Match Report | Barnsley 0-2 Cardiff City

Two quick-fire second-half goals saw Cardiff City secure a deserved 2-0 victory at Barnsley.

The strikes from Will Vaulks and Callum Paterson helped to take City to ninth in the Sky Bet Championship table, just two points off the Play-Off places.

Neil Harris named an unchanged starting 11 from the Bluebirds’ 2-2 draw with Brentford last time out, with Gavin Whyte replacing Danny Ward on the substitutes' bench.

The opening exchanges were even at Oakwell, with Vaulks heading wide from Joe Ralls’ corner kick, before Cauley Woodrow flashed an effort off target at the other end.

Chances were at a premium for the majority of the opening period, with the action end-to-end in South Yorkshire, but both sides struggling to carve out clear goal-scoring opportunities.

City’s best chance came minutes before the interval as Paterson slipped a ball through to Albert Adomah. The winger raced through before testing Brad Collins in the Barnsley goal, with Dion Sanderson heading wide from the resulting corner.

The Bluebirds were out of the traps quickly after the break, showing urgency in their hunt for an opener. 

First, Paterson headed Sean Morrison’s flick-on straight at Collins, before Hoilett turned just over from Ralls’ cross.

With the wind in their sails, City created another opportunity as Paterson latched onto a ball over the top, despite being obstructed in the box by Aapo Halme.

With Collins then spilling the ball, the Tykes ‘keeper took Pato out, only for the referee to wave away the penalty appeals and award a goal-kick.

Unperturbed by that incident, Harris’ men continued to create, with the game’s crucial moment just around the corner. Just after the hour mark, the Bluebirds raced into the lead, stamping their authority on the match with two goals in the space of a minute.

First, Will Vaulks reacted superbly to slot home an opener from close range. Then, just moments after the restart Sanderson picked out Paterson, and the Scottish forward raced through to slot home and make it two.

The quick-fire brace of goals was well deserved for a City side that had nullified their hosts before crafting numerous opportunities in the second period. 

The full-time whistle at Oakwell saw City celebrate getting back to winning ways – the win taking them to ninth in the Sky Bet Championship table, two points off the Play-Off places.

Barnsley: Collins, Sollbauer, Halme, B. Williams, Ludewig, Ritzmaier, Mowatt (C), Thomas, Woodrow, Chaplin (Schmidt 83), Brown  (Simoes 70).

Subs not used: Walton, J.Williams, Dougall, Andersen, Bahre.

Cardiff City: Smithies, Sanderson, Morrision (C), Nelson, Bennett, Vaulks, Ralls (Pack 80), Bacuna, Adomah, Paterson (Glatzel 87), Hoilett (Murphy 84).

Subs not used: Etheridge, Flint, Whyte, Smith.