LEEDS DRAW BLANK AGAIN

Barnsley and Boro win but Blades go down to defeat against Cardiff

RYAN HEDGES’S stunning second-half strike gave Barnsley their first league victory of the season as they halted Nottingham Forest’s three-game winning run with an entertaining success at Oakwell.

Matty Pearson’s early header gave the Tykes the lead, but Daryl Murphy restored parity in the 26th minute after the hosts had wasted a host of chances to increase their advantage. Hedges brilliantly fired Barnsley back ahead after 50 minutes and, despite the odd scare or two, the home side held on to claim the points.

The Tykes could not have wished for a better start, taking a fourth-minute lead. George Moncur swung over a free-kick from the left and Pearson got up highest to loop a header back across goal and into the far corner, with Tom Bradshaw following up just to make sure.

Forest almost levelled within 60 seconds as they broke from the kick-off, with Tendayi Darikwa’s persistence handing a chance to Murphy near the byline but the former Newcastle striker slammed a fierce effort from an acute angle against a post.

Bradshaw fired Adam Hammill’s cross straight at Jordan Smith before heading Hammill’s delivery inches over, Smith saved from Moncur, Hedges headed Jason McCarthy’s cross back across goal when it looked easier to score, and Moncur curled an effort just wide as Barnsley laid siege to Forest’s goal.

But the hosts were hit by a sucker punch as Forest levelled.

Barrie McKay had just fired an effort over the top as the visitors finally stemmed the tide, but the Scot showed much more composure when whipping over a delightful cross for the diving Murphy to head home.

But just like the first half, Forest were caught napping at the start of the second period

as Hedges drove forward into space and unleashed a stunning 20-yarder into the bottom corner. Forest rallied, with chances for Darikwa, Andreas Bouchalakis and Osborn efforts.

Barnsley: Davies, McCarthy, Jackson, MacDonald, Pearson, Joe Williams, Hammill (Barnes 90), Potts, Moncur (Bird 66),Hedges, Bradshaw. Unused substitutes: Town send, Pinnock, Ugbo, Payne, Mowatt.

Nottm Forest: Smith, Worrall, Mills, Mancienne (Traore 46), Darikwa, Bouchalakis, Vaughan (Carayol 71), McKay (Cummings 78), Dowell, Osborn, Murphy. Unused substitutes: Lichaj, Clough, Brereton, Evtimov.

Referee: T Harrington (Cleveland).