Barnsley beat 10-man Blackburn to continue rise up table
Barnsley claimed their first Boxing Day win in six years with a 2-0 victory over 10-man Blackburn at Oakwell.
Goals from Sam Winnall and Marley Watkins were enough to lift Barnsley into ninth in the Sky Bet Championship.
The home side started brightly and the first chance fell to Tom Bradshaw
The striker found space inside the box, but his shot on the turn sailed over the bar.
Bradshaw went close minutes later when his left-footed strike forced a smart save from Jason Steele, who palmed the ball inches past the onrushing Josh Scowen at the back post.
Top scorer Winnall headed the Tykes in front in the 14th minute, beating the offside trap to nod Conor Hourihane's cross home from eight yards.
Danny Graham had Rovers' first chance after 20 minutes, stretching for Marvin Emnes' shot across the box
The striker got on the end of it but could only turn the ball wide of the post.
Emnes drew a fine save from Barnsley keeper Adam Davies moments later
Graham flicked a header onto the former Swansea man whose first-time shot was tipped over by Davies.
Rovers' top scorer Sam Gallagher should have pulled his side level, but after good build-up play in the final third, he shot straight at Davies.
Andy Yiadom almost doubled the Tykes' lead going into half-time but saw his left-footed strike fly past the diving Steele and the wrong side of the woodwork.
The second period started with Rovers on the attack and Barnsley looking to hit them on the break
This style of play created a pair of two-on-one chances for the Tykes early in the half.
First Hourihane's pass was too heavy for Bradshaw before the Irishman had a breakaway chance of his own, curling a shot narrowly over from 10 yards out.
Rovers boss Owen Coyle switched to three at the back as his side pushed for an equaliser.
It almost came in unlikely fashion as substitute Corry Evans attempted a lob from 40 yards out, beating the backtracking Davies and cannoning back off the bar
Emnes picked up the loose ball but Davies recovered to save.
Down at the other end, Hourihane was denied by the diving Steele after Ryan Kent squared the ball to the edge of the box.
Blackburn had Darragh Lenihan sent off with four minutes to go after the midfielder was given a straight red card for a late lunge on Sam Morsy.
Gallagher was then denied an equaliser by Davies who stood tall to block the striker's shot from the left side of the box.
Substitute Watkins sealed victory for Barnsley in the third minute of added time, though, calmly slotting past Steele from close range, rounding off a quick counter-attack.
Source : DSG
Source: DSG