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Clarets beat Tykes to keep bid alive
Lafferty: Scored what proved to be the winner
The Tykes made a good start to the game but goals from Wade Elliott and Kyle Lafferty piled on the misery for Simon Davey's FA Cup semi-finalists.
Captain Brian Howard grabbed one back before the interval to give Barnsley hope but they could not salvage what would have been a vital point in their battle to avoid the drop.
Icelandic midfielder Joey Gudjonsson had an early long-range effort for the home side which cup hero Luke Steele saved comfortably.
The visitors responded immediately and from their first attack Steven Caldwell had to be alert to clear Jon Macken's cross.
The game's first real opening came when winger Elliott whipped in a dangerous cross only for Robbie Blake to head wide from 12 yards out.
Howard, available despite not training all week due to a knee injury, delivered a 12th-minute free-kick and Lewin Nyatanga's shot from the edge of the box flashed past the left post.
Caldwell then contrived to put the ball wide from six yards after getting on the end of Blake's free-kick as the match started at a frenetic pace.
Daniel Nardiello was next to try his luck as the Tykes made a positive start, but his effort from distance went wide of the target, and two minutes later the former QPR man tested Brian Jensen in the Clarets' goal with a 25-yard shot.
Barnsley were made to pay for their profligacy in front of goal after half an hour when Elliott collected Blake's pass and fired past Steele.
Howard and Gudjonsson exchanged long-range efforts but neither managed to test the goalkeeper.
Lafferty had been an injury doubt for this match after going off with a thigh problem during Northern Ireland's midweek win, but the promising striker shrugged off any fitness worries to turn on the edge of the box and curl home a beautiful effort after 36 minutes.
Howard pulled one back two minutes before the break when he rifled home from close range after a scramble in the hosts' six-yard box.
Former Leeds man Blake powered his effort wide seven minutes into the second half before Elliott let fly from 20 yards only for Steele to make a comfortable save.
At the other end, Nardiello had an opportunity to equalise but he curled his effort wide when free in the box.
Graham Alexander volleyed an effort wide from the edge of the box before Elliott shot off target from a similar distance.
Macken was within millimetres of restoring parity when he thundered a 25-yard effort against the crossbar.
It was then the hosts' turn to rattle the woodwork as Gudjonsson belted a 30-yard screamer against the post.
Steele did well to parry James O'Connor's effort wide from close range and in stoppage time Denis Souza had a late chance to equalise but Jensen clung on to his shot.
