Barnsley suffered a seventh successive defeat as they took the lead but lost 2-1 at Bristol City on Saturday.
Aaron Leya Iseka put the visitors in front and they were on top for most of the first half but Andreas Weimann netted in the 42nd and 45th minutes to secure his side's first home win since January.
The Reds continued to create the better chances after the break but remain winless in 13 games and second bottom in the Championship, while they are now four points from safety.
Markus Schopp made four changes to the side that lost 3-2 at home to Sheffield United six days earlier.
Barnsley were handed a huge pre-game boost as Mads Andersen played his first match of the season following injury, in place of Toby Sibbick.
Devante Cole and Aaron Leya Iseka came in for Victor Adeboyejo and Dominik Frieser while Jordan Williams replaced Callum Styles. Josh Benson returned from injury to be on the bench but there was no place for Will Hondermarck or Obbi Oulare.
The first quarter of the match saw very little action, with Jordan Williams' cross-come-shot easily saved before Tyreeq Bakinson shot just over at the other end.
The first big chance fell to the Reds in the 24th minute when, after Jasper Moon won the ball and Callum Brittain played him in, Williams' 12-yard shot from the left of the penalty area was well-saved by Daniel Bentley.
The goal arrived minutes later when Cole ran down the right of the penalty box and pulled the ball back for Leya Iseka who fired in from six yards out. It was his second goal in as many games and Barnsley's first away from home in four.
Brittain then brought a decent save out of Bentley with a low 22-yard effort following excellent work by Woodrow who beat a man and passed to the right wing-back.
Leya Iseka almost got a second goal but took a poor touch when free in the box from Woodrow's fine cross.
At that point, the Reds were on top and the home fans were beginning to turn on their side who had not won at Ashton Gate in 17 games.
The equaliser came against the run of play when Nakhi Wells' pass put Weimann clean through and he beat Brad Collins one-on-one.
Former Barnsley player Matty James almost put the hosts ahead after a long throw was cleared to him but his shot from just inside the box was well saved by Collins diving down to his right.
It was 2-1 on the stroke of half-time when the visitors' backline was once again cut open and Chris Martin was free on the left of the box to pick out Weimann who finished well again.
Both goals were due to poor defending from the Reds who were far too easy to pass through and they went into the break knowing 42 minutes of good work had been undone.
Schopp brought Benson on for Claudio Gomes at half-time.
Williams had his third shot on target of the game on the hour when his 25-yard curling effort was easily caught by Bentley.
There was then an astonishing goalmouth scramble from a Benson corner, with Michal Helik crashing a close-range shot against the bar before Moon;s effort was scrambled off the line by Martin.
Wells then should have made it 3-1 after being played in by Bakinson on the break from a Barnsley corner but blazed over 12 yards out on the right of the box.
Benson then almost scored his first Barnsley goal but his diving header seven yards out from Cole's cross was superbly repelled at point blank range by Bentley.
Benson's left-wing corner was then cleared off the line before the visitors appealed for a penalty for handball in the box but it was not given.
Cole curled a 25-yard shot over the top right corner then, in the 94th minute, a back-post header by Brittain appeared to be put over almost on the goalline by Cole.
Bristol City (4-3-3): Bentley; Tanner, Kalas, Atkinson, Pring (Dasilva 50mins); James, Massengo, Bakinson (Benarous 67mins); Weimann, Wells, Martin.
Unused: O'Leary, Simpson, O'Dowda, Bell.
Goals: Weimann 42, 45.
Barnsley (3-4-3): Collins; Andersen, Helik, Kitching; Brittain, Gomes (Benson HT), Moon, J Williams; Cole, Woodrow, Leya Iseka (Adeboyejo 77mins).
Unused: Walton, Sibbick, Palmer, Oduor, Frieser.
Goals: Iseka 28.
AS IT HAPPENED
  • GAME UNDERWAY
  • 3:04pm
    Decent first minute for the Reds with a couple of throw ins cleared
  • 3:05pm
    Mads Andersen is on the right of the back three with Kitching on the left and Helik in the middle
  • 3:06pm
    3 Nice move by the Reds involving first time passes by all the front three, then Woodrow sends it out to Brittain on the right but his pass is well over hit and the goalkeeper gathers
  • 3:09pm
    Bristol City struggling to get forward at the moment when they have the ball. Barnsley look the livelier side so far and will be pleased with their start
  • 3:10pm
    7 First shot of the game. It may have been a cross. Jordan Williams, after another decent move, checks onto his right foot on the left wing and fires the ball into the box but Bentley catches easily
  • 3:11pm
    8 Long throw by Bristol City's £8million man Tomas Kalas is caught by Collins
  • 3:12pm
    10 Barnsley have another attack,. A good run by Iseka but he fails to see Brittain in lots of space to his right on the wing and is tackled
  • 3:14pm
    Bristol City's tactic seems to be to put their visitors under pressure with quick balls forward behind the back three. Matty James the latest to try – having played that way under Ismael at Barnsley last season – but Andersen scrambles it away from Weimann
  • 3:15pm
    13 Robins corner on the left after Weimann's cross is headed by Helik. The hosts are having a decent spell now
  • 3:16pm
    13 Matty James' corner is headed out by his former Reds team-mate Cauley Woodrow then his follow up cross is headed out by his former Reds team-mate Callum Brittain
  • 3:17pm
    14 Barnsley break from that corner and have men over on the attack but both Woodrow and Iseka hesitate on the edge of the box and the ball is cleared
  • 3:18pm
    15 Bristol City's first shot. Tyreeq Bakinson – who scored at Oakwell last season – curls just over the bar about 22 yards out
  • 3:18pm
    Bristol had men over then and could have worked a better opening but the crowd urged Bakinson to shoot and he did
  • 3:20pm
    17 Chris Martin gets in on the right of the box and his cross is put out by Andersen for a corner
  • 3:20pm
    18 James' corner is headed by Kalas then that leads to a scramble and the referee gives a free-kick to the Reds
  • 3:22pm
    City have had the better of the last ten minutes or so, after a bright start by the Reds who are now defending more and relying on the odd counter attack. Still no real chances of note in this game though
  • 3:26pm
    24 First big chance of the game and it falls to the Reds. Jordan Williams is played in on the left of the box after a good move, checks onto his right foot and shoots from about ten yards but Bentley saves
  • 3:29pm
    26 James' free-kick is cleared then Massengo's deflected shot almost puts Wells through by Collins punches clear then Barnsley win a free-kick
  • 3:30pm
    Aaron Leya Iseka puts the visitors in front!
