BARNSLEY 1 (Devaney 18)
NORWICH CITY 3 (Evans 48, Fotheringham 68, Dublin 75)

BARNSLEY fell apart after a fine opening 45 minutes as their excellent home record was wrecked by a Norwich comeback and a shocking second half display.

Reds boss Simon Davey made one change from the side the dumped Blackpool out of the FA Cup with Martin Devaney coming into the team at the expense of Sam Togwell. Togwell dropped to the bench alongside Istvan Ferenczi, Michael Coulson and new signing Diego Leon. Norwich surprisingly went into the game without star duo Darren Huckerby and Jamie Cureton, who had to be content for a place on the bench.

Kayode Odejayi almost had Oakwell on its feet within 30 seconds of the kick off as he burst through four challenges to race clear in the area but Gary Doherty somehow managed to get in a last-ditch challenge to prevent the striker getting a shot away.

Odejayi then showed fantastic awareness to knock Miguel Mostto's flick into Jamal Campbell-Ryce's path and the winger was only a yard or so away from a spectacular goal as he let fly from the edge of the area. The Reds went close again on six minutes as Grant McCann volleyed goalward from 18 yards after the ball had dropped on the edge of the area. This time his shot struck Doherty and bounced clear. David Marshall had to be at his very, very best on ten minutes to claw Marciano Van Homoet's cross away from out of the top corner as it looked to be dropping into the back of the net.

Odejayi then created a chance out of nothing on 13 minutes as he forced Doherty into an error from McCann's pass and drove forward before hammering the ball just wide of the post with Marshall stranded. Campbell-Ryce had the Norwich defence at sixes and sevens again on 15 minutes as he raced to the byline but Odejayi just could not get to his cross for a tap in.

The best Norwich could offer came on 17 minutes as Ched Evans let fly with a speculative effort from 40 yards that Heinz Muller could have caught in his sleep.

The opening goal finally came just seconds later as Martin Devaney cut in from the left and saw the Norwich defence disintegrate in front of him. Devaney took a touch and rifled in a shot that was just too hot to handle for Marshall.

With Norwich being comprehensive outplayed all over the park, Evans then tried to con the referee into a decision by throwing himself to the ground as he chased a high ball with Stephen Foster. The official rightly waved away his half hearted protests. Evans let his boots to the talking on 23 minutes as he capped a good bit of possession for the Canaries by firing goalward from 20 yards but Muller was able to parry his effort to safety.

Norwich were an inch away from an undeserved leveller on 26 minutes as Lee Croft beat the offside trap to race down the right and cross but Mark Fotheringham put his diving header wide from 12 yards.

At the other end McCann saw his goalbound free kick take a deflection off the top of the bar on 27 minutes before Devaney showed the defensive side of his game a minute later to deny Evans after the striker looked to break clean through.

Evans got in again on 29 minutes as the Reds took their foot off the pedal but this time the Manchester City youngster could only shoot across the face of goal when up against Muller. Evans went close on 40 minutes following a rare slip by Foster but again the striker could not get a shot anywhere near Muller's goal from the edge of the box.

Barnsley were left hanging on in the dying stages of the half after Dennis Souza was forced off for a stitch in his chin. It was Norwich who ought have been down to ten in stoppage time after Foster was left poleaxed by Dion Dublin's elbow. The veteran striker, who looked well off the pace in the first half, was rightly booked but it could have been more.

Norwich just could not live with Odejayi's strength and speed and the striker had Doherty panicking again a minute later as he raced clear and through on goal only for the official to pull play back for a shirt pull by the Canaries defence. Odejayi had broken clear at Marshall.

Barnsley were caught cold after the break and Norwich were level inside three minutes. The Reds stood and allowed Fotheringham to get through midfield way too easily and play in Evans and the striker did not need a second chance to beat Muller from close range.

The Reds responded with Brian Howard bringing a fine save from Marshall on 51 minutes later before Campbell-Ryce shot over the bar. The game really opened up and Evans forced Muller into a diving save on 52 minutes before Croft fired over from Fotheringham's corner seconds later. Foster then did wonderfully well against Croft at full speed on 55 minutes and the referee waved away Norwich's appeals for a penalty after the ball struck the Reds defender in the chest in the area. Croft again raced at Foster on 57 minutes as he broke from the half way line but his shot bent the wrong way and flew wide of Muller's post.

Norwich were much, much better in the second half and Souza had to be in the right place on the hour mark to twice deny Dublin in the area and the big striker fired the ball in from 16 yards. Barnsley were caught out on the break again on 61 minutes after McCann's mistake allowed Norwich to counter. The ball came through to Evans who somehow managed to find Croft but the winger shot off the post and wide with only Muller to beat. Norwich went close again on 64 minutes as Daryl Russell rose unopposed to meet Fotheringham's corner but planted his header into the sidenetting.

The Canaries stunned Oakwell five minutes later when Fotheringham let fly from distance and his effort wrong-footed Muller and somehow ended up in the back of the net.

Barnsley's excellent home record was blown apart by Dublin, who arguably should not have been on the pitch after elbowing Foster in the first half, as he rose highest to meet Fotheringham's deep corner on 75 minutes. Dublin's header looped goalward and beat Muller's despairing attempts to claw the ball to safety.

Barnsley tried in vain to get back into the game as Souza brought a save from Marshall with a header from McCann's free kick on 78 minutes.

It was Norwich who really should have been even further in front a minute later when Huckerby gave Dublin a goal on a plate just four yards out but the veteran somehow blazed over the bar.

There was still time for Howard and Michael Coulson to bring decent saves from Marshall as the Reds looked to throw everything at Norwich although the Canaries went close to a fourth on 87 minutes as Russell forced Muller into a smart low stop.

BARNSLEY: Muller, Hassell, Foster, Souza, Van Homoet, Campbell-Ryce (Leon 73), Howard, McCann, Devaney (Ferenczi 79), Mostto (Coulson 68), Odejayi.
Subs: Kozluk, Togwell.

NORWICH CITY: Marshall, Otsemobor, Shackell, Croft (Huckerby 70), Dublin (Jarvis 89), Fotheringham, Camara, Russell, Bertrand, Doherty, Evans (Cureton 79).
Subs: Gilks, Cave-Brown.