Seventh home defeat signals end of the line for Barnsley chief Hill

Managerless Blackburn put two days of off-field turmoil behind them to record a first win in seven matches – a result which led to strugglers Barnsley sacking their manager Keith Hill.

The Reds’ chief, 43, had come under increasing pressure in recent weeks and lost his job after the Tykes slumped to a seventh home league defeat of the season.

Henning Berg was sacked by Blackburn as manager on Thursday following one win in 10 games at the helm.

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Rovers’ senior coaching staff were also shown the door and, under the caretaker control of reserve-team coach Gary Bowyer, it was the only signing of Berg’s 57-day reign who opened the scoring at Oakwell.

On-loan Manchester United forward Josh King bundled the ball home before the half-hour mark and a sublime individual effort on the stroke of half-time from Ruben Rochina gave Blackburn breathing space.

Stephen Dawson reduced the arrears during a lacklustre second half, the closing stages of which were marred by the sight of Barnsley forward Marcus Tudgay receiving lengthy treatment following a collision with Rovers goalkeeper Jake Kean and leaving the field on a stretcher.

That reduced Hill’s side to 10 men, having used all their substitutes and, in the eighth of nine stoppage-time minutes, Jordan Rhodes muscled his way on to Jason Lowe’s long ball to seal victory and send Barnsley to the foot of the table.

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Stephen Foster returned to the heart of the Barnsley defence after suspension and Scott Wiseman, Matty Done and Craig Davies were also restored to Hill’s starting line-up.

Bowyer tweaked Blackburn’s attack by selecting Rochina and Simon Vukcevic in support of top scorer Rhodes.

Barnsley almost took the lead in the ninth minute when Scott Dann’s botched clearance presented Davies with an opportunity, but Rovers managed to scramble clear.

More slack defending presented Dawson with a shooting opportunity, but Grant Hanley was in place to head clear.

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Barnsley could not claim the opening goal was not on the cards when it arrived.

Straight from Kean’s clearance, King raced clear of the Tykes’ backline and, although Luke Steele saved his initial effort, the rebound struck him and bobbled into the net.

Rovers remained on the front foot and were rewarded in style by Rochina.

Wiseman backed off the advancing former Barcelona B playmaker, who stormed into the area and lashed a shot past Steele at his near post.

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Kean saved well from Tudgay on the stroke of half-time but that did not persuade Hill against making a double substitution at the break as Reuben Noble-Lazarus and John Stones replaced Done and Wiseman.

With 14 minutes to go, Dawson lashed home from 20 yards but the hosts’ charge for an equaliser was concluded without Tudgay and Rhodes struck his 12th Blackburn goal in 21 starts.

Barnsley: Steele, Wiseman (Stones 46), Foster, McNulty, Golbourne, O’Brien, Dawson, Perkins, Done (Noble-Lazarus 46), Tudgay, Davies (Sinclair 70). Unused substitutes: Lidakevicius, Hassell, Harewood, Greening.

Blackburn Rovers: Kean, Henley, Grant Hanley, Dann, Martin Olsson, Rochina (Markus Olsson 67), Murphy, Lowe, Vukcevic (Kazim-Richards 46), Rhodes, King (Nuno Gomes 90).

Unused substitutes: Usai, Henrique, Morris, Rosado.

Referee: A D’Urso (Essex).

Man of the match: Reuben Rochina.