Reds three points off top after win over Stanley

The Reds scored twice late in the first half through Dimitri Cavare’s first Oakwell goal and an own goal by Will Wood. 

Daniel Stendel’s second-placed side are now just three points behind leaders Luton Town who drew 0-0 at Plymouth Argyle and four clear of third-placed Sunderland who scored a late equaliser in a 1-1 at Wycombe Wanderers. 

Barnsley are now unbeaten in 22 home games while their current league run of 16 matches without defeat is their best since 1981. 

Stendel was forced into two changes as both Jacob Brown and Cameron McGeehan were starting three-match bans for challenges they made in the 3-0 win at Southend United a week previously. Jordan Green made his first start for the club in place of Brown on the right wing with Mike Bahre replacing McGeehan and playing just behind striker Cauley Woodrow in a 4-4-1-1.

Woodrow had the first chance of the match as he headed over a Dani Pinillos cross from ten yards out in the fifth minute, following a short corner. Kenny Dougall then had the first shot on goal but visiting goalkeeper Jonny Maxted got down to his right to save easily. 

Woodrow shot just wide of the bottom left corner from 15 yards out on the right of the box following one of several good early moves by the home side. 

Barnsley goalkeeper Adam Davies caught a header from Sean McConville before, minutes later, parrying a powerful long-range shot then denying Sam Finley one-on-one with his chest on the rebound which was the clearest chance up until that point for either side. 

The hosts, who had shaded the game in the first 40 minutes without being at their best, suddenly took control in the last five minutes before the interval. 

Barnsley took the lead in the 41st minute when Woodrow’s excellent throughball split the visiting defence and Cavare went clean through on the right of the box and sent a good finish across the goalkeeper and into the bottom left corner. 

Mowatt curled just wide from 25 yards then Green was denied by Maxted after space opened up for him on the edge of the box.  It was 2-0 in the first minute of injury-time when Mamadou Thiam’s cross from the left wing was missed by both Green and goalkeeper Maxted then hit Wood five yards out and trickled in. 

It was almost 3-0 three minutes after the break when Green’s left-footed shot from 22 yards hit the inside of the left post and came back out. Pinillos then shot straight at Maxted from the left edge of the box following a scramble in the area.

Stanley substitute Billy Kee should have halved the deficit when he was put clean through by a kick from goalkeeper Maxted but blazed over the bar with the goal gaping. 

Barnsley centre-back Liam Lindsay then saw a header from a Mowatt corner denied by a point blank Maxted save. The goalkeeper also denied Thiam from a tight angle on the left of the box after the winger brought down a crossfield pass. 

Paul Smyth became the second Stanley substitute to miss a clear one-on-one chance as he went through on goal but his shot from the right of the box narrowly missed the bottom left corner.  McConville then a looping header hit the top of the crossbar after, at the other end, Maxted dived full-length to his right to keep out Bahre’s effort. 

Barnsley (4-4-1-1): Davies; Cavare, Pinnock, Lindsay, Pinillos; Green (J Williams 59mins), Dougall, Mowatt, Thiam (Styles 81); Bahre (Hedges 87); Woodrow. Subs: Walton, Jackson, Adeboyejo, B Williams.  Goals: Cavare 41, Wood OG 45+1.

Accrington (3-4-3): Maxted; Hughes, Donacien, Wood (Smyth 52mins), Johnson, Finley, Barlaser, Rodgers; McConville, Armstrong (Kee 57), Clark (Zanzala 69). Subs: Savin, Richards-Everton, Brown, Sousa. Yellow cards: McConville.

GAME UNDERWAY