Barnsley ended a 20-match wait for an away victory with a 2-0 success at Hull City on Tuesday evening thanks to probably their best performance of the season.

The Reds were excellent in the first half, racing into a 2-0 lead thanks to Callum Styles and Carlton Morris.

They then defended well after the break against a home side who delivered a very poor performance.

It was the Reds' first away victory since a 1-0 success at Huddersfield last April and ended a run of seven straight defeats on the road. It was the first time fans had seen Barnsley win away since a 1-0 victory at Hull two years ago this week.

The gap to safety stayed at nine points as Reading beat Birmingham City.

Poya Asbaghi made two chances from the side that lost at Coventry on Saturday. Amine Bassi returned from injury in place of Callum Brittain, who dropped to the bench, while Matty Wolfe came in for Romal Palmer who was not in the squad. Barnsley played a back four with Wolfe in defensive midfield.

Hull had the first chance in the third minute when Di'Shon Bernard burst down the right wing and crossed for Keane Lewis-Potter who screwed his 12-yard volley well wide at the back post.

Barnsley then had a good spell with Bassi netting but he was flagged offside after latching onto a Claudio Gomes pass. Domingos Quina cut in from the right and hit a powerful 15-yard shot which Hull's teenage goalkeeper Harvey Cartwright, making his full debut, punched away.

The Reds deservedly took the lead on 26 minutes. Gomes charged down a clearance on the left wing then Bassi played a good pass into the box to Morris who intelligently pulled the ball back for Styles to fire in from eight yards out. It was his first goal in 26 games since August.

Barnsley stayed on top with Gomes and Bassi both testing Cartwright from long range.

The lead was doubled on the stroke of half-time when the ball ran to Morris just inside the box and he thumped it into the top right corner.

Barnsley had been excellent in the first half, with Morris the star with a goal and assist while Styles, Bassi, Quina and Gomes had also excellent and they had been solid at the back.

In the second half, Hull dominated the ball as Barnsley sat back to defend their lead and returned to their usual 3-5-1-1 formation.

Hull had a big chance to pull one back five minutes after the break but Sean McLoughlin headed straight at Brad Collins from a left-wing corner.

Home substitute Tyler Smith should have made it 2-1 on 71 minutes when he was put clean through but Collins impressively came off his line and made a good one-on-one block.

Barnsley saw the win out and celebrating with their raucous away end.

Hull (4-2-3-1): Cartwright; Bernard, McLoughlin, Greaves, Fleming; Smallwood (Docherty 59mins), Honeyman, Lewis-Potter, Slater, Longman (Walsh 79); Forss (Smith 59).

Unused: Robson, Jones, Moncur, Huddlestone.

Barnsley (4-1-4-1): Collins; Williams, Helik, Andersen, Vita; Wolfe (Benson 84mins); Styles (Cole 87), Gomes, Bassi (Brittain 77) Quina; Morris.

Unused: Walton, Moon, Hondermarck, Halme,.

Goals: Styles 26, Morris 45+1.

AS IT HAPPENED

  • GAME UNDERWAY
  • 7:46pm

    1 Bright start by the Reds. A raking pass almost puts Morris through on goal but he has to take the ball out of the air mid flight and cannot quite cushion it into his path
  • 7:47pm

    2 Chance for Hull now. A low cross from the right is turned wide at the back post by Lewis Potter
  • 7:49pm

    5 Hull corner on the right is cleared. The follow up cross is over everyone
  • 7:52pm

    Hull have had a good spell since Barnsley's bright first couple of minutes. The hosts are having plenty of the ball and looking to get up the flanks
  • 7:53pm

    8 Barnsley attack. Bassi plays in Vita on the left of the box but his cross is not a good one and easily caught by the goalkeeper on his line
  • 7:53pm

    9 Barnsley win a corner on the left
  • 7:54pm

    10 Bassi takes a corner from the left. It's easily headed away at the near post by Keane Lewis-Potter
  • 7:56pm

    12 Bassi is clean through and scores from a Gomes pass but the flag has long since gone off for offside and he did look off. This has been a good spell for the visitors though
  • 7:57pm

    14 Styles' corner from the left is headed away
  • 7:59pm

    Barnsley's first shot on target. Quina cuts in from the right and unleashes a powerful effort which is punched away by the debutant goalkeeper Harvey Cartwright (shot on target!) The ball is then taken off the feet of Morris by a defender and corner is cleared. 0-0 14 mins
  • 8:04pm

    Into the 20th minute. Barnsley have probably edged this game so far and are already more attacking than Saturday
  • 8:07pm

    A quarter of the way through this game in Hull. Barnsley have shaded it so far. They have already attacked more than they did on Saturday and are putting their hosts under pressure, with the home crowd getting a little bit frustrated at times. Will be deja vu if they don't score though. 0-0
  • 8:09pm

