Barnsley’s winning run came to an end with a 1-0 loss at Charlton Athletic on Tuesday with the gap to the play-offs growing to six points.

The hosts took an early lead then were the better side and could have won by more, with the Reds offering very little after the opening exchanges.

The London club moved up to fifth while Barnsley stayed tenth.

Darrell Clarke made two changes from the win over Lincoln on Saturday. Luca Connell, back from suspension, and the fit-again Neil Farrugia replaced Kelechi Nwakali, who was dropped to the bench, and the injured Georgie Gent.

The Reds started brightly and appealed for a penalty when one of several blocked shots in the first five minutes hit ex-Red Luke Berry’s hand in his box.

But the hosts grew into the game and took the lead in the 12th minute when Macauley Gillesphey’s 22-yard free-kick deflected off Jon Russell in the wall and was spilled into the bottom left corner by Jackson Smith who should have saved it.

Davis Keillor-Dunn almost scored a spectacular equaliser soon after when he tricked his way past several defenders into the box but was denied one-on-one by goalkeeper Will Mannion. Marc Roberts saw a header from a Corey O’Keeffe cross easily saved.

Barnsley suffered another injury blow after half an hour with Josh Earl coming off and young defender Connor Barratt replacing him, then Josh Benson and Max Watters came on at the break for Adam Phillips and Stephen Humphrys.

In the second half, Berry should have made it 2-0 when he got away from Conor McCarthy to meet a low left-wing cross by the dangerous Tyreece Campbell but turned it wide from six yards out. Berry then saw a shot from the edge of the box easily saved after Thierry Small skipped past Farrugia and Russell.

Charlton came very close to a second on 77 minutes when Lloyd Jones’ header from a Campbell corner crashed into the left post. Smith then impressively tipped Conor Coventry’s powerful long-range shot just wide.

Connell shot just wide of the bottom left corner from 25 yards then, at the other end, substitute Miles Leaburn was put clean through after a fine run and pass by Campbell but Smith made an impressive one-on-one stop.

Barnsley (3-5-2); Smith; McCarthy, Roberts, Earl (Barratt 32mins); O’Keeffe, Phillips (Benson HT), Connell, Russell (Nwakali 62), Farrugia (Lembikisa 62); Keillor-Dunn, Humphrys (Watters HT).

Unused: Flavell, Rodrigues.

Charlton (4-5-1): Mannion; Ramsay, Jones, Gillesphey, Edwards: Small (Watson 87), Coventry, Berry (Anderson 70), Docherty (McIntyre 87), Campbell (Aneke 87); Godden (Leaburn 70).

Unused: Reid, Gilbert.

Yellow cards: Edwards.

Goals: Gillesphey 12.