Barnsley FC head coach Valerien Ismael hails 'knock-out' Callum Styles

A high-quality game between two form teams who went into the game with just one loss in their previous seven matches hinged on Styles's brilliant strike from distance five minutes from time - on an afternoon when the hosts hit the bar on three occasions.

After Styles - so influential in the Reds' dramatic late-season win against Forest in July - made the breakthrough, Cauley Woodrow added a second when he turned in Callum Brittain's centre as the hosts' top-scorer finally got himself on the scoresheet after rattling the woodwork twice.

It helped Barnsley secure a third successive home triumph and clean sheet against a Forest side who were thwarted in their own efforts to break the impasse by some fine keeping from Jack Walton.

On the impact of Styles, Ismael, whose side moved up to 13th place in the Championship, said: "I am very happy. He made some goals in training and all the time I say: 'I want to see it one time in the game' and he did it today.

"I am very happy for him and this time it was very important and it was a knock-out for the opponent.

"We felt it on the pitch and to score directly after was very important."

Expressing delight at the patience of his side and the impact made by his substitutes, the Frenchman, whose side welcome Brentford on Tuesday, added: "I was pleased not only with the win, but the way. It was a very good game from both teams with high intensity and very good quality on the pitch.

"I have to say that the Championship is a very big league and this team was very strong today.

"We started very well and hit the crossbar twice and had the possibility to score. We made the first thirty minutes into a good thing on the pitch.

"After, for sure, we were lucky in some situations. But Jack Walton did his job and why he is paid and that's why it is a good feeling that all the guys are focused on the performance we needed to win the game and keep the pressure high.

"I am very happy and the five substitutes were very important to us. It gave us the possibilty to change what we needed to keep the pressure until the end and the last ten minutes was very powerful from my team and I felt the will to win on the pitch.

"It is very good for the guys as it was a 50-50 game. I said at half-time to keep going and congratulations to my side. It was a step forward for the team and it was a very good day for us."