BARNSLEY - 2

ACCRINGTON STANLEY - 0

ACCRINGTON Stanley were beaten for the third consecutive game as goals from Dimitri Cavare and a Will Wood own goal gave Barnsley all three points at Oakwell.

It was always going to be a tough game for the Reds as Barnsley are a lot of people's pick for automatic promotion, but John Coleman's side weren't without chances in the tie.

Stanley's defence went to sleep for 15 minutes either side of half-time and that was enough to cost them.

The home sides class was evident in the first five minutes as Daniel Pinillos skipped away from Callum Johnson too easily.

He played it to Jordan Green and Mark Hughes got a good block in.

Barnsley had their first real sight of goal through Cauley Woodrow in the 19th minute. The strikers shot was a good strike, but went wide of the far post.

Alex Mowatt was next to come close for the home side, his effort from 25-yards had Jonny Maxted rooted to the spot.

Luckily for Stanley, it dropped just wide of the post.

Half an hour in to the first half and Stanley began to show some promise going forward.

Will Wood and Jordan Clark linked up on the left - leaving the latter to play a ball back in to the box.

Clark's cross was cut out just as Sean McConville was about to fire towards goal.

Stanley's number seven became a growing influence in everything Stanley did going forward. He linked with Johnson, who produced a cross to the back post.

McConville met it with his head, but it was straight at Adam Davies.

The opening goal came in the 40th minute after a Woodrow pass split the Stanley defence to find Cavare.

Maxted came out, but seemed to change his mind. Cavare slotted past the goalkeeper with ease.

It all came apart in the dying stages of the first half as Will Wood put the ball past a helpless Maxted.

Mamadou Thiam crossed the ball, it went over Maxted, hit Wood's shin and bobbled over the line.

Three minutes in to the second half and it was almost game over. Jordan Green cut inside and hit a sweet strike, it smashed the inside of the post and somehow bounced out.

Billy Kee was introduced 10 minutes in to the second half and almost scored with his first touch.

Paul Smyth raced down the right and put in a dangerous low cross - Kee was inches away from making contact and bringing Stanley back in to it.

Moments later, Kee missed a golden opportunity to make things nervy for Barnsley.

Maxted's deflected clearance put Kee through on goal, he decided to smash it first time when he had so much time. You get the feeling he thought he may have been offside.

Another Stanley chance this time fell the way of Smyth, the little striker was one on one at an angle and dragged his shot wide.

This loss leaves Stanley in 17th position in League One.

Stanley: Maxted, Johnson, Hughes, Donacien, Rodgers, Wood (52' Smyth), Clark (69' Zanzala), Barlaser, Finley, McConville, Armstrong (57' Kee)

Unused subs: Savin, Richards-Everton, Brown, Sousa

Barnsley: Davies, Dougall, Pinnock, Lindsay, Woodrow, Cavare, Green (59' J. Williams), Bahre (87' |Hedges), Pinillos, Thiam (80' Styles), Mowatt

Unused subs: Walton, Jackson, Styles, Williams, Adeboyejo