Barnsley's run of six straight away wins ended with a 2-0 loss at Coventry City on Sunday.
The hosts scored early then defended well against a Reds side who were not at their best in one of their weaker performances in recent months and conceded another goal deep in injury-time.
Barnsley remain sixth, four points clear of seventh-placed Reading with four games to play.
Valerien Ismael made one change from the side that beat Middlesbrough last weekend as Conor Chaplin replaced Dominik Frieser.
The hosts started well and took the lead in the ninth minute when centre-back Dom Hyam smashed a powerful shot into the bottom right corner from 15 yards after the Reds did not defend a throw-in on the right.
Barnsley gradually edged back into the contest and Romal Palmer had their first shot on target on 24 minutes but his header from a looping Cauley Woodrow cross was easily saved.
Hyam nearly got his second of the game just before the break when a long throw from the left by Sam McCallum was flicked on then the centre-back headed over five yards out.
Woodrow almost levelled on the stroke of half-time when, after Daryl Dike chested down a Callum Styles cross and Chaplin played him in on goal, the striker slid in and fired just wide of the bottom left corner with only the goalkeeper to beat eight yards out.
Carlton Morris came on for Chaplin at the break then Aapo Halme and Frieser replaced Palmer and Woodrow before the hour.
Dike headed over a Mowatt free-kick after it came to him at a difficult angle then Frieser forced a save out of Ben Wilson from a tight angle on the right after a fine Morris flick allowed Styles to power to the edge of the box then play a good pass.
Dike almost levelled in the 88th minute when a Mowatt cross from the left fell to Dike on the right of the six-yard box but he fired high and wide.
Matty Godden made it 2-0 in injury-time when he brought down a long ball and was clean through on goal then checked back past a defender before firing into the bottom right corner.
Godden should have added a third when Barnsley were again cut open and he met a cross from the left six yards out with the goal gaping but shot tamely straight at the goalkeeper.
Coventry (3-5-2): Wilson; Ostigard, McFadzean, Hyam; Dacosta, Kelly, Hamer (O'Hare 60mins), James, McCallum; Walker (Gyokeres 60), Biamou (Godden 74). Unused: Marosi, Rose, Allen, Bakayoko, Shipley, Eccles. Goals: Hyam 9, Godden 90+2.
Barnsley (3-4-3): Collins; Sibbick, Helik, Andersen; Brittain, Palmer (Halme 58mins), Mowatt, Styles; Chaplin (Morris HT), Dike, Woodrow (Frieser 58). Unused: Walton, J Williams, Oduor, Sollbauer, Adeboyejo, Moon. Yellow cards: Styles.
AS IT HAPPENED
  • GAME UNDERWAY
  • 3:02pm
    Coventry are playing a 3-5-2 formation today with ex-Red Matty James joined in the middle by Liam Kelly and Gustavo Hamer
  • 3:03pm
    Not a great deal has happened in the opening three minutes but Barnsley have probably had slightly more of the ball
  • 3:05pm
    The pitch looks hard and bobbly, which should making nice flowing football more difficult
  • 3:07pm
    7 Sam McCallum's long throw is headed away by Helik
  • 3:09pm
    GOAL!
    Dom Hyam smashes in a superb strike
  • 3:10pm
    Sloppy from Barnsley. They don't defend a throw well from the right side and the ball drops to Hyam 15 yards out and he smashes into the bottom right corner
  • 3:12pm
    The home side have started by far the better so far, they have won another corner now
  • 3:15pm
    A lacklustre start by the Reds. The opener reminded me a lot of Birmingham's opener in December, from the same corner and similarly flat-footed defending. Still plenty of time to come back.
  • 3:17pm
    16 Matty James' free-kick on the left is headed well over at the back post by Leo Ostigard
  • 3:20pm
    20 Alex Mowatt's free-kick on the right, it is easily cleared by the first man
  • 3:22pm
    22 Mowatt free-kick is again headed away then Dike concedes a foul in the box
  • 3:23pm
    The Reds have been a bit better in the last five minutes or so. They need to get their front three more involved and worry the home back three
  • 3:24pm
    24 A nice passing move for Barnsley which lasts about a minute, but the ending is a bit disappointing as Woodrow loops a high cross from the left and Palmer wins a header 12 yards out but it floats into the goalkeeper's arms
  • 3:30pm
    Daryl Dike against Kyle McFadzean should be a match-up in the Reds' favour but so far they haven't put the Coventry centre-back under any pressure
  • 3:30pm
    Ismael clearly not happy on the sidelines, which is not surprising since his team have been poor in the first half an hour
  • 3:34pm
    Another decent little spell for the Reds, with plenty of possession, but they are yet to carve out a real chance apart from that Palmer header which was easily saved
  • 3:35pm
    The Reds are starting to spread the ball better and get their wing-backs involved more
  • 3:36pm
    36 Mowatt's left wing free-kick appears to come off a Barnsley player and go wide at the front post
  • 3:37pm
    The Reds are finishing the half strongly. Can they level before the break?
