It’s no Jok as Slavisa stops rot in a thriller
FULHAM finally stopped the rot as they won in the Championship for the first time since August.
They did it in style, too, with this six-goal romp at a shell-shocked Oakwell.
Slavisa Jokanovic’s men, who were the early-season pacesetters, had gone six league games without a win.
But they put that right in an action-packed game that included three goals in five first-half minutes.
Strikes from Lucas Piazon, Sone Aluko, Scott Malone and Chris Martin did the damage, after Barnsley twice took the lead through Marley Watkins and Sam Winnall.
The Reds, who had Josh Scowen sent off in the second half, now have no wins in five games.
It had all started so well for Barnsley as they surged into a fourth-minute lead, though they were thankful for some criminal play by the visitors.
Playing the ball out of defence, Stefan Johansen casually passed straight to Barnsley’s Sam Morsy, whose first-time pass sent Watkins through on goal and he made no mistake.
After controlling the game Fulham got their reward in the 37th minute when Piazon slashed home.
Barnsley hit back four minutes later when Winnall converted off the post.
The home fans were still celebrating when Fulham drew level again, Aluko nipping in to slide home Johansen’s pass.
It was more of the same after the break as the visitors took the lead for the first time just 33 seconds into the second half through Malone – with a ball in which was almost certainly a cross.
Malone was the architect again as Fulham finally gave themselves some breathing space as Martin netted a powerful close-range header.
Things got worse for Barnsley two minutes later when Scowen was sent off.
Jokanovic said: “After a very bad September we started after the international break with victory, that’s very important for us.
Barnsley boss Paul Heckingbottom said: “I am disappointed, watching the goals back, they were terrible on our part.”