Barnsley won just their sixth league game of the season thanks to Dale Jennings's second-half strike this afternoon, consigning playoff hopefuls Nottingham Forest to their third straight defeat.
It was a stodgy game of few chances at Oakwell that was settled by Jennings's first goal in a Barnsley shirt.
Unfortunately for the Tykes, all other sides towards the foot of the table that played today also won so the relegation battle remains as close as before.
Below, Sports Mole looks over a hugely important three points for Danny Wilson's side.
Match statistics
Barnsley
Shots: 14
On target: 2
Possession: 48%
Corners: 6
Fouls: 13
Forest
Shots: 19
On target: 4
Possession: 52%
Corners: 7
Fouls: 12
Was the result fair?
Even though Forest had more shots and possession, Barnsley did deserve the points as the majority of Forest's efforts were half-chances. The home side played with much more energy, while Forest looked like a side low on confidence.
Barnsley's performance
Danny Wilson will be over the moon with his men for their display against one of the top-five teams in the league. Although they didn't create many brilliant openings, they put in one of their best defensive displays of the season to restrict Forest to predominantly long shots. Big things were expected after his signing from Bayern Munich in the summer and today was probably his strongest outing as a Tyke. He warned Forest keeper Karl Darlow with a dipping drive in the first half and then beat him with a powerful low strike.
Forest's performance
With manager Billy Davies starting the first of a five-game touchline ban, Forest looked a little lost and short of ideas. They're still in fifth place in the table this evening but their recent poor run will give hope to the teams below that they can be removed from the top six before the end of the season. Granted, they have been hit with a number of key injuries, especially in midfield, but they didn't really turn up today. Credit to Djamel Abdoun, though: he kept plugging away all afternoon and set up a number of chances that his strikers failed to take. The Algerian also hit the post with a snapshot out of nowhere in the first half. Davies needs to stop this rot, and quickly.
Sports Mole's man of the match
Peter Ramage: Perhaps Barnsley's best defensive display of the season and Ramage was the pick of the bunch. He was also a threat going forward for the hosts.
Biggest gaffe
Forest's best chance fell Jamie Mackie's way in the first half and although he was just six yards out, he somehow headed Abdoun's cross wide.
Referee performance
Keith Stroud did just fine, perhaps letting Stephen Dawson off lightly when he only booked the Barnsley man for a nasty late tackle.
What next?
Barnsley: Next to visit Oakwell are runaway league leaders Leicester City on Tuesday night.
Forest: Forest, meanwhile, travel to the North-East to face Middlesbrough.
Pascal Lemesre
