Barnsley made it three successive wins with an excellent display in a 3-0 success at Plymouth Argyle on Easter Monday. 

The Reds, delivering one of their best displays of the season, surged into a 3-0 lead inside 28 minutes with goals by Cauley Woodrow, Jacob Brown and Alex Mowatt. They created a host of further chances but were kept out by an inspired display by their former goalkeeper Kyle Letheran. 

Portsmouth’s lunchtime win at Coventry City saw the Reds slip down to third but they returned to second with their victory. They are now two points ahead of third-placed Portsmouth and four ahead of fourth-placed Sunderland, with both those sides having a game in hand on Barnsley. Sunderland conceded an injury-time leveller in a 1-1 draw with Peterborough United. 

Daniel Stendel made one change from the side that beat Shrewsbury Town 2-1 at home three days earlier, with centre-back Liam Lindsay returning from injury to replace Adam Jackson. 

The Reds soaked up some pressure early on but all the hosts had to show for it was a long-range Graham Carey shot very easily saved by Adam Davies. 

Barnsley took the lead after 15 minutes when Jordan Williams’ magnificent 40-yard pass split the defence and played Woodrow through on goal to chest the ball down and fire into the bottom right corner from ten yards out for his 18th of the season.

The second came when Dani Pinillos’ cross from the left was met at the back post by Brown who fired into the bottom right corner from seven yards out. 

The third was an excellent free-kick by Mowatt into the top right corner from 25 yards as he joined Brown on eight goals for the season. 

Letheren kept the score down by flinging himself a full-length to keep out low, long-range efforts by Woodrow and Pinillos.  Barnsley went in at half-time having played sensational football, dominating their hosts with superb attacking play as well as constant pressing and harrying in midfield which allowed them to dominate for long spells. They were also well on top after the break as they cantered to victory. 

Davies caught a looping header from Lloyd Jones early in the second half then Letheren easily kept out a long-range Mamadou Thiam effort. 

Davies’ throw then began a swift counter-attack which saw Mike Bahre and Woodrow work the ball up the pitch before Thiam cut in from the left and had a shot from the edge of the box which was clawed out of the top right corner by Letheren. 

Plymouth had their only real chance on 65 minutes when Ruben Lameiras’ clever pass from the right wing put Yann Songo’o clean through on goal but Davies rushed off his line to make an excellent one-on-one block. 

Letheren then made another outstanding save, diving low to his left to repel Bahre’s shot from the edge of the box following another impressive breakaway move which saw the visitors pass their way up the pitch.

Substitute Callum Styles then won the ball in the hosts' box and pulled it back for fellow replacement Keiffer Moore who fired his low effort wide from 15 yards out. Another rapid break saw Williams find Cameron McGeehan in the area but his low shot produced yet another excellent save from Letheren who threw himself to his right to tip it away. Styles played Moore clean through for another chance but he blazed over on the right of the box in injury-time.

The joy of the 950 away fans was increased after the final whistle in Devon when news came through that Matt Godden had levelled for Peterborough against Sunderland to cap a perfect day for the Reds. 

Barnsley (4-4-1-1): Davies; J Williams, Pinnock, Lindsay, Pinillos; Brown, McGeehan, Mowatt; Thiam (Moore 69mins); Bahre; Woodrow (Styles 79).  Subs: Walton, Fryers, Green, Jackson.  Goals: Woodrow 15, Brown 21, Mowatt 28.  Plymouth (4-2-3-1): Letheren; Threlkeld, Edwards, Jones, Sawyer; Songo’o, Fox (Ness 80mins); Sarcevic, Lameiras (Anderson 80), Carey; Taylor (Fletcher 80). Subs: Macey, Canavan, Ainsworth, Smith-Brown. 

AS IT HAPPENED
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  • 15:02pm
     
    2 A quiet first couple of minutes of this game with a couple of long balls at each end easily dealt with by the defences
  • 15:05pm
     
    Plymouth just putting a little bit of pressure on but Thiam clears in his box then Pinnock heads away
  • 15:08pm
     
    'Yorkshire! Yorkshire' chant the Barnsley fans. Not much going on on the pitch at the moment with Barnsley having a bit of defending to do without being under real pressure
  • 15:09pm
     
    9 First chance of the game falls to Woodrow who shoots from 25 yard but ex-Red Letheren dives to his left full length to save
  • 15:10pm
     
    10 Davies now makes a save, easily catching from Graham Carey who turns and shoots on the edge of the box
  • 15:12pm
     
    Barnsley are passing it around quite briskly and nicely but would like to be doing so further up the pitch. A positive start though
  • 15:15pm
     
    GOAL!
    Cauley Woodrow
  • 15:18pm
     
    What a great goal. Woodrow brings down a fantastic ball by Jordan Williams with his chest then finds the bottom right corner
  • 15:18pm
     
