Barnsley 5 Rochdale 0: Scowen doubles up to pile on misery for Hill

Josh Scowen blows the Oakwell crowd a kiss after scoring his second goal in Barnsley's 5-0 win over Rochdale (Picture: Dean Atkins).

The club’s young player of the season Mason Holgate bagged his first goal, and fans’ player of the season Conor Hourihane was also on the mark.

Star striker Sam Winnall was the other man on target.

The result means the Reds finished the season with a nine-game unbeaten run.

Visiting defender Joe Rafferty was sent off in the 50th minute for two yellow cards on a miserable afternoon for former manager Keith Hill on his first return to Oakwell.

Victory saw Lee Johnson’s side finish 11th in League One, a commendable effort considering they were close to dropping into the relegation zone earlier in the season before he took charge.

Rafferty’s dismissal for needless challenges on Ben Pearson and Scowen proved the difference.

Down to 10 men, Rochdale struggled under pressure and Scowen twice headed home, unmarked, from corners taken by Hourihane.

The latter also had a big hand in the third goal as Holgate fired home from his corner to put the contest well beyond a lacklustre Rochdale side.

The Irishman deservedly got on the target, tapping home from substitute Rhys Oates’s pass in the final minute.

Winnall – who also had a ‘goal’ ruled out for offside – netted in stoppage-time to complete the rout.

Barnsley: Davies, Bree (Williams 69), Holgate, Nyatanga, Smith, Pearson, Hourihane, Berry (Digby 77), Scowen, Winnall, Maris (Oates 66). Unused substitutes: Dibble, Lalkovic, Cranie, Abbott.

Rochdale: Lillis, Rafferty, Eastham, Lancashire, Vincenti, Noble-Lazarus (Camps 69), Tanser, Logan (Allen 50), Cannon (Bennett 45), Kennedy, Henderson. Unused substitutes: Diba, Andrew, Rose, Bunney.

Referee: D Webb (Lancashire).

Man of the match: Josh Scowen.