BARNSLEY 3 (Ferenczi 13, Werling 45, Howard 61)
PLYMOUTH ARGYLE 2 (Hayles 63, Chadwick 69)

BRIAN Howard's fourth goal of the season gave the Reds a fine victory after a pulsating clash at Oakwell.

Reds manager Simon Davey handed debuts to new signings Stephen Foster and Anderson De Silva as the reshuffled his side again for today's clash with Plymouth Argyle. Foster replaced skipper Paul Reid, who was suspended, while De Silva same into midfield at the expense of Rohan Ricketts. Former Red Rory Fallon lined up in attack for Plymouth in an unchanged line up. Argyle manager Ian Holloway was back in the dug out after illness last weekend.

Plymouth started brightly with Hungarian Peter Halmosi sending over a dangerous cross on two minutes but Heinz Muller showed great determination to punch the ball clear under pressure from Barry Hayles. Two minutes later Muller had to be at his best again to punch Halmosi's corner clear but the ball only dropped to Akos Buszaky on the edge of the area but the midfielder could only shoot high over the bar.

Halmosi was in the thick of the action again on six minutes as he threw himself to the ground under the lightest of challenges from Rob Kozluk. The referee bought it and gave Plymouth a free kick but Buszacky fired his effort well over from 20 yards. Halmosi got in again on 12 minutes as he pounced onto a loose ball in the area but Foster was in the right place to make an outstanding block.

A minute later the Reds were in front as Muller's clearance sent Kayode Odejayi in down the right. The striker took his time and picked out a fine pass to give Istvan Ferenczi a simple tap in from six yards.

Brian Howard then almost created an opening for Dennis Souza on 16 minutes as his free kick from the left caused problems for the Argyle defence but the big Brazilian could not get his header past Romain Larrieu under pressure.

At the other end Hayles took advantage of a lucky bounce on 17 minutes to get a shot away but the ball looped high over Muller's goal.

Odejayi had Plymouth chasing shadows again a minute later as he raced onto Andy Johnson's fine pass but could not bend his shot past Larrieu from the edge of the area.

Gary Sawyer tried his luck from distance for the visitors on 20 minutes as he let fly from 30 yards but his effort flew well over the bar.

Barnsley almost got it right again on 22 minutes as Dominik Werling fed Ferenczi in the area. The big striker managed to knock the ball into Howard's path but his shot was high over the top.

The Reds went even closer on 28 minutes as Howard returned the favour and sent a fine free kick into the area for Ferenczi to attack and the striker flicked the ball goalward only to be denied by Larrieu's fine save.

Muller then set the Reds away again on the half hour after confidently taking Halmosi's corner before freeing Howard. The midfielder put Odejayi into the clear but just could not get his return pass on target from 12 yards.

Plymouth finally created a chance of note on 38 minutes as Halmosi sent a fine cross in from the left and the ball evaded everybody but David Norris just could not turn it in at the back post.

Barnsley's second goal came on the stroke of half time after Odejayi had been upended 30 yards from goal. Werling strode up to the free kick and absolutely leathered it through the wall and straight through Larrieu into the back of the net.

Plymouth could have hit back straight away as Buzsacky smashed a free kick of his own through the wall but Muller was in the right place to beat the ball clear.

The visitors started the second half well with Fallon firing over on 46 minutes before Buszacky hit the ground easily in the area a minute later although the referee gave nothing. Buszacky then sent a dangerous corner over on 49 minutes but Muller was alert enough to turn Marcel Seip's back post header over the top.

Plymouth again went close on 54 minutes as Buszacky flicked a header goalward and had Muller scrambling but the ball dropped wide of the far post.

For all Plymouth's early pressure in the second half they could do nothing about the Reds' third, which came just after the hour mark. The chance came from an outstanding cross by De Silva and Howard rose 12-yards out to put his header past Larrieu and into the bottom corner.

Plymouth hit back within two minutes as Halmosi's free kick from the right caught the Reds napping and Hayles nipped in to net from close range.

The Reds were a yard away from a fourth on 64 minutes as De Silva fired a free kick just over after Howard had been tripped on the edge of the area.

Norris brought a save from Muller on 68 minutes as Plymouth pressed for a second before they managed to pull another one back a minute later. It came after Sylvan Ebanks Blake showed great strength and determination to get past Souza and fired the ball low under Muller to give Nick Chadwick a tap in on the line.

Barnsley responded with Howard bringing a fine low save from Larrieu on 77 minutes before De Silva almost put a second goal on a plate for Kim Christensen five minutes later as he crossed well but the big Dane could not get his header on target at the back post.

Plymouth threw everything at the Reds in the closing stages with Chadwick again firing in on goal on 86 minutes but his shot was well blocked by Rob Kozluk.

The were almost caught out deep in stoppage time as Christensen broke well before firing in straight at Larrieu.

BARNSLEY: Muller, Nyatanga, Kozluk, Johnson, Odejayi (Christensen 58), Howard, Ferenczi, Anderson, Foster, Souza, Werling (Ricketts 71).
Subs: Colgan, McCann, Mostto.

PLYMOUTH ARGYLE: Larrieu, Connolly, Nalis, Norris, Buzsaky (Nadjim 62), Hayles, Doumbe (Ebanks-Blake 62), Fallon (Chadwick 62), Halmosi, Sawyer, Seip.
Subs: Timar, Hodges.