Rampant Reds find their range Under pressure: Sam Togwell chases ex-Red Kevin Gallon « Previous « PreviousNext » Next » View GalleryBy Simon Meeks PLYMOUTH ARGYLE 2 BARNSLEY 4 BIG goals, one from ultra-long range, brought Barnsley a massive 4-2 result. Just when teams at the bottom are turning in winning results, Barnsley topped the lot to climb a place in the table and firmly plant the flag that signals 'no surrender' to relegation. Barnsley needed a hero for the hour and a half at Plymouth. Up stepped Martin Devaney. He was quality; lashed a goal in from 25 yards in the first half, smashed a better one from 40 yards to bring Barnsley the lead in the second half. "It was fantastic, Martin is capable of doing that. He's done it in training and he's showed glimmers of that in previous games," manager Simon Davey reflected. "We played him in a different role today and he's come in on the inside and struck two great shots. You can't coach that, it's natural. They were two great finishes for him." Even Plymouth applauded the Devaney double. They were goals of the month on anyone's calendar. Barnsley came from behind in the first half. Lewin Nyatanga equalised after Lilian Nalis had opened the scoring. Devaney shot Barnsley in front only for Plymouth to scramble a goal following a corner and it was 2-2 at the break. Devaney's second strike made it 3-2 and in time added on Istvan Ferenczi finished a fast break to complete the 4-2 scoreline. But back at the start of it all Barnsley looked like they were in for beating in the first quarter. Keeper Nick Colgan blocked a one on one with Sylvan Ebanks-Blake and the rebound gifted Scott Sinclair two shots neither of which he managed to land clean boot leather on. Sinclair at least made contact on the next opportunity. His header on Kevin Gallen's centre was wide. Plymouth pressure was rightly repaid with 17 minutes gone. Brian Howard gave them the ball in midfield. Sinclair fetched and carried and found David Norris who rolled a pass into Nalis's path. He side-footed in from 20 yards, bulging the top left hand corner of Colgan's net. Barnsley might have folded. They didn't. Back they came with a training ground routine goal. A right wing corner, a Nyatanga charge across the box to score with a firm header down and in from 10 yards or so out. It was the teenage kid's first goal for Barnsley on the week he was celebrating another call up to the Welsh international squad. Said Davey: "We work a lot on set pieces. The biggest thing about them, no matter what movement there is, it's all about the delivery and Brian's got the delivery right today and Lewin's popped up and it's a good finish." It got better for Barnsley as they landed the lead at 2-1. Goal No 2 was made by Peter Rajczi who won and transported it 50 yards. His centre from the right dropped behind centre forward Ferenczi and spot on for Devaney to smash home from the edge of the area. The frantic box to box stuff continued and Colgan saved from Ebanks-Blake and Howard smacked the crossbar with a thundering drive before Plymouth were level at 2-2 and thanking their lucky stars. Barnsley didn't defend a Gallen corner, Marcel Seip got a crucial header and Ebanks-Blake prodded it over from close range and touching distance of Colgan's right hand post. Plymouth opened the second half looking lively again and Gallen should have done more with his header on Peter Halmosi's centre. As it was Colgan caught comfortably. Devaney then banged in the best goal of the game. It was route one stuff, a long Colgan clearance and then top skills from the Barnsley winger. He controlled and hammered home from amazingly close to the centre circle. Keeper Luke McCormick watched, couldn't probably believe what he was seeing. At this point ref Lee Probert was handing out yellow cards like confetti but when sub Barry Hayles steamed into Rajczi with assault on his mind, Mr Probert went soft and ticked him off. Colgan then made the save of the game, finger-tipping over a Nalis nod on following good free kick delivery from Paul Connolly. Frustration festered everywhere for the home side and Plymouth assistant manager Paul Breaker was banished to the stands after he chased the ball out of one technical area into the other. The last word was Barnsley's. Deep in time added on Bojan Djordjic had a late shot blocked. The rebound fell to Howard and Barnsley crossed the half way line with three players against one. Howard slid the ball inside the area to Ferenzci who scored from eight yards.
