An inspired Adam Phillips bagged another brace as Barnsley secured vital 2-1 win over Derby County to blow the League One top two race wide open.

The visitors took an early lead but Phillips levelled with a stunning goal before half-time then put the hosts in front after the break.

It was an even game of few chances but Barnsley shaded it overall, then defended very well late on.

Bolton Wanderers were beaten so Barnsley are three points off the top two with a game in hand on second-placed Derby.

Donovan Pines made his full debut, in place of the benched Jamie McCart, while John McAtee came in for Sam Cosgrove who also dropped to the bench.

Derby had a chance in the first minute when a free-kick by goalkeeper Joe Wildsmith was headed on twice before Max Bird nodded weakly at Liam Roberts.

At the other end in the second minute, Devante Cole headed a left-wing cross but it floated into Wildsmith’s hands.

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Barnsley looked to have settled into the game well but Derby then had a series of set pieces which led to the opener. A corner from former Barnsley captain Conor Hourihane on the right was headed by Sonny Bradley to Eiran Cashin whose header was nodded off the line by Nicky Cadden. From the next corner seconds later, Bradley powered a header into the Barnsley net.

Phillips levelled when a Cadden cross was headed out to him and he superbly took the ball down then blasted a 22-yard shot just inside the left post.

In the second half, Cadden ran onto a long ball on the left of the box but his volley was straight into Wildsmith’s arms.

The Reds took the lead midway through the second half when Phillips headed home a right-wing corner by Cadden.

It took until injury-time for Derby to have a second half shot, with Nathaniel Mendez-Laing’s long-range effort from the left wing caught by Roberts.

Barnsley (3-5-2): Roberts; De Gevigney, Pines, Earl; Williams, Phillips (Cotter 87mins), Connell, Kane, Cadden (O’Keeffe 90+6); Cole (Grant 90+6), McAtee (Cosgrove 58).

Unused: Killip, McCart, Marsh.

Yellow cards: Roberts, Earl, Cosgrove, Cole.

Goals: Phillips 33, 66.

Derby (3-4-2-1): Wildsmith; Nelson, Bradley, Cashin; Wilson, Adams (Smith 89mins), Hourihane (Barkhuizen 61), Elder (Nyambe 77mins); Sibley (Gayle 61), Bird; Mendez-Laing.

Unused: Loach, Thompson, Fornah.

Goals: Bradley 18.

