Preston North End 1 Barnsley 4: De Silva's superb goal paves way for Tykes' win

When the Sao Paulo-born midfielder rifled a brilliant low shot into the net from 25 yards after eight minutes it was just reward for the Tykes' early enterprise.

Danny Welbeck equalised for Preston in the 27th minute after a mistake from Barnsley defender Darren Moore but Mark Robins's men hit back to run out emphatic winners.

They restored their lead four minutes before half-time when Preston full-back Michael Hart diverted Stephen Foster's header into his own net.

Andy Gray added a third with 21 minutes remaining and he then showed intelligence to set up debutant substitute Jay Rodriguez for a fourth in added time.

Barnsley outfought and outplayed Preston throughout and the boos that rang out around Deepdale at the interval and again at the final whistle served as a stark reminder of the task facing new Preston boss Darren Ferguson.

Ferguson's men had won their previous two matches but they were no match for Barnsley, who on this evidence look the more capable of challenging for a play-off berth.

The Tykes gave a debut to Filipe Teixeira and their crisp passing left Preston chasing shadows at times.

De Silva's eighth-minute opener summed up the early exchanges as the Brazilian dispossessed Richard Chaplow and strode forward unopposed before striking a fierce right-footed shot past Andy Lonergan and into the bottom corner.

Preston showed nothing as a creative force in the opening quarter but equalised as Welbeck seized on a dreadful backpass by Barnsley centre-back Moore 18 yards from goal and rifled home past the exposed Luke Steele.

Barnsley continued to threaten and in the 41st minute Emil Hallfredsson's outswinging corner from the left flank was met by Foster, whose firm header from 12 yards struck Hart and flew into the net.

Preston's goal led a charmed life after the break but was breached again in the 69th minute when Gray expertly controlled Nathan Doyle's long punt upfield and drilled a fierce shot high into the net from 12 yards.

Ferguson threw on new signing Keith Treacy and former Barnsley trainee Jon Parkin in the second half but it was to no avail as Gray squared for Rodriguez to tap home a late fourth.

Preston North End: Lonergan, Hart, Neill Collins, St. Ledger, Nolan, Mellor (Treacy 56), Jones, Chaplow (Carter 29), Wallace (Parkin 67), Brown, Welbeck. Unused substitutes: Henderson, Chilvers, Mawene, Mayor.

Barnsley: Steele, Shotton, Foster, Moore, Dickinson, Doyle, De Silva (Rodriguez 90), Colace, Hallfredsson, Teixeira, Andy Gray. Unused substitutes: Preece, Hammill, Macken, Bogdanovic, Hume, Potter.

Referee: N Miller (Durham).