Barnsley 2-0 Middlesbrough: Tykes consolidate play-off spot with win
- Published
Daryl Dike (left) has now scored eight goals for Barnsley since joining on loan from Orlando City in January
Alex Mowatt and Daryl Dike scored second-half goals to consolidate Barnsley's place in the Championship play-off places with victory over Middlesbrough.
Mowatt floated in the opening goal direct from a corner before Dike's header made the points safe with 15 minutes remaining.
Victory extends fifth-placed Barnsley's advantage over Reading, in seventh, to five points.
Defeat for Middlesbrough effectively ended any lingering hopes of finishing in the top six.
Neil Warnock's side remain 10th, 11 points off a play-off spot with only five games remaining.
The visitors came closest in the first half when George Saville failed to get a good enough connection on a close-range header after Toby Sibbick's own header back to his goalkeeper was too weak.
The game lacked quality and it was a goalkeeping error that broke the deadlock as Mowatt swung over an inswinging corner that caught out Marcus Bettinelli in the Middlesbrough goal.
Dike's late header ensured no nerves in the closing stages.
Callum Brittain delivered an inviting cross from the right and Dike stooped inside the six-yard box to head in his eighth goal in 14 games since joining the club at the start of February.
Barnsley manager Valerien Ismael: "At the end of the day, this is what matters - to get the job done. The first half was a sleepy game without intensity and the opponent was very organised and tried to pick the time from the clock to take out the intensity of the game.
"It was our purpose to win as we knew the three points meant we crossed the 70-point line and for the psychological effects for the guys, it was very important to get the job done.
"We are capable of scoring at any time and the big focus from the guys was to stay in the game and avoid the mistakes and continue to put the pressure on the opponent to score at the right moment."
Middlesbrough manager Neil Warnock: "We should have been two goals up, two good chances really.
"And you know you're not going to get many in a game like that because the ball is never on the floor.
"If we're two goals up I think we win the game, then to concede when we did is ridiculous really."