Barnsley were beaten 2-1 at Derby County despite a spirited second half display.

The Reds were poor in the first half and trailed 2-0 at the break but much improved in the second half with Josh Benson netting.

The only change from the last league match saw Nicky Cadden, who was out with a calf problem, replaced by Luca Connell.

The hosts almost took the lead in bizarre circumstances in the fourth minute when Conor McCarthy fizzed a pass into the six-yard box for Brad Collins whose poor touch gifted the ball to Louis Sibley eight yards out but the goalkeeper made a fine one-on-one block.

Collins was at fault for the goal in the eighth minute when former Reds captain Conor Hourihane’s right-wing corner was missed by the goalkeeper then deflected in at the back post. It was credited as a McCarthy own goal.

After a spell of intense Derby pressure, with several corners cleared, Barnsley settled down and began to attack. They should have levelled in the 22nd minute when Josh Benson robbed a defender on the right wing and crossed low to Norwood who was denied seven yards out by former Barnsley goalkeeper Joe Wildsmith.

The second goal looked likely to be vital and Derby got it in the 35th minute when a long ball down the left opened up the Reds then Tom Barkuizen was able to play a clever pass to the edge of the box where Nathaniel Mendez-Laing was totally unmarked and fired into the bottom left corner.

Jack Aitchison blazed over inside the six-yard box, when he looked certain to score, after a Connell free-kick was impressively headed back across goal by Norwood.

James Collins should have made it 3-0 but fired wide five yards out from Hourihane’s low left-wing cross.

Instead it was 2-1 when Benson received a pass from Thomas and his 20-yard shot was deflected past the goalkeeper. It was his second goal in four days after a late winner at Middlesbrough in the cup on Wednesday.

The Reds were on top for most of the rest of the game, with substitute Devante Cole firing wide from a Jordan Williams cross.

Mads Andersen headed just wide from a Josh Benson corner in injury-time.

Barnsley (3-4-1-2) Collins; Andersen, McCarthy (Cundy 84mins), Kitching; Williams, Connell (Oduor 84), Benson, Styles; Thomas; Norwood (Cole 63), Aitchison (Marsh 72).

Unused: Walton, Wolfe, Hondermarck.

Goals: Benson 66.

Derby (4-3-3): Wildsmith; Knight, Cashin, Stearman, Roberts; Bird, Hourihane, Sibley; Mendez-Laing, Collins, Barkhuizen (Forsyth 88).

Unused : Loach, Rooney, Thompson, Smith, McGoldrick, Dobbin.

Goals: McCarthy OG 8; Mendez-Laing 35.