Barnsley continued their excellent form with a 3-1 home win over Portsmouth on Tuesday which took them up to fourth in League One.

James Norwood and Nicky Cadden netted within three minutes of each other midway through a dominant first half.

Portsmouth replied just after the break but Devante Cole made it 3-1 on the hour, to kill the contest.

The result extended Barnsley’s unbeaten run to nine games – with seven wins – while they have won nine of their last ten at home in all competitions.

They remain six points clear in the top six and 11 behind the top two.

Michael Duff made one change from the side that drew 0-0 at Bristol Rovers on Saturday with Luca Connell back after illness and replacing Jon Russell.

Barnsley had a big chance in the first minute when Herbie Kane advanced down the left of the Pompey box and crossed low for Adam Phillips whose eight-yard shot was too close to goalkeeper Matt Macey who saved.

Cadden curled a shot over from outside the box then Barnsley took the lead in the 17th minute. Phillips won the ball off a sloppy Portsmouth midfield, advanced into the visitors’ half and played in the unmarked Norwood who found the bottom right corner for his eighth goal of the season. In a pre-planned gesture, the home fans then lit up their phones for ill staff member Beth Sefton.

It was 2-0 three minutes later when Cadden cut in from the right wing and curled a fantastic strike from outside the box into the top left corner for his first Oakwell goal.

Connell had a chance for a third when he was gifted the ball by the Pompey midfield but shot wide of the bottom left corner from just outside the box when he had options to pass on either side.

Portsmouth’s first shot came in the 35th minute when a cross hit Dane Scarlett and bobbled towards goal with Harry Isted gathering easily. The same player then headed another right-wing cross well wide.

Phillips saw a shot from 20 yards pushed out of the bottom right corner after a fine Norwood touch put him in the clear on the counter-attack.

Bobby Thomas’ header from a Connell corner was clawed out by Macey then Cole could not scramble in the rebound.

The visitors replied five minutes after the break when Colby Bishop headed in a right-wing cross from close range.

But Barnsley responded ten minutes later when Jordan Williams’ excellent pass put Norwood through on the right and he drove into the box before squaring for Cole to tap in.

Isted sprang to his right to save a shot by former Barnsley man Ryan Tunnicliffe, but generally the Reds saw out the win easily.

Barnsley (3-5-2): Isted; B Thomas, Andersen, Kitching; Williams, Phillips (Benson 78mins), Connell, Kane (L Thomas 82), Cadden (Larkeche 82); Norwood (Tedic 69), Cole (Watters 69).

Unused: Searle, Russell.

Yellow cards: Kitching.

Goals: Norwood 17, Cadden 20, Cole 60.

Portsmouth (4-3-3): Macey; Rafferty, Raggett, Towler, Ogilvie; Tunnicliffe (Thompson 75), Morrell, Lowery (Jacobs 58); Dale (Lane 75), Bishop, Scarlett (Piggott 75).

Unused: Steward, Bernard, Hackett-Fairchild.

Goals: Bishop 50.