    Woodrow now has 18 goals so is level with Kieffer Moore in all competitions
  • 15:18pm
     
    That was a goal of real class and the away fans are extremely loud now
  • 15:19pm
     
    Plymouth tried to respond instantly but Songo'o's shot is narrowly wide from 20 yards
  • 15:20pm
     
    Liam Lindsay tries to get his first league goal of the season with a volley from the edge of the box following a cross from the right but he puts it a couple of yards over
  • 15:21pm
     
    GOAL!
    Jacob Brown makes it 2-0!
  • 15:22pm
     
    The young winger brings down Pinillos' cross down on the right of the box seven yards out and fires left footed into the bottom right corner
  • 15:23pm
     
    That is his eight goal of the season
  • 15:24pm
     
    So goals in the the 15th and 20th minutes have put the Reds in full control down in Devon. It's been a wonderful start for the visitors
  • 15:26pm
     
    We're starting to see the kind of football that has really excited the Reds fans and earned Barnsley admirers across the country this season. The Reds are swarming forward in attack and leaping into well-timed tackles with real commitment when defending
  • 15:28pm
     
    GOAL!
    Alex Mowatt makes it three with a superb free-kick from 25 yards into the top right corner
  • 15:31pm
     
    32 Dani Pinillos tries to get his first Reds goal from 25 yards but Letheren claws it out of the bottom left corner
  • 15:34pm
     
    Barnsley cruising here. Playing wonderful football and look the more likely to get the next goal
  • 15:36pm
     
    So to recap the goals - Woodrow brought down a Williams pass and finished well on 15 minutes, Jacob Brown finished well for his second goal in as many games on 21 minutes and then Alex Mowatt's wonderful free-kick made it three before the half-hour mark
  • 15:42pm
     
    Barnsley hassling and harrying their hosts, hunting in packs and surround green shirts with crowds of red to constantly retain the ball. This is turning into one of their best first halves of the season
  • 15:44pm
     
    McGeehan now has a Mowatt header cleared almost on the line by Lloyd Jones after Mowatt was given so much space to cross from the left of the box
  • 15:44pm
     
    44 Ruben Lameiras' shot flicks off Lindsay's head and goes over for a corner which is then cleared easily.
  • 16:03pm
     
    SECOND HALF UNDERWAY
  • 16:07pm
     
    48 Lloyd Jones' looping header is easily caught by Davies who has had a very simple afternoon so far
  • 16:09pm
     
    Barnsley look threatening again in this half. Jacob Brown wins a corner
  • 16:11pm
     
    53 Kyle Letheren makes another save, this time a more simple stop down to his right from a 20-yard Thiam effort following the corner
  • 16:17pm
     
    Approaching the hour-mark and Barnsley are just cruising at the moment. Not as dominant as at times in the first half but still well in control
  • 16:18pm
     
    This result could be a real boost for Barnsley's goal difference which is already better than their main rivals for the second automatic promotion place Sunderland and Portsmouth
  • 16:22pm
     
    63 Another great save by Letheren. He pushes away a curling effort from Thiam after an excellent counter attack started by Davies then involving Bahre and Woodrow. The corner then leads to a scuffed Mowatt effort which is easily saved
  • 16:25pm
     
    67 Plymouth's best chance as Lameiras puts Songo'o through on goal and Davies rushes out to make a superb save one-on-one
  • 16:27pm
     
    The first substitution sees Mamadou Thiam replaced by Kieffer Moore
  • 16:30pm
     
    72 Kyle Letheren makes another outstanding save to dive full-length to his left and push Mike Bahre's effort wide of the bottom right corner after an excellent counter-attack involving passes by nearly every attacking player
  • 16:33pm
     
    The former Barnsley keeper has stopped his former employers from winning by maybe six or seven this season
  • 16:37pm
     
    Ryan Hedges and Callum Styles are replacing Cauley Woodrow and Mike Bahre
  • 16:37pm
     
    Woodrow started this off with an excellent finish after 15 minutes and has moved onto 18 goals this season
  • 16:39pm
     
    Plymouth bring on Paul Anderson, Jamie Ness and Alex Fletcher for Ruben Lameiras, David Fox and Ryan Taylor
  • 16:41pm
     
    Into the last ten minutes here. The Reds have been excellent. All the goals came in the first half but they have cruised through his second half and only been denied by an exception Kyle Letheren performance
  • 16:44pm
     
    86 Another big chance for the Reds. Substitute Callum Styles wins the ball in the box, pulls it back and Moore fires just wide
  • 16:45pm
     
    87 Another break sees Barnsley rip the home defence open again and McGeehan's eventually shot is well saved by Letheren down to his right
  • 16:46pm
     
    88 Yet another save by Letheren, this time from Hedges who shot pretty much straight at the goalkeeper
  • 16:49pm
     
    90+1 Callum Styles puts Kieffer Moore through on goal but he shoots over the bar. This could be double figures