Barnsley have sealed their place back in the Championship courtesy of a 3-1 victory over Millwall in the League One playoff final at Wembley this afternoon.
First-half goals from Ashley Fletcher and Adam Hammill proved to be decisive in the capital before a Lloyd Isgrove strike after the break ensured that Barnsley ended a two-year stay in the third tier of English football.
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The match got off to a breathless start, with Millwall immediately on the attack and winning a free kick in the very first minute that Mark Beevers flicked just past the post.
Barnsley were quick out of the blocks themselves, though, and the contest was less than two minutes old when they broke the deadlock through Fletcher, who controlled Sam Winnall's flick before finishing with aplomb to give his side a perfect start.
It was an end-to-end opening to the game, but the better chances fell the way of Barnsley, with Hammill and Fletcher both coming close before Winnall squandered a good opportunity when he failed to connect properly with a corner.
Paul Heckingbottom's side did have their second goal soon enough, though, and it came in some style as Hammill cut inside from the left flank before curling a fine effort into the top corner.
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Millwall went in search of a response having seen their dream of an immediate return to the second tier slip away inside the opening 20 minutes, but Steve Morison's flicked header was not enough to really trouble Adam Davies in the Barnsley goal.
The Lions continued to bombard the Barnsley box with crosses, though, and that tactic eventually paid off when a corner fell loose inside the area, allowing Beevers to fire home from close range.
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Barnsley almost restored their two-goal advantage right on the stroke of half time through a corner of their own when Marc Roberts went for goal, but his effort was cleared off the line as Millwall went into the break just one behind.
The second half did not start as quickly as the first, and it took until past the hour mark for either keeper to have a meaningful save to make when Jordan Archer kept out Hammill's effort.
Millwall continued to push for an equaliser as the half progressed and failed to take advantage of a couple of chances in quick succession with just under 25 minutes to go, but they soon found themselves with a mountain to climb.
It was Isgrove who got the killer goal as he rose highest in the box to nod in Conor Hourihane's cross with just over 15 minutes of the match remaining.
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Winnall almost made things more comfortable for the Tykes from yet another corner, but Barnsley were then indebted to Davies at the other end as the keeper denied Chris Taylor to avoid a nervy ending to the match.
Millwall continued to push for a late goal that would give them a glimmer of hope, but there was none forthcoming and Barnsley successfully held out to clinch promotion back to the Championship.
