Barnsley suffered a fourth straight league defeat and are winless in 11 after a 1-0 loss at home to promotion-chasing Bournemouth.
The visitors took the lead early on after an error by goalkeeper Brad Collins then both sides had chances, with Callum Styles especially guilty for the Reds, before England international Gary Cahill was sent off for the hosts in the 88th minute.
The result left Barnsley last in the Championship and eight points from safety.
Head coach Poya Asbaghi was still isolating after testing positive for Covid-19 so watched from home with assistant Ferran Sibila on touchline duties. Striker Carlton Morris was also out after testing positive.
Matty Wolfe made his first start for the club, having come through the academy, while Remy Vita also made his full league debut. They replaced Claudio Gomes and Victor Adeboyejo who joined the long injury list.
Barnsley used a 3-5-2 formation with Jasper Moon joining Michal Helik and Mads Andersen in the back three, while Jordan Willians played at right wing-back and Vita on the left, with Devante Cole and Aaron Leya Iseka up front.
Bournemouth started well and almost took the lead in the third minute when ex-Red Ben Pearson's cross was dropped by goalkeeper Brad Collins and Dominik Solanke sent a looping header onto the roof of the net.
Solanke then shot wide five yards out at the front post after a fine run down the right wing by Jack Stacey.
The opener came in the 12th minute when Collins ran out of his area to clear a Stacey long ball but was beaten to it by Solanke who then crossed from the right and, although Collins had scrambled back to near his line, he could only palm Phil Billing's header into his net.
The game then became slightly more even, although the visitors looked the more dangerous side.
Jefferson Lerma smashed a shot over from a tight angle on the right of the box then, at the other end, Romal Palmer curled a shot well wide from the edge of the box.
Collins fumbled Ryan Christie's 25-yard effort but caught it on the line then, from the resulting counter-attack, Iseka's powerful shot from the left of the box but was pushed away by goalkeeper Mark Travers after diving to his left.
Billing should have made it 2-0 on 35 minutes when he met Christie's left-wing cross on the right of the six yard box but blazed over. Solanke then headed a right-wing Christie corner over from eight yards out at the near post.
The hosts should have levelled on the stroke of half-time. Palmer won the ball high up the pitch from a loose pass and swapped passes with Cole then crossed low from the right of the box for Styles who was unmarked but denied five yards out.
Barnsley just shaded the second half in one of their better recent displays.
Cole almost levelled just after the break when met met Styles' free-kick from the right and volleyed eight yards out but Travers dived to his right to save. Collins then scrambled to his right to keep out a Lerma header from a Bournemouth free-kick.
Lerma also shot wide sliding in at the back post from a Pearson cross, just after Travers had saved a low 25-yard Styles shot. Pearson blazed over after a corner was half-cleared.
Aiden Marsh, the 18-year-old from Monk Bretton, came on for his debut and had a shot within less than a minute but Travers dived to his left to save the powerful 25-yard effort.
Styles had another chance in the 85th minute when his acrobatic effort from eight yards out went straight at the goalkeeper.
Cahill was dismissed after bringing down Cole having already been booked for a foul on the same player.
Barnsley (3-5-2): Collins; Moon, Helik, Andersen, J Williams; Wolfe (Marsh 78mins), Palmer (Benson 68mins); Vita, Styles, Iseka; Cole.
Unused: Walton, Hondermarck, Sraha, Bremang, Thompson.
Bournemouth (4-3-3): Travers; Stacey, Kelly, Cahill, Zemura; Lerma, Billing, Pearson; Anthony (Lowe 84mins), Solanke, Christie (Hill 90).
Unused: Dennis, Marcondes, Davis, Kilkenny, Moriah-Welsh.
Yellow cards: Cahill, Solanke.
Red cards: Cahill.
Goals: Billing 12.
AS IT HAPPENED
1 Barnsley already defending as they lost the ball in their half but eventually the ball goes out for a goal kick
  • 3:03pm
    Barnsley have returned to three at the back, with Moon alongside Helik and Kitching. J Williams right back and Vita on the left
  • 3:04pm
    3 Decent chance for the hosts. Ben Pearson's cross is dropped by Collins and Solanke sends a looping header over from six yards out
  • 3:07pm
    6 Jordan Williams' free-kick from the right is over everything and out
  • 3:10pm
    Bournemouth have come close twice in the first eight minutes. Solanke, who headed onto the roof of the net earlier, now shoots wide from five yards out at the front post after a great run by Jack Stacey. 0-0
  • 3:10pm
    10 Moon's long throw is punched by the goalkeeper, Palmer heads it back into the box but the flag is up for offside
  • 3:12pm
    GOAL!
