Fraizer Campbell blazes a close range effort over the bar from Juninho Bacuna's set piece. What a chance for the visitors to level.
  • 16:40pm
     
    76 Alex Mowatt wins the ball back from Lewis O'Brien on the right side of goal and plays it to Aapo Halme, who attempts to thread it through for Conor Chaplin waiting in the box, but his pass is overhit.
  • 16:42pm
     
    YELLOW CARD
    78 Juninho Bacuna into the book for arguing with the official after his cross is blocked on the right and the Reds get a goal kick. He thinks it should've been a corner.
  • 16:44pm
     
    81 A scrappy period of play, with Huddersfield concentrating their attack down the right and the Reds doing their best to deal with the onslaught. Elias Kachunga fouls Marcel Ritzmaier after pulling the midfielder back.
  • 16:47pm
     
    84 A free kick from Clarke Oduor on the left is chested back towards goal by Jon Gorenc Stankovic. The visitors then go up the other end, but the referee blows his whistle for offside.
  • 16:48pm
     
    86 Aapo Halme wins a throw with a good burst a pace to continue the pressure from the Reds on the right side. They're keeping it in the corner now, with Alex Mowatt, Jordan Williams and Jacob Brown all involved.
  • 16:49pm
     
    SUB OFF
    87 Luke Thomas
  • 16:49pm
     
    SUB ON
    87 Patrick Schmidt
  • 16:50pm
     
    88 Steve Mounie fires wide, as he chests the ball on the left of goal and hits a half-volley.
  • 16:52pm
     
    90 Patrick Schmidt should've really done better there. Marcel Ritzmaier wins the ball back well and powers down the left, feeding it to the striker who left the ball. Looked like he thought Ritzmaier was fouled.
  • 16:53pm
     
    ADDED TIME
    5 minutes added time
  • 16:53pm
     
    SUB OFF
    90+1 Conor Chaplin
  • 16:53pm
     
    SUB ON
    90+1 Elliot Simoes
  • 16:54pm
     
    90+1 Florent Hadergjonaj booked for trying to hurry Chaplin off the pitch. Fraizer Campbell is then booked for dissent.
  • 16:57pm
     
    90+3 The Reds counter as Huddersfield push men up the pitch, Alex Mowatt firing a long ball up to Jacob Brown who was in space on the left channel. Kamil Grabara comes to meet the forward, and appears to make contact, but Brown keeps running and tries to find a teammate but can't get a ball away.
  • 16:58pm
     
    90+3 Marcel Ritzmaier fizzes an effort wide.
  • 16:59pm
     
    90+4 Jordan Williams is caught in his own penalty area and concedes a corner, which Kamil Grabara comes up for. It's cleared and Florent Hadergjonaj takes a shot from outside the box, which is blocked.
  • 17:01pm
     
    FULL-TIME: Barnsley 2, Huddersfield Town 1. The Reds hold on for three points after two well-worked team goals.