  • 3:31pm
    Cole run down the right of the box and Iseka tucks in
  • 3:38pm
    Apologies. Got confused on that goal. Cole assist and Iseka goal. Either way a massive moment for the Reds, who have played well so far
  • 3:38pm
    A drinks break for all the players now with Woodrow down injured
  • 3:41pm
    38 Brilliant hold up play by Cauley Woodrow who then passes to Brittain and his 20-yard shot is saved by Bentley
  • 3:42pm
    40 Another chance for the Reds. Woodrow's cross from the right puts Iseka in the clear but he takes a poor touch and the ball is cleared
  • 3:44pm
    GOAL!
    Andreas Weimann equalises
  • 3:46pm
    Suckerpunch. Totally against the run of play. The Austrian is put clean through and beats Collins
  • 3:47pm
    Gutting for Barnsley who were on top and the home crowd were turning against their side. The Reds could have gone further ahead with Brittain having a shot saved then Iseka took a poor touch when free in the box
  • 3:48pm
    45 Matty James nearly scores against his old club. A long throw by Kalas is headed out to James whose shot from just inside the box is saved by Collins down low to his left.
  • 3:50pm
    GOAL!
    Andreas Weimann gets another. The hosts have turned it around in five minutes
  • 3:51pm
    Again so easy to get behind the Reds backline, Martin pulls it back to Weimann and he nets
  • 4:06pm
    SECOND HALF UNDER WAY
  • 4:10pm
    Josh Benson replaced Claudio Gomes at the break
  • 4:11pm
    Now Bristol City are bringing on Jay Dasilva for Cameron Bring
  • 4:13pm
    How crucial could the final five minutes of that half be? The Reds were on top and the home fans turning against their side who have not won here in nine months.
  • 4:14pm
    53 Benson corner on the right. It is cleared easily and the hosts try to counter but Collins come out of his box and clears
  • 4:17pm
    City's Rob Atkinson down receiving treatment but he's up now and set to carry on
  • 4:18pm
    The atmosphere now is positive with the home fans getting behind their team
  • 4:20pm
    60 Jordan Williams has his third shot on target of the match. He is a curling strike from 25 yards which is easily saved by Bentley
  • 4:23pm
    62 Barnsley still going for this. Great ball by Benson to Brittain on right of box. He finds Woodrow who wins a corner
  • 4:23pm
    62 Astonishing goal line scramble from a Benson corner. The Reds hit the crossbar and had a shot cleared off the line. Incredible
  • 4:27pm
    Barnsley having a really good spell here. The away fans getting behind them. Benson has a couple of corners cleared
  • 4:28pm
    67 Big chance for 3-1 on the break from the corner. Bakinson plays in Wells on the right but he blazes over 12 yards out
  • 4:29pm
    69 Benson's corner on the right is punched away by Bentley
  • 4:33pm
    Decent second half so far from the Reds. Benson has made a big difference with his corners and passing in general. Bristol City still a big threat on the break through
  • 4:34pm
    73 Benson so close to his first Barnsley goal. His diving header six yards out is superbly saved by Bentley after a Cole cross following a fine run by Williams
  • 4:36pm
    Iseka replaced by Adeboyejo
  • 4:37pm
    76 Benson's left-wing corner appears to be cleared off the goal line by a defender. Barnsley well on top at the moment
  • 4:38pm
    77 Barnsley think they should have a penalty for handball in the box but the referee does not give it
  • 4:41pm
    Putting aside the context of the season, the Reds have played well today and deserve something from the game.
  • 4:44pm
    Approaching the final five minutes here. Can Barnsley find a leveller?
  • 4:44pm
    84 Devante Cole curls a 25-yard shot over the top right corner
  • 4:45pm
    A Bristol City player is down in the box receiving treatment
  • 4:48pm
    The home fans are really getting behind their team and trying to help them to a first home win in nine months
  • 4:49pm
    88 Jasper Moon seems to have a long throw all of a sudden. He chucks the ball into the box but it is headed out
  • 4:50pm
    89 An Adeboyejo cross drops nicely for Williams 15 yards out of the left of the box but he completely misses the ball trying to shoot
  • 4:51pm
    Four added minutes
  • 4:53pm
    90+2 Benson corner on the right falls to Collins who is up from in goal and beats a man on the left but his cross his cleared.
  • 4:54pm
    90+4 Kitching's header at the break post looks certain to go in but bounces over the bar via a touch, apparently from a Barnsley player as no corner is given
  • 4:56pm
    FULL-TIME: Bristol City 2, Barnsley 1. The Reds suffer a seventh successive defeat. They were much better today but again poor defending for the goals and missed chances cost them