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.
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