Reds hold on after superb first half

A fantastic first half performance helped Barnsley to a 3-2 win at Port Vale on Boxing Day despite a spirited comeback from the hosts.

The rampant Reds raced into a 3-0 half-time lead as Adam Phillips opened the scoring then John McAtee netted twice in five minutes.

Vale were much improved after the break and got two goals back but were unable to stop the Reds getting the win which kept them seventh, two points off the top six and six off the top two with games in hand on most of those above them.

The only change to the 11 from Saturday’s win over Stevenage saw Nicky Cadden come in for the benched Nicky Cadden at left wing-back.

Vale began on top, with Alfie Devine’s long-range strike going just over, but it was the visitors who netted with their first real attack on 17 minutes.

Herbie Kane’s superb lofted pass over the defence was headed home by the onrushing Phillips across the goalkeeper and into the bottom left corner. The move had started when Kane’s deflected pass put McAtee in the clear then he hesitated in the box and completed the one, two.

Liam Roberts tipped over a powerful 20-yard strike by Ethan Chislett but Barnsley doubled their lead on 32 minutes. Devante Cole ran onto Jamie McCart’s pass down the left and easily beat former Barnsley transfer target Jesse Debrah then surged into the box before pulling the ball back for McAtee to finish from close range.

Alex Iacovitti nearly pulled one back but headed over after Roberts could not get to a corner from the right wing.

The third goal saw Mael de Gevigney win the ball back in the Vale half then McAtee magnificently lobbed the goalkeeper from 35 yards.

McAtee tried to complete a first half hat-trick in injury time but his 20-yard shot was easily saved after good work by Kane and McCart.

Corey O’Keeffe was very close to a fourth on the stroke of half-time but his close-range flick header from Kane’s left-wing corner went straight into the goalkeeper’s arms.

Vale started well in the second half and had the ball in the net when Chislett was played through and found the bottom left corner but the flag was up for offside.

Kane tried to outdo McAtee with a quick shot from a 50-yard free-kick but the goalkeeper caught easily then, at the other end, Roberts held Devine’s 30-yard effort.

Chislett was played in again on the left of but blazed across the face of goal then, at the other end, the ball broke to Kane in a fine position on the edge of the box but he scuffed his shot to the goalkeeper.

Chislett pulled one back on 72 minutes with a fine finish into the bottom right corner 20 yards out after cutting in from the left.

Home substitute James Wilson saw a weak 15-yard shot kept out of the bottom left corner by Roberts on 88 minutes. Wilson looked certain to score seconds later when a cross from the left was volleyed back across goal but his header was somehow caught on the line by Roberts.

Young substitute Jack Shorrock headed in a right-wing cross on 94 minutes but Barnsley just held on for the win.

Port Vale (3-4-2-1): Ripley; Debrah, Iacovitti (Shorrock 76mins), Lowe; Massey (Lomax 76), Garrity, Walters (Ikpeazu HT), Grant; Chislett, Devine; Loft (Wilson HT). Unused: Leutwiler, Balmer, Smith.

Yellow cards: Iacovitti, Garrity, Ikpeazu.

Goals: Chislett 72, Shorrock 90+4.

Barnsley (3-5-2): Roberts; Williams, de Gevigney, McCart (Lopata 67mins); O’Keeffe, Phillips, Connell (Russell HT), Kane, Cadden; Cole (Cosgrove 64), McAtee (Jalo 64).

Unused: Killip, Cotter, Styles.

Yellow cards: Connell.

Goals: Phillips 17; McAtee 32, 37.