Barnsley suffered a 5-1 hammering at home to Lincoln City, putting a big dent in their ambitions for automatic promotion.

The Reds were 1-0 down at half-time then conceded four more after the break with Adam Phillips getting a consolation goal.

It was an abysmal second half performance from Barnsley who slipped down to fifth, five points off the top two and seven clear in the top six.

Donovan Pines had picked up a knock so was not involved. Jamie McCart came into the starting 11 in the only change from Tuesday’s draw with Bolton. Aiden Marsh was back on the bench.

Lincoln had the first shot of the game on 14 minutes when Ben House’s weak 18-yard effort following a good move on the left was easily held by Liam Roberts.

Seconds later the Reds were totally exposed by a long ball over the top which left Josh Earl alone against two attackers. Lasse Sorensen squared for Joe Taylor who tapped in. It was the seventh time in 11 games Barnsley have gone behind in the first 20 minutes.

Barnsley’s first chance saw Adam Phillips volley across goal and wide from the right of the box after bringing down a Luca Connell pass.

Taylor looked set to net a second but his shot from the edge of the box was brilliantly kept out of the bottom right corner by Roberts.

Barnsley then had a spell of dominance for the second half of the first half.

Herbie Kane could have levelled but shot over the bar from 12 yards out after Devante Cole saw a shot blocked following a fine Cadden run on the left.

Cole’s soft header from a Cadden cross was easily saved by Lukas Jensen.

Jenson dived to his right to save a powerful 30-yard effort from Phillips then, seconds later, McCart headed over a Connell cross.

Kane was shown his tenth booking of the season so will miss the next two games.

Early in the second half, Lincoln almost went 2-0 ahead but Danny Mandroui’s goal-bound shot was blocked by his team-mate Taylor.

Philips should have levelled when Earl’s long ball was missed by a defender and he was clean through. But instead of shooting he tried to pass to Cole and undercut it so the goalkeeper could intercept.

Neill Collins made a double change eight minutes after the break, taking off Kane and John McAtee for Conor Grant and Sam Cosgrove.

The second goal saw Williams try to run the ball out of defence but he lost it to half-time substitute Jack Moylan who ran into the box, burst between Mael de Gevigney and Connell then found the bottom right corner.

The third goal arrived three minutes later when, after Barnsley lost the ball on the halfway line, Taylor brilliantly backheeled to Mandroiu who was allowed to run into the box and find the bottom left corner.

Moylan then added a second as he smashed a superb 35-yard shot into the bottom left corner.

Phillips pulled one back with a powerful close-range finish from a left-wing cross after substitute strikers Cosgrove and Aiden Marsh had both missed a low cross from the right.

But it was 5-1 soon after when Moylan again burst through the home defence into the box and, after his shot was saved, Jovan Makama tapped in almost on the line.

Phillips nearly got another but his shot was cleared off the line after a move down the left.

Phillips was then played in by substitute Jon Russell and fired across the face of goal with Cosgrove inches away from tapping in.

Barnsley (3-5-2): Roberts; de Gevigney, McCart, Earl; Williams, Phillips, Connell (Russell 78mins), Kane (Grant 53mins), Cadden (O’Keeffe 67); McAtee (Cosgrove 53), Cole (Marsh 67).

Unused: Killip, Cotter.

Yellow cards: Kane, Cole.

Goals: Phillips 77.

Lincoln (3-4-3): Jensen; Mitchell, O’Connor, Roughan; Sorensen, Erhahon, Mandroiu (Burroughs 83), Hackett-Fairchild (Duffy 83); Draper (Moylan HT), House (Makama 73), Taylor (Eyoma 73).

Unused: Wright, Jackson.

Goals: Taylor 15; Moylan 55, 72; Mandriou 58; Makama 79.