BARNSLEY 0 BRIGHTON
SAM BALDOCK hit a brace to ensure Brighton’s ton-up boss Chris Hughton could celebrate his anniversary party in style.
Baldy’s second-half goals ended a dismal run of three defeats and a draw on the road for the homesick Seagulls.
The result means Hughton has won exactly half of his 100 games in charge and while the understated manager may not spend this weekend feeling on top of the world – he will spend it on top of the league.
“It is a good feeling,” beamed Hughton. “But for those of us who have been in the game a while we know it can be so different come the next game if you don’t do the things you do best.
“We don’t get much time to enjoy it as we are back in on Monday and all our thoughts will be on a tough game against Reading.
“I thought we were good today against a side in really good form. We have not been as good as we should away from home recently. By our standards we have been through a dip.”
There were no signs of a dip at Oakwell, though, and only a superb last-ditch block from Barnsley full-back Andy Yiadom, who impressed at both ends, denied Anthony Knockaert an opener in the first half.
Despite the home side giving as good as they got, it was Hughton’s men who took the lead in the 53rd minute.
Baldock picked up Knockaert’s lovely through pass and smashed it over the head of Adam Davies from the edge of the box.
The pair combined again for a well-taken second 15 minutes later. Baldock showed a different side of his game to pick second-half sub Adam Hammill’s pocket in midfield and launch a devastating counter- attack by sending the ball out to Knockaert on the right wing.
The Frenchman danced his way into the crowded box while Baldock sprinted into the six-yard box where he produced a poacher’s finish to steer Knockaert’s drive into the back of the net for Brighton to leapfrog Newcastle, who play Aston Villa tomorrow night.
“I thought there was nothing in it between the sides,” said Barnsley boss Paul Heckingbottom. “Apart from the goals and goals win you games.
“We were wasteful with what we had and they weren’t. They were more clinical at one end and gave us nothing at the other.”
BPossession 5 5% 45% Shots On Target 5 4 Shots Off Target 5 12 Blocked Shots 3 3 Corners 5 3 Fouls Conceded Offsides 1 Yellow Cards Red Cards 11 11
0 0 2 1 0