Barnsley put in one of their worst performances of a difficult season in a 2-0 home defeat to fellow strugglers Hull City.
Hull took the lead during a first half in which Barnsley were very poor then doubled it late on while also missing several good chances.
The Reds created very little in a performance that lacked intensity and quality, while they were easily cut open at the back.
That loss meant Barnsley fell below the Tigers to second bottom and are four points off safety.
Caretaker Joe Laumann made three changes to the side that beat Derby County on Wednesday. Mads Andersen, Callum Styles and Victor Adeboyejo dropped to the bench with Liam Kitching, Jordan Williams and Devante Cole coming into the side. Obbi Oulare was not on the bench but Remy Vita and Dominik Frieser were after missing out on Wednesday's squad.
The Reds looked lively for a few minutes but then the visitors got on top.
Richard Smallwood volleyed over from just outside the Barnsley box in the sixth minute then, soon after, Josh Magennis fired wide of the bottom left corner from about 22 yards. Jacob Greaves headed wide eight yards out from Lewie Coyle's right-wing cross.
Devante Cole was Barnsley's best player by far in the first half, winning headers and running at defenders. But he also missed a fine chance to give them the lead when he headed over Josh Benson's left-wing free-kick five yards out.
Minutes later, Callum Brittain skipped past a defender in the box and his 15-yard effort was pushed behind by Nathan Baxter who then easily held onto a Kitching header from the resulting Benson corner.
Hull took the lead soon after when Magennis' low right-wing cross was turned towards his own goal by Jasper Moon and Brad Collins made a sharp save but the ball rolled to George Honeyman to fire home.
It was almost 2-0 soon after when ex-Red Mallik Wilks sent a header wide of the left post from Honeyman's left-wing cross. He then blazed over from long range after Aaron Leya Iseka did the same at the other end for Barnsley.
Laumann brought on Adeboyejo at half-time for Cole then Styles for Williams early in the second half.
The visitors should have made it 2-0 five minutes after the break when they counter-attacked and Keane Lewis-Potter set up Honeyman in front of goal but he took a poor touch then Greg Docherty looked certain to net but Collins made a fine block and Magennis hit the rebound over.
Styles' weak effort from the edge of the box was easily saved then a fine Greaves tackle on the edge of the box denied Iseka who had burst through the home defence.
Brittain had another chance on 74 minutes when Iseka's cross from the left after a good run fell to him but his left-footed shot was straight into the arms off Baxter.
Seconds later it was 2-0 as Kitching's clearance deep in his half was blocked and fell perfectly to Lewis-Potter who advanced into the box and beat Collins with a good finish.
It should have been 3-0 ten minutes later when Lewis-Potter once again got behind the home defence and cut in from the left then found substitute Ryan Longman who smashed against the post ten yards out.
Substitute Romal Palmer saw a weak effort from the edge of the box saved in the 89th minute. At the other end, Collins sprang to his left to push away a powerful 20-yard Smallwood effort.
Barnsley (3-4-3): Collins; Moon, Helik, Kitching; Brittain, Gomes, Benson (Palmer 73mins), J Williams (Styles 56); Iseka, Woodrow, Cole (Adeboyejo HT).
Unused: Walton, Andersen, Vita, Frieser.
Yellow cards: Brittain.
Hull (4-2-3-1): Baxter; Coyle (Emmanuel 37mins), Greaves, Bernard, Elder; Smallwood, Docherty; Honeyman, Lewis-Potter, Wilks (Longman 69mins); Magennis (T Smith 69).
Unused: Ingram, Cannon, McLoughlin, M Smith,
Yellow cards: Honeyman, Greaves.
Goals: Honeyman 34, Lewis-Potter 75.
AS IT HAPPENED
  • GAME UNDERWAY
  • 3:05pm
    2 Lively start for the Reds. Williams wins a corner on the left
  • 3:05pm
    3 Josh Benson's corner is cleared to Iseka whose shot is blocked
  • 3:07pm
    4 Jasper Moon takes a long throw from the right Whig is headed out then put back in and Cole hoiks the ball over his head from the right of the six yard box and the goalkeeper catches. If you're very generous, you'd call that the first shot
  • 3:08pm
    5 Chance for the visitors on their first venture forward. Keane Lewis-Potter does well on the left then pulls the ball back to Smallwood who volleys over from just outside the box
  • 3:09pm
    Aaron Leya Iseka hurt his right leg and has had treatment. He's walking off the pitch now. Hull went up the other end and won a corner
  • 3:10pm
    7 Left wing Hull corner is cleared but the referee had already given a foul
  • 3:10pm
    Iseka back on the pitch now and looks OK
  • 3:16pm
    12 Another half chance for the visitors. Josh Magennis turns about 22 yards out and sends a low shot just wide of then bottom left corner
  • 3:17pm
    Barnsley have made a lively start, playing the better football and getting forward more but Hull have had the only two shots
  • 3:18pm
    Cole is playing well. He's won a few headers and now he beats Coyle on the left and fires in a clever cross but Woodrow cannot get it under control
  • 3:21pm
    18 Another chance for the visitors. Coyle's cross from the right is headed wide of the bottom left corner by greaves eight yards out
  • 3:23pm
    21 Corner to Hull on the right. It floats to the back post where Moon clears nearly on his line
  • 3:25pm
    22 A good move down Hull's left opens the hosts up then a Hull player goes down under pressure from Gomes. The referee waves away penalty appeals and it would have been a very soft spot-kick
  • 3:26pm
    24 Hull corner on the left. Played short then the cross is punched away by Collins
  • 3:27pm
    Barnsley having to do a lot of defending at the moment. Hull win another corner
  • 3:27pm
    26 Corner from the right is headed out
  • 3:28pm
    YELLOW CARD
    George Honeyman is the first name in the book. He takes out Cole after an excellent run down the left by the attacker who has been the hosts' best player so far
  • 3:29pm
    28 Benson's left wing free-kick is header over the bar by Cole. He was unmarked five yards out but he seemed to just hit him and go well over. The Reds' first chance
  • 3:32pm
    The away fans are making plenty of noise. The home crowd is fairly quiet at the moment
  • 3:34pm
    31 Callum Brittain has the first shot on target of the game. He impressively skips past a defender on the edge of the box then his powerful shot is pushed behind by Baxter who also saves Kitching's header from the following Benson corner with ease
  • 3:35pm
    GOAL!