    25 Fantastic pass by Styles out to Quina on the left wing who beats a and man and is tripped. Free-kick
  • 8:09pm

    26 Styles' free-kick from the left is just over the heads of the Reds attackers and cleared
  • 8:11pm

    26 Collins rushes out of his goal and kicks the ball straight to a Hull player but he cannot bring it under control and shoot at the empty net
  • 8:11pm

    GOAL!
    Callum Styles opens the scoring !
  • 8:13pm

    A Hull defender gifts the ball to Gomes on the left wing then Bassi plays a good pass into the box to Morris who pulls it back intelligently for Styles who nets from about eight yards out. Good goal.
  • 8:15pm

    It's Styles' first goal in 26 games since he netted against Birmingham at home in August
  • 8:15pm

    30 Now Gomes shoots from 25 yards but the goalkeeper saves easily
  • 8:17pm

    'It's just like watching Brazil' sing the away fans. The Reds have been really impressive. Some good long passes to spread play and nice intricate moves as well. Hull really rattled. Styles, Quina, Bassi, Morris, Gomes all playing very well so far.
  • 8:19pm

    35 Hull corner on the right is headed clear
  • 8:23pm

    39 Nearly a bad moment for the teenage goalkeeper Cartwright as Bassi lets fly from 30 yards and he fumbles but gathers
  • 8:28pm

    43 Hull's star man Keane Lewis-Potter comes in from the left wing and curls a shot just wide of the top right corner
  • 8:28pm

    Barnsley have been playing a back four with Wolfe in front of them. Basically four attacking midfielders in possession with Styles, Gomes, Bassi, Quina behind Morris
  • 8:30pm

    One added minute. Hull corner on left
  • 8:31pm

    GOAL!
    Carlton Morris doubles the lead
  • 8:33pm

    It's a fine strike into the top left corner from just inside the box
  • 8:33pm

    HALF-TIME: Hull 0, Barnsley 2. The Reds have been well on top and deservedly lead through goals by Callum Styles and Carlton Morris
  • 8:48pm

    SECOND HALF UNDERWAY
  • 8:52pm

    Not much to report so far after the break. Barnsley have been really good so far but they need to see the game out which has not been a strong point for them so far
  • 8:54pm

    51 Hull corner on the left. Big chance. But Sean McLoughlin heads it straight at Collins. Either side and it was in
  • 8:55pm

    52 Styles corner on the right is caught by the goalkeeper
  • 8:59pm

    Hull having a lot of the ball but Barnsley working really hard to chase them over the pitch and close them down
  • 9:02pm

    Hull make the first change of the night. Greg Docherty on for Richard Smallwood
  • 9:02pm

    Tigers also replace Marcus Forss with Tyler Smith
  • 9:04pm

    61 Hull free-kick on the right taken by George Honeyman. Headed down and well wide at the near post by Longman
  • 9:08pm

    Hull have been really poor. So many overhit passes or shanked crosses. They have offered very little on the attack and their fans are grumbling
  • 9:09pm

    That said, the hosts have had a lot of the ball this half and many eventually make something happen if Barnsley have to defend constantly for the rest of the game
  • 9:13pm

    Asbaghi, Sibila and Laumann in conference. They will be slightly concerned about how much of the ball Hull are having, especially in the Reds half,
  • 9:14pm

    Big moment. Tyler Smith is played clean through by a long ball over the top but Brad Collins stands up to it and makes a crucial block. Fine goalkeeping. 0-2 71 mins
  • 9:18pm

    Brittain comes on for Bassi.
  • 9:20pm

    Brittain now right wing back, Barnsley have played a 3-5-1-1 in the second half
  • 9:21pm

    Hull make their last change. Liam Walsh replaces Ryan Longman
  • 9:22pm

    Into the final ten minutes now. Barnsley very close to a second win in three games which they will have deserved on the evidence so far
  • 9:23pm

    81 Hull corner on the left. It falls to McLoughlin but he cannot get it out from under his feet and Barnsley clear
  • 9:24pm

    82 Hull free-kick on the right. Honeyman takes. Bernard heads up in the air and Collins catches but the flag is up anyway
  • 9:25pm

    Josh Benson is coming on
  • 9:26pm

    Benson on for Wolfe, who has had another good game in his second start
  • 9:27pm

    Bad news for Barnsley. Reading are beating Birmingham. But there is still 20 minutes left in that game. The gap would stay at nine points if results stay the same
  • 9:28pm

    Devante Cole about to come on
  • 9:28pm

    Hull haven't created much at all in the last ten minutes. Barnsley defending really resolutely then when the hosts do get a chance to cross or make a killer pass, they have failed
  • 9:28pm

    Cole on for Styles
  • 9:30pm

    'you're getting mauled by the Barnsley' sing the away fans.
  • 9:33pm

    Three added minutes
  • 9:36pm

    FULL-TIME: Hull 0, Barnsley 2. The Reds end a 20-match wait for an away win. They did the damage in the first half with goals by Styles and Morris then defended well after the break