BARNSLEY missed the chance to make ground on League One’s promotion-chasing teams as they crashed to a disappointing 3-0 defeat at struggling Exeter City.
The Devon side, who moved out of the relegation zone with this win, made a mockery of their lowly status and were good value for their win thanks to goals from man of the match Ilmari Niskanen, Jayden Wareham and Reece Cole.
For Barnsley, it was an afternoon to forget as they rarely troubled home goalkeeper Joe Whitworth with this defeat leaving them tenth in the table and six points adrift of the play-offs.
Connor Hourihane made two changes to the side that beat Leyton Orient last time out with Marc Roberts coming into the defence and captain Luca Connell returning to anchor the midfield. Mael de Gevigney and Vimal Yoganathan made way and dropped to the bench.
The Reds – looking like Real Madrid in their all-white away strip but playing anything like it – actually started well with Adam Phillips firing high from 20 yards after a driving run from Patrick Kelly. Reyes Cleary then turned Jack McMillan inside and out, but his shot was well blocked by the Exeter defender and that was as good as it got for Hourihane's side.
Exeter began to grow more and more into the game and created the best chance of the half when Niskanen broke clear in the left and cut the ball back to Jayden Wareham, but he blasted wastefully over the bar from ten yards.
The Grecians then took the lead, four minutes before half-time, when they worked the ball patiently down the Tykes right and Ethan Brierley stood the ball up to the back post where Niskanen arrived to crash a first time volley past Murphy Cooper from the narrowest of angles.
Hourihane kept faith with the same 11 for the start of the second half, but after such a promising start, he must have been disappointed with how the Reds faded as the half wore on and allowed Exeter to take control.
The second half began as the first ended for Barnsley, with Exeter looking the more likely to add to their goal, so it was no surprise to see a double change just before the hour mark. Off went Neil Farrugia, to be replaced by Fabio Jalo, but straight away, it was 2-0.
Cooper made a superb stop to keep out a Jack Fitzwater header, but when the ball was turned goalwards, Wareham was on the line for the simplest of finishes.
Jon Russell came on for Jonathan Bland, as Hourihane rolled the dice once more, but Exeter could have had a penalty when former Red Jack Aitchison was sent sprawling inside the box, only for the referee to wave play on.
The home side were defending superbly well and throwing themselves in front of shots and crosses and when Barnsley did get a shot away, Jack Shepherd’s 20-yard volley flew high wide and out of the ground.
To rub salt into Barnsley’s wounds, a third self-inflicted goal followed as Phillips was robbed of possession 25 yards out, Niskanen was set free and he picked out substitute Cole, who found the bottom corner.
Exeter could have added to their tally, but for Barnsley, it was a day of frustration in which they failed to register a single shot on target until the 93rd minute. By then, the game was well and truly over with a few boos emanating from a disgruntled away end.
