BARNSLEY equalled a club-record 25-game wait for a clean sheet in a disappointing 3-0 loss at home to Plymouth Argyle on Easter Monday.
A double from Owen Oseni and a goal from Lorent Tolaj sank the Reds to their second straight home defeat.
They are now without a win in six.
Head coach Conor Hourihane made three changes to the starting 11 from the 1-1 draw at Burton Albion on Good Friday.
Owen Goodman replaced Kieren Flavell in between the sticks after recovering from illness, while Reyes Cleary and Jonathan Bland both came into the team ahead of Tennai Watson and Scott Banks.
Fomer Barnsley midfielder Herbie Kane, on loan at Plymouth from Huddersfield Town, did not make the Pilgrims’ squad.
Plymouth controlled the opening ten minutes but were unable to test Goodman in the Barnsley goal.
Alex Mitchell should have done better on 13 minutes after Conor Hazard’s free-kick from his own half made its way all the way through to the defender – but he could only shoot wide from inside the area.
But the away side did take the lead in the 16th minute after Lorent Tolaj flicked the ball over the Barnsley defence to Owen Oseni who smashed in from close range.
It meant that Barnsley have now not kept a clean sheet in their last 25 games.
It equals a club record that was set in 1952/53 – when the club was in turmoil due to the illness then death of long-serving war hero manager Angus Seed – then equalled in 2002/03 when it was in danger of going out of business.
Barnsley’s first real chance of the game came in the 27th minute after David McGoldrick turned his man well and shot from distance, but his effort was well wide.
The Reds should have levelled ten minutes later after Reyes Cleary’s cross flashed across the face of goal but there was somehow no-one there to tap the ball into an empty net.
The first half was summed up perfectly after McGoldrick ran at the Plymouth defence and found himself in a good position – but no player in a red shirt was showing any kid of urgency to get into the box and he was forced to play it backwards.
After a mix-up at the back, the hosts were two-on-one at the back but Patrick Kelly could not find Tom Bradshaw and lost the ball then, up the other end, Plymouth almost extended their lead through Oseni.
Barnsley started the second half well but it was the Pilgrims who doubled their lead.
Oseni and Tolaj combined well in the box before the Swiss forward turned his man and fired low past Goodman.
Plymouth made it three in the 79th minute after referee Tom Reeves pointed to the spot when Jack Shepherd brought down Oseni and the striker doubled his tally for the day from 12 yards.
McGoldrick thought he’d pulled one back for the hosts four minutes from time but he received the ball in an offside position.
Boos rang around the ground when eight minutes of added time were announced, and they were even louder at full time.
Barnsley are now just five points above the drop zone.
