Barnsley doubled the gap between them and the League One relegation zone to four points with a 2-1 home win over Port Vale on Saturday.
Vale goalkeeper Chris Neal inexplicably fumbled a Milan Lalkovic cross-shot into his goal on the stroke of half-time. Ben Pearson's effort then floated in via a massive deflection in the first minute of the second half.
The visitors made it 2-1 on 66 minutes and had several efforts cleared off the line. But the Reds had chances themselves to win by more goals and moved up two places to 17th, seven points off the play-off places.
There was more good news for Barnsley as nine-goal striker Sam Winnall returned after three months out with injury, coming off the bench on 83 minutes.
Manager Danny Wilson also had Martin Cranie, Peter Ramage and Dale Jennings back from injury and they all returned to the team along with Kane Hemmings. George Smith and Alex Kiwomya dropped to the bench while Luke Berry and George Williams were out of the squad.
Vale striker Tom Pope – who Wilson wants to sign for Barnsley on Monday – and centre-back Frederic Veseli both blazed over glorious close-range chances after the Reds failed to defend balls into their box.
Barnsley could have had a penalty when their former left-back Carl Dickinson clearly handled the ball in his area.
Neal looked nervous as he parried a header by looping Ramage and a well-struck 30-yard shot from Jennings over the bar when he could have caught both.
The Vale stopper then dropped the ball into his net in first half injury time after a fantastic run and cross from Lalkovic, who the visitors claimed had taken it out of play.
It was 2-0 48 seconds after the interval when, after a great run, Pearson's shot took a huge deflection off Veseli which meant Neal was wrong-footed and the ball sailed into the right side of the goal. It was the first of the Manchester United loanee's career.
Colin Daniel pulled one back midway through the second half with a cool volleyed finish from ten yards out after meeting an excellent cross from Dickinson.
Pope almost levelled two minutes later with a header from a Chris Lines corner but Conor Hourihane cleared off the line. Pope also had a claim for a penalty for a foul by Pearson who then cleared acrobatically off the line from Mark Marshall.
Hemmings missed a fantastic chance to restore the two-goal cushion when he fired wide of the right post eight yards out in front of goal.