    George Honeyman opens the scoring
  • 3:37pm
    Magennis cross turned towards goal by a defender and Collins saves but Honeyman turns in
  • 3:39pm
    Barnsley now have to come from behind for the second successive game
  • 3:40pm
    38 Hull on top at the moment. They burst down Barnsley's right and win a corner
  • 3:41pm
    39 Corner is cleared by Hull, the ball comes back in and Wilks heads wide from a left wing cross
  • 3:44pm
    42 Iseka blasts well over from about 25 yards
  • 3:47pm
    Two added minutes
  • 3:48pm
    45+1 Mallik Wilks shoots well over from 25 yards after good work by Josh Emmanuel who came on at right back a few minutes after for Lewie Coyle
  • 3:50pm
    HALF-TIME: Barnsley 0, Hull 1. A poor first half for the Reds who trail to George Honeyman's goal
  • 4:07pm
    Cole off, Adeboyejo on at half-time
  • 4:08pm
    SECOND HALF UNDERWAY
  • 4:08pm
    Surprised by that change as Cole was Barnsley's biggest- maybe only - attacking threat. He may have an injury
  • 4:11pm
    YELLOW CARD
    Jacob Greaves booked for cynically dragging down Victor Adeboyejo
  • 4:13pm
    50 Huge chance for 2-0. Lewis-Potter released down the left as Hull break. He sets up Honeyman in front of goal but he takes a poor touch and it looks to Dokcerty who is denied one-on-one by a fine Collins save then Magennis hits the rebound over
  • 4:17pm
    Hull passing out from the back and Barnsley putting them under pressure. The home crowd starting to get a bit louder
  • 4:18pm
    Callum Styles replaces Jordan Williams
  • 4:21pm
    60 Styles shoots from just inside the box on the left but it lacks power and is easily caught by Baxter
  • 4:24pm
    Barnsley have been better in the last few minutes, attacking more and getting the crowd behind them, But they are yet to carve out a chance to level
  • 4:25pm
    63 Wilks is played clean through but the flag goes up then Collins saves anyway
  • 4:27pm
    65 Iseka bursts through the Hull defence is clean through for a second but Greaves makes an excellent tackle and the ball goes out for a goal kick
  • 4:30pm
    Hull double change. Wilks and Magennis off, Longman and Tyler Smith on
  • 4:31pm
    69 Hull take Wilks and Magennis off for Ryan Longman and Tyler Smith
  • 4:33pm
    72 Benson corner on the right. Headed away but the referee had already blown for a Hull free-kick
  • 4:33pm
    Benson comes off for Palmer
  • 4:35pm
    74. Will Callum Brittain ever score for Barnsley? Iseka beats a man and finds the right wing back with a dinked cross but his left-footed shot 12 yards out is powerful and straight at the goalkeeper who catches
  • 4:36pm
    GOAL!
    Keane Lewis-Potter doubles the lead
  • 4:38pm
    Looked like a clearance was blocked and fell straight to him. Good finish
  • 4:41pm
    Woodrow down getting treatment in Hull box
  • 4:42pm
    This is turning into a disastrous afternoon for the Reds, who have been poor all game really. It was a big chance to make it two wins from two against a really struggling side but it seems like they will miss it
  • 4:43pm
    Goalkeeper Nathan Baxter is down receiving treatment after clattering into Styles
  • 4:45pm
    Approaching the final five minutes
  • 4:46pm
    84 Should be 3-0. Lewis Potter again gets behind the home defence, he cuts in from the left and finds Longman who smashes against the base of the left post from about ten yards
  • 4:49pm
    YELLOW CARD
    Callum Brittain booked. He will now be suspended for the next game
  • 4:51pm
    89 Palmer wriggles into some space on the left of the box and shoots but his weak effort is easily saved by the goalkeeper
  • 4:54pm
    90 Collins springs to his left to push Smallwood's 20-yard effort out of the top left corner
  • 4:57pm
    HALF-TIME: Barnsley 0, Hull 2. A very disappointing day for the Reds who were poor and could have lost by more.