Barnsley 2 Huddersfield Town 1 - Last-gasp Helik ensures precious Reds win

Brought in to shore up Barnsley defensively, the big Pole proved the toast of Oakwell for the hosts, netting twice, including a last-gasp winner to secure a ninth win in 14 matches under Valerien Ismael and a third on the trot on home soil.

Entitled to look up the Championship as opposed to looking over their shoulders, having both been in relegation trouble during the previous Yuletide, this was an opportunity for one of these Yorkshire clubs to firm up their pitches for the play-offs with a derby victory and it was Barnsley - and Helik - who grasped it.

Earlier, the game was prominent for a first ever goal in Town colours for Rarmani Edmonds-Green early on, but it was soon cancelled out by Helik.

Barnsley’s unbeaten home record on Boxing Day extended to five matches, while Town’s last win on this noteworthy date was back in 2003 at Darlington.

It proved an open and enjoyable first half, although both Reds head coach Valerien Ismael and his Huddersfield counterpart Carlos Corberan will have been lamenting soft concessions from their respective sides.

Unfortunately, Barnsley’s penchant for conceding early goals resurfaced for the fourth successive game when they switched off from a neat short corner routine by Town, with Edmonds-Green being the beneficiary as he was afforded a milestone moment in his young career.

The defender nipped ahead of Michael Sollbauer to guide the ball home following an inviting cross from Carel Eiting, who had been involved in a cleverly-worked set-piece with Isaac Mbenza and Juninho Bacuna on 13 minutes.

But Town’s lead lasted all of eight minutes.

Barnsley levelled after another short corner, with Matty James’s deep cross kept in well by Cauley Woodrow, whose header back into the goalmouth was forced in by Helik, with goalline technology confirming his effort had crossed the line after hitting the underside of the bar.

Barnsley had the better of it for the remainder of the half, with Woodrow seeing a shot deflected wide after intelligent play by Dominik Frieser.

Barnsley started off with intent with Woodrow nodding straight at Ryan Schofield, before the Town custodian did well to block another close-range effort from the Reds’ top-scorer who could not force the ball home after Jonathan Hogg could not clear a cross from Callum Styles.

At the other end, Town produced some slick counter-attacking with Fraizer Campbell just failing to turn in Lewis O’Brien after a fine surging run from the Town midfielder.

Huddersfield displayed the early authority at the start of the second half, with another well-worked set-piece almost catching out the Reds, with Bacuna’s cross just evading Edmonds-Green and Naby Sarr while Jack Walton soon dived at the feet of Harry Toffolo to gather after more pressure from the visitors.

Barnsley’s first decent foray saw Schofield beat away a pot-shot from distance from Woodrow, with Ismael throwing Victor Adeboyejo into the fray to turn and perk up the hosts.

The game was still anybody’s with Eiting failing to get a clean connection when well placed after a good move from Town.

The second half proved rather more scrappy although Schofield had to be alert to make an important save to deny Chaplin, the latter’s last involvement before being substituted.

Barnsley persevered and had their moment at the death when Helik converted from clsoe range after a long throw was flicked on.

Barnsley: Walton; Sollbauer, Helik, Andersen; Brittain, James (Kane 74), Mowatt (Palmer 87), Styles; Frieser (Adeboyejo 60), Woodrow (Miller 87), Chaplin (Thomas 74). Substitutes unused: Schmidt, Oduor, Moon, Collins.

Huddersfield Town: Schofield; Pipa, Edmonds-Green, Sarr, Toffolo; Hogg, Eiting (Pritchard 71), O’Brien, Bacuna; Mbenza (Diakhaby 81), Campbell. Substitutes unused: Hamer, Vallejo, Duhaney, Harratt, Crichlow, J Brown, Lowe.

Referee: D Webb (Co.Durham).