AS IT HAPPENED
  • GAME UNDERWAY
  • 3:05pm
    Chance for Derby in first minute. The goalkeeper's free-kicks which caused chaos in reverse fixture, one. is headed on twice in box but Bird heads straight to Roberts.
  • 3:05pm
    At the. other end Williams whips across across box
  • 3:05pm
    Now a lef. wing cross headed by Cole floats to Wildsmith to catch
  • 3:05pm
    All-action start in big atmosphere
  • 3:09pm
    The game has settled down slightly now
  • 3:10pm
    Derby win a free-kick on right.
  • 3:10pm
    Free-kick headed out by Pines then cleared
  • 3:11pm
    Looks like Derby are playing 3-4-2-1 with Mendez-Laing up front
  • 3:13pm
    It's a. bit stop start and scrappy now with a lot of free-kicks and. throw ins
  • 3:14pm
    Pines shepherds the ball out well and the home crowd chant USA
  • 3:15pm
    Barnsley on top right now. They get into the box down the left but Cole. is tackled then, from a Cadden cross, he touches it well wide at a very tight angle
  • 3:17pm
    Derby win a free-kick 40 yards form goal and all the big guys go forward
  • 3:18pm
    14 Hourhane's free-kick is headed out
  • 3:19pm
    Goalkeeper Wildsmith's poor. weak is intercepted by Connell but doesn't quite run kindly for Kane who cannot find Phillips with a. rushed pass
  • 3:19pm
    But Barnsley are forcing a few errors with their pressing
  • 3:20pm
    Barnsley lose the ball and Max Bird breaks down left then passes to Hourhane whose shot is blocked by Mael for corner
  • 3:20pm
    18 Corner on the right. Headed towards goal but Cadden heads off line
  • 3:21pm
    GOAL!
    Sonny Bradley puts the visitors in front
  • 3:22pm
    The centre-back heads in a corner from the right
  • 3:25pm
    Pines heads out a free-kick from right
  • 3:25pm
    Another early goal conceded by the Reds but a long way to go
  • 3:27pm
    Barnsley half chance. Good cross from left but Phillips cannot quite get anything on it and Wildsmith fumbles then gathers
  • 3:29pm
    Stoppage in play due to a couple of injuries
  • 3:32pm
    Play back underway
  • 3:33pm
    Earl cross headed behind for a corner after a long period of Barnsley possession
  • 3:34pm
    30 Kane's corner is over everyone
  • 3:36pm
    GOAL!
    Adam Phillips levels with a screamer!
  • 3:38pm
    What a goal. A cross from the left. is headed out and he takes it down then volleys in from 20 yards. He is on top form
  • 3:39pm
    Cadden free-kick on the left headed out.
  • 3:40pm
    Home crowd whipped up now. What a moment
  • 3:40pm
    Barnsley win a corner on the right
  • 3:41pm
    Cadden corner on right headed out
  • 3:43pm
    A Derby player is down will get treatment
  • 3:44pm
    NEILL Collins takes the chance to gather all his outfield players for team talk on the sidelines
  • 3:46pm
    Mael concedes corner on left
  • 3:46pm
    44 Sibley corner on the left. Headed out by Earl
  • 3:48pm
    Another Wildsmith free-kick. Straight to Roberts
  • 3:48pm
    Five added minutes this half
  • 3:49pm
    Another Wildsmith free-kick about 70 yards from goal and Derby put everyone forward
  • 3:50pm
    It's headed out as is the next cross then the third whizzes across box with no one there
  • 3:53pm
    HALF-TIME: Barnsley 1, Derby 1
  • 4:10pm
    SECOND HALF UNDERWAY
  • 4:13pm
    Derby goalkeeper Wildsmith has the sun in his eyes. he's asked for. cap but still slices simple clearance out for throw
  • 4:13pm
    Cadden has a shot saved from the left of the box after he runs onto a long. ball
  • 4:16pm
    Barnsley have started brightly this half. They are the team trying to attack
  • 4:19pm
    Reds dominating the ball at the moment. Can they make it count? Derby have gone very defensive
  • 4:20pm
    Derby struggling to get hold of the ball at the moment. All their clearances are being gathered by the Reds who just look a bit quicker to everything.
  • 4:21pm
    A cross from left is just missed by Nathaniel Mendez-Laing but the flag is up anyway
  • 4:22pm
    Cosgrove on for McAtee, who hasn't had his best game
  • 4:23pm
    Derby win a corner on right after Cadden blocks cross
  • 4:24pm
    Hourihane corner on the right. Pushed over bar by Roberts who falls to floor and wants foul but another corner given
  • 4:24pm
    This corner is headed out by Cosgrove
  • 4:25pm
    Derby just getting a bit more of a foothold in the game after defending. a lot this half
  • 4:25pm
    Derby take off Hourihane for Tom Barkhuizen as well as for Dwight Gayle Louie Sibley
  • 4:27pm
    Max Bird's right wing corner is headed out then cleared by Cole
  • 4:28pm
    Crucial header by Williams after. cross from right
  • 4:28pm
    Derby have definitely come back into the game recently. Very tight though
  • 4:30pm
    Great run down right by Cole, he passes to Kane whose 20yard shot is blocked
  • 4:31pm
    Good attack Reds./ Williams into box down right, keeper p pushes. cross away, he gets it back. from. Phi9llips and cross blocked for croenr
  • 4:31pm
    GOAL: Phillips with another! Adam Phillips
  • 4:33pm
    He rises highest to head in a right-wing corner by Cadden Sixth goal of the season and fourth in last two home matches Some player Quote
  • 4:33pm
    Now Bird shoots wide for Derby
  • 4:36pm
    Derby win free-kick on right
  • 4:37pm
    Two head injuries in box. Physios rush on
  • 4:38pm
    There are 18 minutes left plus stoppage time. Barnsley currently on course for a massive win but plenty of work to do
  • 4:38pm
    Mael de Gevigney gets to his feet. The Derby player is still down
  • 4:40pm
    Derby's Curtis Nelson still down
  • 4:41pm
    Derby will bring Ryan Nyambe on
  • 4:42pm
    Nyambe on for Callum Elder
  • 4:42pm
    Nelson back on with bandage. Game underway again
  • 4:43pm
    This won't be over until well after 5pm
  • 4:44pm
    Phillips now down for a bit of treatment after Derby win free-kick on right
  • 4:45pm
    Free-kick headed up and Roberts catches
  • 4:48pm
    Kane Wilson skips past Caddden into the box on right but is crowded out by a couple of defenders and the ball goes out while he crashes into side netting
  • 4:51pm
    After great work by Pines, Cosgrove puts Kane clean through but the flag is up and the goalkeeper. tackles him
  • 4:51pm
    Cotter is coming on
  • 4:51pm
    Pines cuts out a cross and clears. He's had a good debut
  • 4:52pm
    Cotter on for Phillips
  • 4:53pm
    Derby bring on Korey Smith for Ebou Adams
  • 4:54pm
    We're into the 90th minute now...
  • 4:55pm
    Cadden has to block cross out on right for corner
  • 4:55pm
    Nine added minutes
  • 4:56pm
    Corner. headed out by Mael de Gevigney then Pines blocks cross for another
  • 4:56pm
    Pines wins another header. Corner cleared
  • 4:57pm
    The first thing Roberts has really had to do in the second half. He grabs a long-range effort from Nathaniel Mendez-Laing which might have been a cross
  • 4:59pm
    Cross from right headed at back. post by Roberts catches
  • 5:00pm
    Grant and O'Keeffe coming on
  • 5:00pm
    Nathaniel Mendez-Laing played through by long ball but volleys wide and it's offside
  • 5:00pm
    Grant on for Cole, O'Keeffe on for Cadden
  • 5:02pm
    Williams to lefty wing back
  • 5:02pm
    Barnsley defend another attack then Cosgrove wins free-kick and it's celebrate like a goal
  • 5:04pm
    Nathaniel Mendez-Laing shot headed behind for corner by Earl
  • 5:04pm
    Seconds left. Corner. Keeper up
  • 5:05pm
    FULL-TIME: Barnsley 2, Derby 1