  • 3:41pm
    I wouldn't be surprised to see Morris and maybe Frieser come on at half-time. Barnsley have grown into the game but are not worrying their hosts enough up front
  • 3:41pm
    Cauley Woodrow has mainly featured defending in his own half and a lot of Conor Chaplin's attempted tricks and flicks have not worked
  • 3:42pm
    41 A decent chance for Dom Hyam to make it 2-0 with his second of the game. A left wing long throw by Sam McCallum is headed over six yards out
  • 3:45pm
    One added minute
  • 3:46pm
    HALF-TIME: Coventry 1, Barnsley 0
  • 3:47pm
    Big chance for the Reds on the stroke of half-time. Styles' cross was chested down by Dike to Chaplin who put Woodrow through and, sliding, he beat the goalkeeper to the ball and shot just wide of the bottom left corner
  • 4:02pm
    SECOND HALF UNDERWAY
  • 4:02pm
    Carlton Morris has replaced Conor Chaplin
  • 4:05pm
    A scrappy start to the second half but Barnsley have had more of the ball
  • 4:10pm
    Frieser, Adeboyejo and Jordan Williams all warming up vigorously for the Reds
  • 4:11pm
    54 Mowatt free-kick on the left looks to be slightly flicked by Helik then drops to Dike who heads it well over. It seemed to come to him at a difficult angle
  • 4:13pm
    Dominik Frieser and Aapo Halme have come on for Cauley Woodrow and Aapo Halme
  • 4:14pm
    Halme should add more aerial prowess in the middle and Frieser some energy up front
  • 4:15pm
    59 Mowatt's free-kick on the right is headed up by a defender then the goalkeeper gathers at a second attempt
  • 4:17pm
    Coventry bring on Viktor Gyokeres and Callum O'Hare for Gustavo Hamer and Tyler Walker
  • 4:19pm
    62 Mowatt corner on the left is headed away
  • 4:21pm
    64 Gyokeres goes through after latching onto a long ball but Helik makes an excellent last-ditch block in his area
  • 4:22pm
    65 James' corner is short to McCallum who shoots well wide from 25 yards
  • 4:26pm
    Midway through the second half. The Reds are struggling to create a coherent attack. They are trying to build up more than usual and just aren't able to break down the home backline
  • 4:27pm
    70 Big chance for the Reds, Morris' excellent flick plays in Styles who powers towards the edge of the box then slips in Frieser whose shot from the right of the box is saved
  • 4:30pm
    72 Mowatt's free-kick is headed on and Andersen looks set to head in but the referee blows for a foul
  • 4:30pm
    Coventry have brought on Matty Godden for Max Biamou
  • 4:32pm
    76 Frieser's long throw on the left is cleared
  • 4:35pm
    Pretty much every Barnsley attacking player has had one of their worst games of the season today, unfortunately
  • 4:36pm
    Carlton Morris has at least added a but more energy and pressure on the home defence
  • 4:39pm
    Into the last ten minutes, during which time Barnsley have scored 13 goals this season
  • 4:40pm
    Barnsley were on the attack after a throw in was cleared but the referee stopped played due to a head injury to Kyle McFadzean
  • 4:42pm
    YELLOW CARD
    Callum Styles booked after losing the ball and fouling Matty James
  • 4:44pm
    86 Mowatt takes a free-kick on the left wing. It is cleared as it has been so often this afternoon
  • 4:45pm
    88 Big chance. Mowatt crosses the ball into the box from the left and it reaches Dike on the right of the six yard box but he shoots wide from a tight angle
  • 4:47pm
    Four added minutes
  • 4:48pm
    GOAL!
    Matt Godden secures the win for the hosts
  • 4:50pm
    A long ball over the top puts Godden clean through on goal and he checked past a defender before firing into the bottom right corner
  • 4:50pm
    90+4 Godden should score again as a cross from the left is met by the striker who should score but fires straight at Collins
  • 4:52pm
    FULL-TIME: Coventry City 2, Barnsley 0. The Reds remain four points clear in the top six with four games to play