Barnsley gained a welcome home victory – and were given a very rare penalty – as they cruised to a 3-0 win over Shrewsbury Town on Tuesday evening.
The Reds scored twice midway through a fine first half performance as Herbie Kane netted from the spot, then Callum Styles doubled the lead minutes later.
The second half was more dull but Devante Cole added another late on.
The Reds had lost four of their last five home league games including the last two, but are now unbeaten in four with three wins.
They remain third in the table, six off top and three clear in the top six.
Neill Collins made three changes from the Saturday draw at Leyton Orient as John McAtee, the former Shrewsbury player, Styles and Barry Cotter came in for the benched Max Watters, Josh Benson and Corey O’Keeffe.
After a quiet first 20 minutes, Barnsley were gifted a penalty when Nicky Cadden’s corner fell to Cotter whose shot was blocked in the box by the arm of Carl Winchester. It was their first league penalty at Oakwell in 34 games and 591 days since March last year when Carlton Morris scored against Fulham. Kane converted for his second goal of the week.
Four minutes later it was 2-0 as Cole outmuscled a defender on the right wing, ran into the box and squared to Styles to find the empty net from a few yards out. Shrewsbury felt they should have had a penalty seconds earlier after Mal Benning tangled with Mael de Givegney in the box.
McAtee shot wide of the top right corner from 22 yards after a good touch by Jon Russell, then Cadden bent a free-kick wide of the top right corner.
Styles came off at half-time for Adam Phillips, after limping before the break.
In the second half, Max Mata headed wide for the Shrews then Cole shot wide of the top left corner from 15 yards after a superb run from his own half.
Shrewsbury’s first shot on target arrived on 61 minutes when, after a scramble following a corner, Chey Dunkley’s header was cleared off the line by Cadden.
The third goal saw Cole swap passes impressively with Max Watters and go clean through to beat the goalkeeper one-on-one for his tenth of the season.
Barnsley (3-5-2): Killip; Williams, de Gevigney, McCart; Cotter (O’Keeffe 64mins), Styles (Phillips HT), Russell, Kane, Cadden (Dodgson 64); McAtee (Watters 64), Cole (Benson 78).
Unused: Flavell, Shepherd.
Yellow cards: Styles.
Goals: Kane 20 (pen); Styles 24, Cole 76.
Shrewsbury (3-5-2): Marosi; Flanagan, Dunkley, Sraha (Pierre 85); Winchester, Perry (Anderson 81), Kenneh (Sobowale HT), Perry, Benning (Bennett 81); Mata (Bowman 64), Udoh.
Unused: Burgoyne, Watts.
Yellow cards: Dunkley.
