Blackburn Rovers 2-1 Barnsley: Ben Brereton Diaz scores winner, his 20th of the season
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Ben Brereton Diaz has now scored 10 goals in his last 10 games for Blackburn
Ben Brereton Diaz scored his 20th league goal of the season as Blackburn made it six successive Championship victories by beating struggling Barnsley.
The Chile international striker scored with an angled left-footed shot after the teams went in level at the break despite Rovers dominating much of the opening 45 minutes.
Midfielder Joe Rothwell had put them ahead after striking the woodwork with an earlier effort, but Carlton Morris levelled when his deflected shot rolled in off a post.
There was no way back, though, for the Tykes after Brereton Diaz restored the lead and he is now only two behind Fulham's Aleksandar Mitrovic in the Championship top scorers list as Rovers moved level on points with the second-placed London side.
They remain below them on goal difference, and are also just a single point behind leaders Bournemouth.
Barnsley have not won in eight games, six of them under new head coach Poya Asbaghi, and are seven points from safety, having now played two more than the two sides immediately above the relegation places, Cardiff and Reading.
And they look like a side in need of reinforcements during the January transfer window who can make an instant impact if they are to avoid dropping into League One next season.
The warning signs were there inside the first minute as Reda Khadra sprinted away and beat Barnsley keeper Brad Collins, only for the goal to be disallowed because the referee had already blown up for a foul earlier in the move.
Joe Rothwell played seven games for Barnsley during a loan spell in 2015-16
Barnsley midfielder Callum Styles tested home keeper Thomas Kaminski with a curling 20-yard effort, but Blackburn responded when Rothwell fired against the post following a one-two with Harry Pickering.
He made no mistake with his second opportunity after Romal Palmer gave the ball away in midfield and it took a last-ditch tackle by Styles to prevent Brereton Diaz making it two before the forward had a shot palmed away by Collins.
The equaliser by Morris came somewhat out of the blue but Blackburn remained the more threatening side following the re-start and the impressive John Buckley eventually found Brereton Diaz in space, and he made no mistake.
Brereton Diaz has scored four more league goals this term than the entire Barnsley side combined and sub Sam Gallagher forced a good low save from Collins in injury time before Styles shot over the bar in reply.
Blackburn manager Tony Mowbray told BBC Radio Lancashire:
"I thought we could have come in three or four up at half-time and yet it was one all.
"The mentality in the dressing room was very focused and determined to make sure we won the second half and I think we deserved to win the match on chances created.
"Sitting here with three points feels good. It should have been more comfortable but we had to find a way to win the game and we did.
"If you've got a work ethic, and a desire and attitude, like a lot of these young players have got, they deserve a level of success and we've got 22 games (left) now to keep fighting in every one and see where it takes us."
Barnsley head coach Poya Asbaghi told BBC Radio Sheffield:
"I hope my team will learn from their mistakes in this game, and we can learn from them fast enough for the next game.
"We learned at half-time and had more control, we weren't so vulnerable for their counter-attacks, and that shows they can learn pretty fast.
"I knew the challenge (before taking the job), that's no secret. But I knew as well that with young players, there is big potential.
"We have not developed fast enough to win games like this. Does this mean we will never learn enough? No."
Listen to full Poya Asbaghi interview here.