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Barnsley vs Crystal Palace. Sky Bet Championship.

Oakwell StadiumAttendance10,885.

Battling Tykes sink Eagles

Image: Mifsud: Scored third

Barnsley came from behind to beat Crystal Palace 3-1 and climb out of the Championship relegation zone.

Kuqi scores for Eagles but Tykes reply via Campbell-Ryce, Mifsud and Hills own goal

Barnsley came from behind to beat Crystal Palace 3-1 and climb out of the Championship relegation zone. Shefki Kuqi fired the Eagles into a deserved eighth minute lead at Oakwell before Jamal Campbell-Ryce equalised for the Tykes 15 minutes later. Simon Davey's side then went in front when young full-back Lee Hills scored an own goal seven minutes into the second half and Michael Mifsud's strike on 73 minutes sealed the points. The victory lifted Davey's side up three places to 19th and they still have two games in hand over fellow strugglers Nottingham Forest, Norwich and Plymouth. Palace boss Neil Warnock started the day by claiming he should still be a Premier League manager due to the Carlos Tevez affair, but it appears almost certain he will have to wait at least another season to take the Eagles back into the top flight. Palace were not short of confidence following their impressive victory at Swansea on Saturday and Anthony Stokes almost put them in front in the first minute. The on-loan striker's free-kick from 25 yards out looked to be looping into the net but Heinz Muller tipped the ball over the crossbar at full stretch.

Lead

Muller, however, could do nothing to prevent Palace taking the lead eight minutes in. After some good work on the right from the lively Stokes, the ball fell for Victor Moses, who found the unmarked Kuqi and the Finnish striker blasted home his ninth goal of the season from 12 yards out. Palace looked dangerous every time they came forward and Kuqi almost doubled their lead but Muller palmed away the striker's goal-bound header. But Barnsley restored parity after 23 minutes with a goal that came totally out of the blue. Jon Macken picked the ball up just inside the Palace half and played in the onrushing Campbell-Ryce, who ran clear of the Palace defence and kept his composure to slide the ball past Julian Speroni. Anderson De Silva missed a chance to put Barnsley in front but headed straight at Speroni, while Muller was called into action at the other end to palm away Stokes' drive.
Bright start
The Tykes made a bright start to the second half and the nippy Mifsud volleyed over the bar after being set up by strike partner Macken. But the home side were in front in the 52nd minute after an excellent run from Rob Kozluk. The former Sheffield United full-back darted into the penalty area with a quick turn of foot and played the ball across goal where the unfortunate Hills could only slice into his own net. Palace were almost gifted an equaliser courtesy of a mix-up between Bobby Hassell and Muller, but Darren Moore was on hand to sweep up. And it was Hassell who came to the rescue after 70 minutes when a flowing Palace move resulted in Kuqi's header being diverted over the crossbar by the alert full-back. Barnsley always looked dangerous on the break and they were given some breathing space 17 minutes from time courtesy of the diminutive Mifsud. The on-loan striker raced onto a flick on from Macken and emphatically beat Speroni with a superb left-foot finish.

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