Barnsley 2-0 Stoke City: Callum Styles stunner helps Tykes to fourth-straight win
- Published
Callum Styles took his tally to five goals for the season
Barnsley strengthened their Championship play-off hopes with a fourth-straight win as Callum Styles' superb strike helped to see off Stoke.
The Potters cleared a corner out to Styles, who found space to curl a stunning 20-yard shot across keeper Angus Gunn and inside the far post.
The hosts were denied a second when Dominik Frieser's clinical finish was ruled offside.
But Conor Chaplin played in Daryl Dike to lash a low shot past Gunn late on to seal the win against a disappointing Stoke side.
Barnsley extended their unbeaten league run to six matches to climb up to eighth and within a point of the top six, while Stoke dropped below their opponents into 10th as their winless away run stretched to eight games.
The hosts started strongly, with Alex Mowatt and Romal Palmer testing Gunn after Styles' classy opening goal, but City responded well and threatened with crosses and set-pieces.
Michael O'Neill's side spurned two golden chances before the break when Danny Batth headed Tommy Smith's cross over the top when unmarked, and fellow centre-half Harry Souttar ballooned a close-range shot over the bar.
Yet Barnsley comfortably contained a disappointing Stoke after the break as the Potters failed to conjure up a second-half chance of note.
Dike mishit an effort from inside the six-yard box to keep the visitors in the game, but the United States international forward settled any nerves with his first Championship goal since a loan move from MLS side Orlando City.