Barnsley recorded a fourth successive league win with a 2-1 success at fellow top six club Peterborough United on Friday.

Luca Connell put the Reds in front early on but the Posh levelled soon after before Adam Phillips continued his fine scoring form.

Michael Duff's team were excellent in the second half with the hosts having no chances of note.

The result took Barnsley above their hosts into fourth in the League One table.

Duff made three changes from the cup game against Crewe. Jordan Williams was deemed fit to play and returned along with Brad Collins and Jack Aitchison. Dropping to the bench were Josh Benson, Jack Walton and James Norwood.

The visitors took the lead in the tenth minute when Connell sweetly struck a 22-yard effort into the bottom right corner for a superb first Barnsley goal.

The Reds were on top before and after the goal, winning the ball regularly and putting their hosts under pressure. But they could not create a chance for 2-0 and instead conceded after 21 minutes when Jack Taylor headed home a right wing cross by Kwame Poku.

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Aitchison should have made it 2-1 soon after, when the home goalkeeper made a mess of a left-wing Connell cross and the ball fell to him ten yards out but his shot was cleared off the line by Jonson Clarke-Harris.

Clarke-Harris then headed wide a right-wing cross by Ben Thompson at the near post before, at the other end, Devante Cole was inches away from turning in a low Cadden cross.

Clarke-Harris also fired wide on the right of the box nine yards out after more good work by Poku, before Taylor headed a left-wing corner over from three yards out.

Peterborough had finished the first half the stronger, with the Reds struggling to get hold of the ball. The second half was much quieter but Barnsley contained their hosts far better.

Barnsley were forced into a change after an hour with Tom Edwards limping off with a knee injury. He was replaced by Benson who played at right wing-back with Williams moving into the back three.

Seconds later, it was 2-1 as a free-kick which looked likely to be crossed into the box from the left was instead played square by Kane to Phillips whose 25-yard shot should have been saved by Bergstrom but he spilled it into the net.

Benson, the substitute, was also substituted with an injury with 15 minutes remaining – with Robbie Cundy coming on.

Barnsley (3-5-2): Collins; Edwards (Benson 60mins (Cundy 75mins)), Andersen, Kitching; Williams, Kane, Connell, Phillips, Cadden; Aitchison (Norwood 69), Cole.

Unused: Walton, Martin, Larkeche, Jalo.

Yellow cards: Phillips.

Goals: Connell 10, Phillips 62.

Peterborough (4-3-3): Bergstrom; Ward, Kent, Edwards, Butler; Fuchs (Marriott 69), Taylor, B Thompson (Burrows 69); Mason-Clark (Jones 75), Clarke-Harris, Poku.

Unused: Blackmore, Knight, N Thompson, Kyprianou.

Goals: Taylor 21.

