Walsall 1 Barnsley 3: Tykes' momentum maintained in style

The Reds maintained their brilliant recent momentum under caretaker manager Paul Heckingbottom, while the result proved the last straw for the hosts who yesterday dismissed Sean O’Driscoll despite the club sitting in fourth. The Reds were spared after just 15 minutes when Anthony Forde curled in a 20-yard free-kick that bounced out off a post.

Just two minutes later Barnsley were ahead.

A superb individual goal broke the deadlock, with Manchester United loanee Ashley Fletcher taking the ball forward before burying his fourth Barnsley strike past Neil Etheridge.

Just before the half-hour mark the Saddlers were level.

After Romaine Sawyers’s shot was blocked, Tom Bradshaw – who appeared to be offisde – knocked in the rebound.

Referee Chris Sarginson had to be replaced by the fourth official after 37 minutes when he limped away from the action in some discomfort.

A superb goal put Barnsley bach ahead in the 50th minute. Fletcher tapped the ball to Josh Brownhill, and the Preston loanee drove home a breath-taking first Barnsley goal from 25 yards.

A memorable individual goal made it 3-1 to Barnsley in the 56th minute. A third loanee, Harry Chapman, celebrated his first league start when he ran from the halfway line before slotting unerringly past a stunned Etheridge.

Walsall: Etheridge, Demetriou, Downing, O’Connor, Taylor, Forde, Chambers, Mantom, Kieron Morris (Lalkovic 66), Sawyers (Hiwula 66), Bradshaw (Cook 77). Unused substitutes: MacGillivray, Henry, Preston, Bryn Morris.

Barnsley: Davies, Connolly, Mawson, Roberts, George Williams, Isgrove (Scowen 81), Brownhill, Hourihane, Chapman (Tuton 90), Fletcher (Khan 90),Watkins. Unused substitutes: Smith, Nyatanga, McCourt, Townsend.

Referee: Gavin Ward (Surrey).