John Swift fires the ball past Michal Helik and into the Barnsley net
John Swift scored his eighth goal of the season as Reading moved closer to the top six with a home victory over struggling Barnsley.
The visitors produced one of their best displays of the campaign, but suffered their fourth loss in a row and have now gone 10 games without a win.
Tom Dele-Bashiru had the ball in the net in the first half for Reading, but his effort was ruled out for offside, while Cauley Woodrow twice forced good saves from Luke Southwood in reply.
The Tykes went close when Callum Brittain hit the post after the break, but Scott Dann - making his first league start for Reading and the 400th of his career - produced the pass which set up Swift to secure the three points.
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Reading moved up three places to seventh, just one point below the top six - and are now unbeaten in nine league meetings with Barnsley, who stay 22nd.
The visitors were without Callum Styles and Liam Kitching because of injury but more than held their own in the first half, principally through the efforts of skipper Woodrow, who was narrowly wide with one free-kick and forced Southwood to palm away with another, as well as testing the keeper with a 25-yard shot in open play.
Reading almost snatched the lead just before the break, though, as Dann's header from a Swift corner was well saved by Brad Collins.
Brittain thumped the foot of the upright with Barnsley's best effort, but Collins had to produce another fine save to keep out Baba Rahman's effort from distance.
However, Collins could do nothing about Swift's shot as Reading snatched their sixth win of the season and piled further pressure on Tykes boss Markus Schopp.
- Line-upsMatch StatsLive Text
Line-upsReading
Formation 4-2-3-1
22Southwood17Yiadom6Moore24Dann21Baba28Laurent15Drinkwater19Dele-Bashiru10Swift14Ejaria47Puscas
- 22Southwood17Yiadom6Moore24Dann21Baba28Laurent15Drinkwater19Dele-Bashiru10Swift14Ejaria47PuscasSubstituted forAzeezat 63'minutes
Substitutes
- 30Azeez32Camara33Cabral Barbosa35Ehibhationham36Osorio39Clarke48Ashcroft
Barnsley
Formation 3-4-2-1
40Collins20Sibbick30Helik15Moon7Brittain21Palmer17Gomes2Williams29Adeboyejo11Leya Iseka9Woodrow
- 40Collins20Sibbick30Helik15Moon7BrittainBooked at 29minsSubstituted forColeat 83'minutes21PalmerSubstituted forHondermarckat 73'minutes17GomesBooked at 56mins2Williams29Adeboyejo11Leya IsekaSubstituted forOduorat 67'minutes9Woodrow
Substitutes
- 1Walton3Williams22Oduor23Hondermarck26Vita28Frieser44Cole
Referee:Andy DaviesAttendance:12,199Match StatsHome TeamReadingAway TeamBarnsleyPossessionHome48%Away52%ShotsHome10Away16Shots on TargetHome6Away7CornersHome4Away6FoulsHome10Away9Live TextPost update
Match ends, Reading 1, Barnsley 0.
90'+4'Full Time
Second Half ends, Reading 1, Barnsley 0.
90'+3'Post update
Jasper Moon (Barnsley) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
90'+3'Post update
Foul by Femi Azeez (Reading).
89'Post update
Corner, Barnsley. Conceded by Andy Yiadom.
89'Post update
Attempt missed. Victor Adeboyejo (Barnsley) header from the centre of the box misses to the right.
86'Post update
Attempt saved. Cauley Woodrow (Barnsley) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom right corner.
85'Post update
Toby Sibbick (Barnsley) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
85'Post update
Foul by Femi Azeez (Reading).
84'Post update
William Hondermarck (Barnsley) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
84'Post update
Foul by Josh Laurent (Reading).
84'Post update
Attempt blocked. Victor Adeboyejo (Barnsley) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Clarke Oduor.
83'Substitution
Substitution, Barnsley. Devante Cole replaces Callum Brittain.
83'Post update
Corner, Barnsley. Conceded by Liam Moore.
79'Post update
Attempt saved. Victor Adeboyejo (Barnsley) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Claudio Gomes.
77'goalGoal!
Goal! Reading 1, Barnsley 0. John Swift (Reading) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Scott Dann.
73'Post update
Attempt blocked. Victor Adeboyejo (Barnsley) right footed shot from long range on the left is blocked. Assisted by Cauley Woodrow.
73'Substitution
Substitution, Barnsley. William Hondermarck replaces Romal Palmer because of an injury.
72'Post update
Corner, Reading. Conceded by Bradley Collins.
72'Post update
Attempt saved. Baba Rahman (Reading) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top right corner. Assisted by John Swift.
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Source: bbc.com