Reds defeat Plymouth to cut gap to top 2

Barnsley gained a huge result in their promotion push as recorded a superb 3-0 home victory over second-placed Plymouth Argyle at Oakwell.

Adam Phillips opened the scoring just after the hour-mark with a fine long-range strike then captain Mads Andersen doubled the lead before Nicky Cadden curled in a 90th-minute free-kick.

The Reds deserved the win as they were the better side overall, creating more chances than their rattled visitors who lost the ball regularly although they did miss one golden opportunity to take the lead.

Barnsley remain fourth in League One, nine points clear in the top six and eight behind Plymouth, who are in the lower of the automatic promotion places, with two games in hand on the Devon side.

Barnsley kept the same starting 11 and bench from Tuesday’s win over Portsmouth.

The hosts were the better side in the first half, often winning the ball in Plymouth territory but usually unable to make the right choice or produce the killer final pass or finish.

The Reds had the ball in the net after three minutes when Herbie Kane lashed home a powerful shot from just inside the box. But the flag was up, apparently for offside against James Norwood when Adam Phillips’ cross went into the box and was cleared.

Norwood then volleyed a tough chance over from the right of the box before Phillips robbed a defender on the edge of the area but Devante Cole could not return the ball to him.

Plymouth’s first chance saw Mickel Miller hit the side netting from a very tight angle on the left of the six-yard box after Harry Isted dropped a cross and Mads Andersen made a good block.

Finn Azaz smashed a 20-yard shot well off-target then, at the other end, Cole led a counter-attack but did not pass to his team-mates in space and lost the ball. Cole did so again soon after much to the frustration of his team-mates and coaches.

Cole was replaced by Max Watters at half-time.

The visitors should have scored 15 seconds after the break when an Andersen error put Ryan Hardie clean through but Isted made a fine one-on-one save.

Kane crosses then led to a Phillips header over and a flicked header by Norwood which forced the first save for the Plymouth goalkeeper diving to his left to catch easily. Kane then volleyed a tough chance too close top the goalkeeper after Phillips headed to him.

Luca Connell then missed a golden chance, firing wide when totally unmarked in the box after Nigel Lonwijk lost the ball to Phillips just outside the box. He missed the bottom right corner when he looked certain to net.

Phillips broke the deadlock on 61 minutes when he found the bottom left corner with a shot from outside the box.

The visitors seemed stunned by that goal and conceded again on 79 minutes when the impressive Bobby Thomas crossed from the right and Andersen headed in his first league goal of the season from close range.

Isted pushed away a powerful volley from Ben Waine on the right of the box.

Cadden capped the win with a free-kick into the top right corner for his second goal of the week.

Barnsley (3-5-2): Isted; B Thomas, Andersen, Kitching; Williams, Phillips (Benson 73mins), Connell (Russell 90), Kane (L Thomas 83), Cadden; Norwood (Tedic 73), Cole (Watters HT).

Unused: Searle, Larkeche.

Goals: Phillips 61, Andersen 79, Cadden 90.

Plymouth (3-4-2-1): Burton; Gillesphey, Wilson (Mayor 65mins), Lonwijk; Miller, Matete (Houghton 75), Butcher, Mumba; Wright, Azaz (Waine 75); Hardie (Enniss 65).

Unused: Parkes, Bolton, Edwards.

Yellow cards: Matete.