The pressure on Derby County's Paul Jewell will only intensify after this latest setback and the former Sheffield Wednesday and Bradford City manager desperately needs results to improve fast.

Davey, however, will be breathing a massive sigh of relief after picking up the win that lifted his side off the bottom of the table.

Ironically, Barnsley's performance on Saturday was not good and Derby manager Jewell justifiably felt aggrieved by the result.

But results matter more than performances and Jewell needs to hope that the sight of the Rams at the bottom of table does not prompt the club's American owners to reach for the panic button.

Derby dominated for 70 minutes but failed to make their possession count. Barnsley goalkeeper Luke Steele produced several important saves before striker Iain Hume scored a spectacular goal against the run of play. Hume also delivered the corner which enabled Stephen Foster to wrap things up.

"Hopefully, we will be terrible on Saturday afternoon and get all three points," had been one of Davey's pre-match comments. His wish came true.

Speaking after the game, Davey said: "Performance-wise, we were not as good as we have been in the past – but we are in a results business and things have gone for us today. I am pleased for the players because they have worked very hard in the first five games and got nothing out of the first four.

"We got the rub of the green which we haven't had in the first four games and its great that we can go into the (international) break with points on the board. We are going to move forward from here."

Davey, who led Barnsley to the semi-finals of the FA Cup last season, had been given a vote of confidence from club owner Patrick Cryne prior to the game.

Despite failing to pick up a single point in the first three games and crashing out of the Carling Cup, Cryne had also insisted that it was 'nonsense' to suggest Davey had three games to save his job.

Of course, if Barnsley had lost to Derby, any pressure would only have increased. That is the nature of football.

Crucially, they did not lose and supporters will always forgive a poor performance as long as they have a victory to celebrate. Supporters who lose, however, rarely take comfort from that fact that it was a 'good display'.

Jewell took stick from a section of Derby supporters when he trudged towards the tunnel at the end of Saturday's game.

"People will look at the result and think Derby have lost again and they have been beaten easily – but we were by far the better team, in my opinion," he said.

"Maybe I am being a bit biased but I like to think that I give an honest view of every game I am involved in and my honest view of that game was that we were streets ahead.

"Whatever comes along, I will take it on the chin. I am going to get some flak, that's life," he added.

Goalscorer Hume thinks this victory could provide Barnsley with the springboard they need to push up the table.

Hume, who cost a club-record £1.2m from Leicester City in the summer, missed the previous weekend's defeat at Birmingham City through suspension but has scored two goals in four appearances for his new side.

Davey had also moved the striker to the flank just minutes before the goal to accommodate substitute Kayode Odejayi.

Hume now joins the Canadian squad for World Cup qualifiers against Honduras and Mexico.

When he returns, Barnsley will be preparing for a trip to Blackpool where they need to build on this victory.

Davey, meanwhile, was again unable to employ the services of Argentinian midfielder Hugo Colace.

A dispute with his former club Newell's Old Boys has resulted
in the player's international clearance being withheld
and Barnsley will be speaking to FIFA again this week demanding action to resolve the situation.

Amid rumours of possible interest from Sheffield United, Barnsley insist they have received no enquiries for captain Brian Howard.


Barnsley: Steele; Foster, Souza, Moore, Kozluk; Devaney, Howard, Leon (Hassell 67), El Haimour (Odejayi 63); Hume, Macken (Mostto 90). Unused substitutes: Muller, Van Homoet.

Derby County: Carroll; Connolly, Leacock, Albrechtsen, Stewart; Green, Kazmierczak, Addison, Commons (Davies 83); Villa (Ellington 77), Hulse (Barazite 83). Unused substitutes: Bywater, Davis.

Referee: G Salisbury (Lancashire).