Barnsley’s three-game unbeaten run in the league ended with a 3-1 loss at Lincoln City on Tuesday.
The hosts took the lead late in the first half then, after Davis Keillor-Dunn levelled midway through the second half, Lincoln netted twice in three minutes.
The Reds’ defending was poor throughout and the hosts created the better chances. They are 11th, six points off the top six.
Josh Earl was not fit enough to return but Marc Roberts was back on the bench. Jono Bland played at right-back with Mael de Gevigney returning to centre-back to partner Jack Shepherd while Tennai Watson was on the left.
Barnsley started brightly with Davis Keillor-Dunn heading at the goalkeeper from a Luca Connell cross.
Lincoln came back into it and Murphy Cooper had to make a vital one on one save from Jack Moylan who was clean through with yards of space to run into after a clever touch by Freddie Draper unlocked the Reds defence. The hosts had another huge chance seconds later when a long throw led to Draper blazing over seven yards out with the goal gaping.
A good Barnsley move ended with Bland playing in Vimal Yoganathan on the right of the box but he shot wide.
Cooper dropped a cross in windy conditions but did well to block Reeco Hackett’s shot, then Moylan volleyed wide from an Adam Reach cross.
Connell was booked for diving, which was his fifth yellow card of the season so he will miss Saturday’s game with Leyton Orient.
Lincoln took the lead with a powerful finish by Hackett from the left of the box after Barnsley could not clear following a cross.
Moylan came close again when he swapped passes with Hackett but saw a shot from the right of the box saved by Cooper.
Keillor-Dunn almost levelled on the stroke of half-time but his 15-yard shot from a low Yoganathan cross was well-saved by George Wickens diving to his left.
Neil Farrugia came on for Yoganathan at half-time and Barnsley started a lot better. Cleary beat a couple of defenders on the left then saw a shot saved from a tight angle before Adam Phillips put Patrick Kelly through in the box but a defender made a fine block. De Gevigney headed wide from a Connell corner.
Cooper tipped wide Tom Bayliss’ shot from a tight angle on the left of the box.
Barnsley levelled when Bland’s low cross from the right was turned in from close range by Keillor-Dunn for his 12th goal of the season.
But Lincoln levelled within seconds as the goalkeeper’s kick was allowed to bounce through to Bayliss who lobbed Cooper. It was 3-1 minutes later when a Tom Hamer long throw was flicked on by Sonny Bradley and Hackett tapped in. Both goals were extremely poor from a defensive point of view.
Barnsley (4-2-3-1): Cooper; Bland (McGoldrick 79), de Gevigney, Shepherd, Watson, Phillips, Connell, Yoganathan (Farrugia HT), Kelly, Cleary, Keillor-Dunn.
Unused: Smith, Roberts, Vickers, Rooney, Farrugia, Farrell.
Yellow cards: Connell.
Goals: Keillor-Dunn 67.
Lincoln (4-2-3-1): Wickens; Darikwa, Bradley, Hamer, Reach; Bayliss (Varfolomeev 82), McGrandles; Hackett, Jefferies (Okoronkwo 72mins), Moylan (Obikwu 82); Draper (Street 72)
Unused: Jeacock, Towler.
Goals: Hackett 37, 71; Bayliss 68.
