Barnsley survived a late scare to record a 2-1 win at Northampton Town thanks to a brilliant brace by Davis Keillor-Dunn.

Davis Keillor-Dunn scored an excellent goal in the first half then added another after the break. Northampton pulled one back late on then Mael de Gevigney was sent off.

It was a second win of the week for the Reds who are still tenth In the League One table, now four points off the play-offs. The win was their tenth away from home this season, the joint most in English football.

Joe Gauci could not play due to the hip injury he picked up on Saturday so Jackson Smith made his full debut in goal and Kieren Flavell was on the bench. Kelechi Nwakali came into midfield for the suspended Luca Connell. Jonathan Lewis was not in the squad at all.

Smith conceded a free-kick for handball in the opening minutes, after he looked to be pushed out of his box by an attacker, then saved Mitch Pinnock’s low effort easily. Smith made a better side in the eighth minute, springing to his left to keep out Liam Shaw’s low 20-yard effort.

Barnsley wanted a penalty after Adam Phillips tangled with Max Dyche on the edge of the box. Clever passes by Phillips, Keillor-Dunn and Corey O’Keeffe then put Jon Russell in a good shooting position but he passed to Neil Farrugia whose shot from a tight angle was blocked. Keillor-Dunn almost connected with a couple of right-wing crosses close to goal.

Mael de Gevigney lost the ball to Tariqe Fosu on the edge of his box but just won it back in time. Russell saw a shot blocked after a good move on the right involving O’Keeffe and Stephen Humphrys.

The opener arrived on 35 minutes when Keillor-Dunn brought down Josh Earl’s long pass on the right, skipped past a defender and lashed in a superb 25-yard shot for his 12th goal of the season.

Shaw headed over soon after from a right-wing Terry Taylor free-kick.

Twelve seconds into the second half, Humphrys’ low 25-yard shot after some good skill was easily saved.

O’Keeffe then saw a shot from just inside the box gathered after good work on the right by Keillor-Dunn who beat a man and back heeled a pass.

The second goal arrived just before the hour. After a poor pass by home defender Jordan Willis was headed back by Earl, Humphrys brilliantly dinked the ball over Willis’ head then skipped past another defender before playing in Keillor-Dunn who supplied a clinical finish from the left of the box.

Barnsley looked to be cruising to a win but the finale was very nervous after Northampton were gifted a goal on 79 minutes. O’Keeffe badly underhit a pass to Costelloe whose effort was blocked but Sam Hoskins lashed home from close range.

Hoskins then saw an acrobatic effort from a long throw hit Earl’s foot and go inches wide of the bottom left corner. The resulting corner was headed just over by Mitch Pinnock.

De Gevigney was then sent off on 88 minutes for a tackle on ex-Red Will Hondermarck.

Russell headed straight at the goalkeeper from a cross by Phillips who had been put through by a defensive error and rounded the goalkeeper but was forced wide.

Barnsley (3-5-2): Smith; de Gevigney, Roberts, Earl; O’Keeffe (Lembikisa 80mins), Phillips, Nwakali, Russell, Farrugia (Gent 64); Keillor-Dunn (McCarthy 89), Humphrys (Watters 80).

Unused: Flavell, Benson, Rodrigues.

Yellow card: Humphrys, Earl.

Red cards: de Gevigney.

Goals: Keillor-Dunn 35, 59.

Northampton (3-4-3): Tzanev; Odimayo, (Perry 51mins), Willis (Magloire 64), Dyche; Hoskins, Taylor, Shaw (Hondermarck 72), Guinness-Walker (McGowan 64), Fosu, Costello, Pinnock.

Unused: Burge, Wilson, Baldwin.

Goals: Hoskins 79.