AS IT HAPPENED
  • GAME UNDERWAY
  • 7:47pm
    Barnsley all in black tonight. Peterborough in blue shirts, black shorts, white socks
  • 7:48pm
    Not much has happened so far. A few overhit long balls by both sides
  • 7:49pm
    Barnsley have taken the ball off the hosts twice in their half in the last minute but both times not been able to make it count, with Cole losing the ball
  • 7:50pm
    The home goalkeeper Lucas Bergstrom is now down receiving treatment. He's a six foot seven Finn on loan from Chelsea
  • 7:50pm
    Bergstrom is up and we'll carry on soon
  • 7:51pm
    A good battle tonight should be Barnsley captain and star defe under Mads Andersen against League One top-scorer Jonson Clarke-Harris
  • 7:53pm
    Very scrappy here. Neither side can keep the ball for long. Not many real attacks so far
  • 7:54pm
    8 Poor touch from Kitching gifts the ball to Kwame Poku but Cadden tackles him well. Goal kick
  • 7:55pm
    GOAL!
    Luca Connell's first goal for the Reds
  • 7:57pm
    And what a goal. A beautiful low strike from about 22 yards which is just inside right post
  • 8:00pm
    It was a Cadden cross which was cleared, after a long throw by Edwards. Peterborough had protested about Edwards using a towel to try ball. I'm convinced that the presence towels confuse and distract the opposition much more than the actual throws. Happens at every away game
  • 8:01pm
    Barnsley on top. Cadden has whipped a few more crosses in since the goal. All cleared so far but Posh being tested
  • 8:05pm
    Barnsley are really rattling their hosts here. Winning the ball a lot in the Posh half and, at the moment, playing with a higher intensity and alertness than their hosts
  • 8:06pm
    GOAL!
    Jack Taylor heads in
  • 8:08pm
    Against the run of play after the Posh had looked rattled and were struggling to keep the ball. They break down the right, Kwame Poku crosses from the right, Jack Taylor runs in from midfield and heads into the bottom left corner
  • 8:10pm
    Decent game so far, as we expected from two teams in the top six
  • 8:11pm
    26 Connell corner on the left. Cleared
  • 8:12pm
    Big big chance for 2-1 to Barnsley. Connell's cross from the left is missed by the goalkeeper and falls to Aitchison whose shots from ten yards out is cleared off the line
  • 8:13pm
    28 Now a chance for the hosts. Ben Thompson crosses from the right and Jonson Clarke-Harris heads wide at the near post
  • 8:14pm
    29 Cadden gets in on the left of the box and fizzes a cross through the six yard box which Cole is inches away from turning in
  • 8:17pm
    This is a really open game with both sides looking dangerous
  • 8:18pm
    34 Deep cross from the right to Ephron Mason-Clark at the back post and he hits the side netting from a tight angle
  • 8:21pm
    35 Chance for the hosts. The dangerous Kwame Poku dribbles into the box and finds Jonson Clarke-Harris who shoots wide of the bottom right corner from about nine yards out on the right in a packed area
  • 8:21pm
    The home front three look very threatening and skilful. But Barnsley are just about containing them at the moment
  • 8:23pm
    YELLOW CARD
    Adam Phillips the first name in the book for stopping a counter attack
  • 8:24pm
    Connell blocks a cross in his box to concede a corner. Peterborough on top
  • 8:25pm
    The corner curls over everyone and out
  • 8:27pm
    Just three minutes left in an entertaining first half
  • 8:30pm
    Posh have definitely got more of a grip of the midfield battle in the second half of this half. The Reds are struggling to get control of the game
  • 8:30pm
    Two added minutes
  • 8:33pm
    48+3 Posh corner. Headed over by Taylor from about three yards out. Big chance
  • 8:33pm
    HALF-TIME: Peterborough 1, Barnsley 1. An entertaining game with both sides creating chances
  • 8:50pm
    SECOND HALF UNDERWAY
  • 8:51pm
    Edwards long throw cleared
  • 8:52pm
    47 Barnsley have made a bright start to the half but Kitching has to concede a corner after a good through ball
  • 8:53pm
    48 Posh corner on the left. Collins is fouled while punching it
  • 8:56pm
    Barnsley do look more alert and focused than they finished the first half. Not much of note to report after the break through
  • 8:58pm
    Ephron Mason-Clark a real threat on the left. He skips past Edwards into the box and the ball almost runs to Kwame Poku but is eventually cleared
  • 9:01pm
    Tom Edwards goes down clutching his knee after a tackle
  • 9:02pm
    Edwards still down getting treatment. Looks fairly serious
  • 9:03pm
    Game carries own with Edwards on side of pitch getting treatment
  • 9:04pm
    Looks like Benson coming on to play RWB, Williams moving inside one
  • 9:04pm
    Yes Benson comes on for Edwards
  • 9:06pm
    GOAL!
    Adam Phillips puts the visitors back in front
  • 9:09pm
    Everyone is expecting a free kick from the left to be crossed but it's pulled back to Phillips who hits it from 25 yards. Bad error by the goalkeeper who should save but lets it slip in
  • 9:10pm
    Five goals in six games for Phillips
  • 9:13pm
    Aitchison coming off for Norwood
  • 9:14pm
    Posh bring on Burrows and Marriott
  • 9:15pm
    Two Reds goals from about 50 yards combined tonight, I reckon
  • 9:19pm
    Into the last 15 minutes. This could be a huge win for the Reds
  • 9:20pm
    Posh haven't offered much this second half so far
  • 9:21pm
    Ephron Mason-Clark replaced by Ricky Jade Jones
  • 9:22pm
    Josh Benson has also had to come off injured
  • 9:22pm
    The sub is subbed, with Robbie Cundy on
  • 9:26pm
    Into the last ten minutes now
  • 9:26pm
    Posh haven't had any chances in this half but you would expect an aerial onslaught now
  • 9:28pm
    The match and atmosphere is pretty flat. Which will suit the Reds who just want to see it out
  • 9:29pm
    YELLOW CARD
    Herbie Kane happy to take a booking for bringing down a Posh attacker
  • 9:29pm
    Free-kick headed on then headed wide with goal gaping but flag up for offside
  • 9:32pm
    Just three minutes of normal time left but you have to expect a fair few added minutes after the two injuries
  • 9:33pm
    89 Collins punches a cross away then Kane wins a free-kick on the edge of the box
  • 9:35pm
    Six added minutes
  • 9:37pm
    90+2 Andersen blocks a shot on the right of the box
  • 9:39pm
    Barnsley doing a great job of killing this game so far.
  • 9:40pm
    Into the last of the six minutes that were added
  • 9:41pm
    High foot on Connell. Free-kick to the Reds. That should be it
  • 9:42pm
    FULL-TIME: Peterborough 1, Barnsley 2. A big win for the Reds