Devante Cole was the two-goal hero as Barnsley gave their promotion ambitions a major boost with a 4-1 home victory over fellow contenders Derby County on Saturday.

Cole and Adam Phillips put the hosts 2-0 up then, after Derby pulled one back, the inspired Cole netted again to make it 3-1 at the end of a frantic first half in which both teams had chances but Barnsley were better and more clinical.

After the break, the Reds controlled the game and Derby barely threatened until the final minutes, before former Derby man Luke Thomas completed the rout.

It was a sixth win in seven games for Michael Duff’s side who overtook their visitors into fifth place. They are now six points clear in the play-off places and nine off the top two.

It was fantastic day for the Reds as their biggest crowd of the season, 17,145, witnessed a deserved win a a potentially massive victory in the promotion chase.

Nicky Cadden returned at left wing-back in place of Ziyad Larkeche having missed the 4-0 win at Cheltenham due to the birth of his son. Oli Shaw was not in the squad.

The Reds had a big chance after five minutes when Cole cleverly flicked Herbie Kane’s pass to Adam Phillips who was through on the left of the box. But his shot went between the bottom right corner and the sliding James Norwood’s outstretched foot.

Bobby Thomas then headed a Luca Connell left-wing free-kick just wide of the left post in the 11th minute.

Derby’s Harvey White saw a 20-yard shot scrambled away by Harry Isted, who made a better save to tip over a Jason Knight volley.

The opening goal came when Cole charged down a clearance by Craig Forsyth and Norwood was tackled in the box with Phillips challenging aerially then the ball rolling towards goal for Cole to tap in for his ninth of the season. Derby wanted offside but Cole appeared to be level with Forsyth throughout the scramble.

Cole almost got another within seconds as he was played through on the right of the penalty area by a long pass but his shot from a tight angle was punched away by Joe Wildsmith.

Derby almost levelled when Tom Barkhuizen’s header from a right-wing corner looped onto the crossbar. David McGoldrick then saw a free-kick tipped wide by Isted.

The second goal began with good passing in the Reds half before Kane’s excellent ball from the left to Norwood on the right wing who laid it back to Jordan Williams to square for Phillips to find the bottom left corner from the edge of the box. It was his eighth goal of the season in all competitions.

McGoldrick made it 2-1 almost instantly when Conor Hourihane’s pass was missed by Mads Andersen and Bobby Thomas to put the striker through to dink the ball over Isted.

Cole charged down goalkeeper Wildsmith and blocked the kick with his head, the ball curling just wide of the goal and Cole requiring treatment.

Barnsley made it 3-1 just before the break. Cole brilliantly beat two players with a run from his own half then swapped passes with Norwood, who produced a wonderful back heel flick, before Cole found Williams on the right. The wing-back crossed low to Norwood whose first attempted shot was blocked high into the air then his overhead kick turned into an assist for Cole who fired in from close range.

In the second half, Barnsley contained their visitors who had most of the ball but struggled to create chances. Forsyth blazed over from just inside the box late on then Isted made a tremendous double save from close range with a third effort being fired wide from close range by Lewis Dobbin in the 89th minute.

Substitute Luke Thomas finished Derby off in injury-time with a shot from outside the box into the empty net after he was gifted the ball.

Barnsley (3-5-2): Isted; B Thomas, Andersen, Kitching; Williams, Kane (Martin 81mins), Connell, Phillips (Russell 81), Cadden; Cole (L Thomas 73mins), Norwood (Tedic 73).

Unused: Searle, Cotter, Larkeche.

Yellow cards: B Thomas, Kitching.

Goals: Cole 21, 43, Phillips 33, L Thomas 90+3.

Derby (4-2-3-1): Wildsmith; Smith, Cashin, Forsyth, Sibley (Roberts 78mins); Hourihane (Springett 78), White (Collins 61mins), Knight; Mendez-Laing, McGoldrick, Bartkhuizen (Dobbin 61). Unused: McGee, Thompson, Davies.

Goals: McGoldrick 35.