Barnsley dropped out of the Sky Bet Championship after losing 2-1 to Huddersfield at John Smith Stadium.
The Thays’ exit from the second level after a three-season roller coaster ride was confirmed on Friday night after goals in the first half of Jordan Rhodes (4) and Harry Tofolo (45 + 1).
Second-half substitute Callum Styles halved the deficit in the final seconds of injury time, but although the final was clear, it was little more than a consolation (90 + 7).
Poya Asbaghi’s men will join the Derby – who were knocked out after a 1-0 defeat by QPR on Easter Monday – in Sky Bet League One after their eighth relegation from the division in their history – together with Bristol City and Grimsby.
Image: Poya Asbaghi has won just four of his 26 league games at the helm of Barnsley
Huddersfield, meanwhile, secured the lowest place in the playoffs as a result and returned one point behind second-placed Bournemouth, who face already-promoted Fulham on Saturday afternoon.
How Barnsley’s fate was sealed
With so many bets on both teams, a quick start was a must at John Smith Stadium. But there was no immediate urgency from Barnsley, and it was not long before Huddersfield took the lead when Rhodes headed with his head close after a corner on the right.
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Jordan Rhodes led Huddersfield with his head against Barnsley
A late offside flag forced referee James Linington to discuss the decision with his assistant, as Rhodes converted from behind, but Times defender Mads Andersen managed to strike inadvertently before the striker came in contact, who played him from the side and the goal was fast. confirming the first time he scored in consecutive matches of the championship in August 2018.
The hosts were then denied a penalty when Callum Britten’s pull against Rhodes went unpunished, but after a relatively mild attack by Barnsley trying to test Lee Nichols, Tofolo doubled his lead when he was left free to slide in a search cross by Danel. Sinani.
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Right at the start of the half Huddersfield doubled their lead and inflicted more misery on Barnsley with a fine shot by Harry Tofolo
Given their difficulty, it seemed that Barnsley would go out to fight after the break – but it just wasn’t. They had only 20 percent of possession in the first 10 minutes of the second half and it looked like they would fall without whining.
Romal Palmer and Cowley Woodrow – the last of whom made his first start on December 11 – came up with half-chances, but Lee Nichols remained largely untested. As a result, disappointment began to creep into the visitors’ game, with Palmer and Mattie Wolfe receiving yellows for cynical late challenges.
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Callum Styles shook in consolation for Barnsley against Huddersfield
They finally found a goal at the very end of the second half, in which they were second best when Stiles crashed with a brilliant shot on the roof of the net, but it was all too little, too late.
Man of the match – Jonathan Hogg
Andy Hinchcliffe at Sky Sports Football:
“I think the role of Jonathan Hogg is extremely important for Huddersfield. He frees so many players to attack by falling deep and changing the shape of the team to make them so dangerous. He’s the longest-serving player at Huddersfield and he’s still so important to them. “
What next?
Barnsley returns to action at 7:45 p.m. Tuesday, April 26, when they meet Blackpool in Oakwell, while at 3:00 p.m. on Saturday, April 30, Huddersfield travels to the Coventry Building Society Arena to face Coventry.
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