Barnsley fans were calling for Simon Davey's head after Swansea battered them 3-1 at Oakwell.
Disastrous defending costs Tykes dear; Swans soar near play-offs
Barnsley fans were calling for Simon Davey's head after Swansea battered them 3-1 at Oakwell.
The Tykes boss came in for fierce criticism following Monday's home defeat to Roberto Martinez's Swans and it leaves Barnsley precariously close to the relegation zone.
Ashley Williams' header opened the scoring for Martinez's play-off hopefuls with just two minutes gone, before Jordi Gomez (35) and Jason Scotland (67) inflicted further damage on their Championship opponents.
Tykes' Daniel Bogdanovic gave the hosts a late consolation from the penalty spot six minutes from time, but the South Yorkshire outfit sit just one place above the drop zone with only a superior goal difference over Nottingham Forest keeping them afloat.
The result has allowed Swansea to close the gap on the play-off challengers to four points and keeps the Welsh club's Premier League aspirations alive with three games left in the season.
Super start
The visitors got off to the best possible when after just two minutes they took the lead through Williams.
The centre-back ghosted in at the far post to toe-poke past Heinz Muller following an inswinging Gomez free-kick.
At the other end Adam Hammill was justifying his recall to the starting XI with an excellent display and he created a great chance for an equaliser after 15 minutes.
Following good play from Bobby Hassell the on-loan midfielder found space down the right before whipping in a dangerous low cross which Bogdanovic was a toe's length away from tucking home.
The chance seemed to spur the hosts into action and they went close again 10 minutes later when, after Hammill was sent flying by Leon Britton on the edge of the area, Anderson De Silva tried a low free-kick under the wall but Swans goalkeeper Dorus de Vries was alert enough to save down low.
The Swans always presented a goal threat on the break with Gomez sending Muller scrambling to his left with a curling shot which flew past the post.
However, the hosts' reprieve did not last long when from an almost identical position the Spaniard lined up another shot and this time the ball nestled into the bottom corner.
Second-half
Barnsley boss Simon Davey made a double substitution at half-time with Martin Devaney and Hugo Colace sent on.
The changes almost paid immediate dividends as Devaney won a corner from which Hammill swung a dangerous cross into the box and captain Foster's header was cleared off the line.
Moments later Jon Macken had a golden opportunity to reduce the deficit.
De Silva made good ground down the left before floating in a cross to the far post but Macken, unmarked beyond the last defender, headed tamely at De Vries.
Hammill, who was by far and away Barnsley's most creative performer, stung the palms of De Vries on the hour mark with a rising shot from the edge of the area.
The game was all but ended with 23 minutes to go as a mix-up between Stephen Foster and Muller presented Scotland with the easiest of finishes from six yards before Bogdanovic's late consolation.
