Barnsley turn back the clock at fortress Oakwell to dismiss Accrington Stanley

The Reds boasted an unbeaten record at Oakwell in the 1967-68 season and finished as Division Four runners-up to the team who today sit above them in League One, Luton Town.

In that past season, Barnsley won their last five home matches and that same sequence begins tomorrow against third-placed Sunderland.

Goal-scoring right-back Dimitri Cavare is confident that this season’s unbeaten home run will continue and will result in immediate promotion back to the Championship.

Barnsley overcame having Jacob Brown and Cameron McGeehan banned for three games after the 3-0 victory at Southend by recording the double over Accrington Stanley and cutting the gap on the Hatters to three points.

It also took them four points clear of Sunderland, who have a game in hand after a stoppage-time equaliser at Wycombe.

With target man Kieffer Moore sidelined by a head injury, Barnsley are having to find new ways to dissect opponents and this was typified by the 41st-minute opener from Guadeloupean Cavare.

Striker Cauley Woodrow found himself in midfield and picked out a great pass for Cavare to burst onto from the right and calmly slot past former Guiseley goalkeeper Jonny Maxted for his first goal at Oakwell.

Maxted’s one blunder followed in first-half stoppage time when he failed to come out for a cross from Mamadou Thiam and allowed the ball to drop over him and rebound into the net off a shocked Will Wood.

It was the end of the goals but not the action as Accrington threw on three attackers and saw two of them, Paul Smyth and Billy Kee, spurn glorious chances.

Yet Barnsley created more and Jordan Green, in for Brown, struck the base of the post after the restart and Liam Lindsay sent a close-range header straight into the midriff of Maxted, who atoned with a series of top saves.

“It was a good day but would have been even better if Sunderland had not scored in the 94th minute,” said Cavare. “I think we will keep our unbeaten home record intact until the end of the season. We feel no-one can beat us at home and we want to win the title.”

Barnsley: Davies, Cavare, Pinnock, Lindsay, Pinillos; Mowatt, Dougall; Green (J Williams 59), Bahre (Hedges 87), Thiam (Styles 80); Woodrow. Unused substitutes: Walton, Jackson, B Williams, Adeboyejo.

Accrington Stanley: Maxted, Johnson, Rodgers, Hughes, Donacien, Wood (Smyth 52); McConville, Finley, Barlaser, Clark (Zanzala 69); Armstrong (Kee 58). Unused substitutes: Savin, Richards-Everton, Brown, Sousa, .

Referee: D Whitestone (Northants).