    Phillip Billing opens the scoring after an error by Brad Collins
  • 3:15pm
    Collins is beaten outside his box to a long ball by Solanke who sends in a loping cross which Billing heads in despite a touch by Collins
  • 3:18pm
    Barnsley fans have been chanting 'we want Conway out' and 'you greedy b******ds get out of our club' since well before the goal went in
  • 3:19pm
    Obviously a disastrous start for the Reds. it feels like a damage limitation exercise already
  • 3:19pm
    19 Now Lerma smashes a shot over from a tight angle on the right after a cross is half-cleared
  • 3:22pm
    21 Very poor free-kick by Styles from the left goes over everyone and is cleared
  • 3:24pm
    23 Barnsley improving slightly. The hosts put together a decent move and, after Vita's cross is half-cleared, Palmer's shot from outside the box is curled well wife
  • 3:26pm
    25 Good block by Moon in his six yard box after Billing dispossess Helik and shoots
  • 3:28pm
    27 Ryan Christie shoots from 25 yards and Collins fumbles but catches then the Reds counter attack and Iseka shoots from the left of the box but the goalkeeper dives to his right to save
  • 3:33pm
    It's a more even game now with Barnsley starting to get forward a bit more. Can they find a leveller?
  • 3:34pm
    34 Anthony put through by a long ball, his cross from the left of the box is put behind by Helik for a corner
  • 3:35pm
    34 Christie's corner goes over everyone
  • 3:36pm
    35 Big chance for the visitors. Ryan Christie's cross from the left is met at the back post by Billing. The angle is tight but it's a bad miss as he blazes over inside the six yard box
  • 3:38pm
    36 Solanke then heads a right-wing Christie corner over from eighth yards out at the near post.
  • 3:40pm
    39 Zemura and Anthony, who destroyed Barnsley in Bournemouth, do brilliantly on the left to beat Williams and Wolfe but Helik clears for a corner which is volleyed well over
  • 3:41pm
    41 Moon's long throw from the left is headed out and cleared
  • 3:43pm
    42 Bournemouth corner on the right. Christie takes, Wolfe heads out, it's nodded back in but the goalkeeper catches
  • 3:47pm
    45 Massive chance for the Reead. Palmer wins the ball high up the pitch, swaps passes with Cole and crosses low, for Styles who touches it five yards out but the goalkeeper saves then Cole's header is blocked. Half-time whistle goes. Big moment
  • 3:47pm
    HALF-TIME: Barnsley 0, Bournemouth 1
  • 4:03pm
    SECOND HALF UNDERWAY
  • 4:05pm
    Bournemouth have had most of the ball in this half, like the first, but no chances as yet
  • 4:09pm
    51 Another chance for the home side. Styles' free-kick from the right is met by Cole volleys from eight yards but Travers dives to his right to save
  • 4:11pm
    54 Bournemouth free-kick on the left is headed by Lerma and Collins scrambles to his right to keep it out
  • 4:14pm
    57 Styles hits a low 25 yard shot which Travers get down to his left to save. The Reds have given as good as they have got in the second half so far
  • 4:17pm
    59 Styles' left wing free-kick is touched over by an attack. Not sure who but you couldn't really call it a chance
  • 4:18pm
    60 Right wing corner for Bournemouth, played short to Pearson who crosses from the left is met at the back post by a sliding Lerman who turns wide
  • 4:21pm
    64 Bournemouth corner on the right. Taken by by Anthony and headed out
  • 4:24pm
    YELLOW CARD
    Gary Cahill is booked after losing the ball to Cole then bringing him down
  • 4:24pm
    Josh Benson is coming on
  • 4:25pm
    Benson replaces Romal Palmer
  • 4:27pm
    69 Bournemouth's right wing corner, taken by Christie, is half cleared then Ben Pearson fires over
  • 4:28pm
    YELLOW CARD
    Dominic Solanke booked for a high foot
  • 4:31pm
    Approaching the final 15 minutes. Barnsley have defended pretty well for the most part and hung in there, but they have not taken the few chances they created
  • 4:32pm
    75 Benson's corner from the left hits Cole beyond the back post then is cleared
  • 4:33pm
    Aiden Marsh about to come on
  • 4:34pm
    77 Bournemouth corner on the left. Christie takes. Cahill heads about 15 yards out and Collins easily catches
  • 4:36pm
    79 Marsh comes on and, with 20 seconds, he shoots from 25 yards. it's a good effort but the goalkeeper dives to his left to save
  • 4:40pm
    Barnsley are having a decent spell of pressure, they have been the better side in this half
  • 4:40pm
    Bournemouth bring on Jamal Lowe for Anthony
  • 4:42pm
    85 Another chance for Styles. The ball is played in from the right and he tries an acrobatic effort about eight yards out but it .lacks power and is straight at the goalkeeper
  • 4:45pm
    RED CARD
    Gary Cahill gets a second yellow for bringing down Devante Cole and is sent off
  • 4:46pm
    Barnsley will play the last two minutes plus stoppages against ten men
  • 4:46pm
    Bournemouth bring on James Hill for Ryan Christie
  • 4:47pm
    90 Styles corner on the left is headed out
  • 4:48pm
    Three added minutes. Barnsley deserve a point for their performance. They pushing for a leveller against ten men. 0-1
  • 4:51pm
    FULL-TIME: Barnsley 0, Bournemouth 1. The Reds had the better of the second half but missed key chances. England international Gary Cahill was sent off for the visitors in the 88th minute

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