Michael Duff on Josh Benson, Devante Cole and an outstanding win for Barnsley over Bristol Rovers

Benson's impressive strike from distance early in the second half put gloss on an eye-catching team display from the Reds, who secured back-to-back home wins for the first time since February and you have to go back to April 2021 for the last occasion that they recorded successive clean sheets at Oakwell.

A first league goal since October from Devante Cole, who looked the part after being promoted to the starting-up, provided Barnsley with the perfect start on three minutes and a deflected strike from distance from Jordan Williams - who scored his first league goal for the club - added to the hosts' tally in a stellar first period.

Benson's cracker added to the Reds' lead on the restart on a night when the likes of Luke Thomas and Luca Connell were also excellent alongside plenty of others too.

On the display of Benson and Cole in particular, Duff - whose side welcome Wycombe at the weekend - said: "It was a Carlsberg week for him (Benson). But he's another one where emotionally it's 'don't get carried away'.

"Just as he wasn't the worst player in the world last year, he hasn't become the best player at Barnsley. He just needs to keep getting known as a good player and not trying to look good.

"It was a brilliant finish and really good performance and he thoroughly deserved the man-of-the-match."

And on Cole, he added: "It is what we want - we want competition for places. We have said we want another one in but there's shirts available at the minute.

"I thought Jack Aitchison was good as well and that the front three are three different types, but linked really well.

"It is always nice to get a goal early and settle any sort of nerves. Because Bristol Rovers are used to winning and have had 18 wins this calendar year and you could see and hear the spirit they had in the warm-up.

"We had to match that energy and intensity. We came out of the traps really well and I was really pleased that Devante got off the mark as well.

"I thought we did every part of the game well. We kept a clean sheet and the press was really high and they did it well. It gave us good chances in the penalty area and I thought we moved the ball well at times as well. The only disappointment at half-time was that it was not dead and buried. I thought it should have been dead at half-time."