Leeds United 1, Barnsley 2 Leeds boss Simon Grayson expressed his frustration after a fourth home game without a win and a second straight defeat on their own patch following the 5-0 mauling by Blackpool.
First-half goals from Ricardo Vaz Te and Craig Davies helped Barnsley to secure their first win at Elland Road since a victory by the same scoreline in April 1990.
Ross McCormack pulled a goal back for Leeds after the break but a stirring revival never materialised.
The closest the home side went to levelling was when Ramon Nunez forced Luke Steele into an injury-time save after David Perkins had been sent off for a second yellow card.
Leeds remain in the play-off places but, with off-field problems to deal with such as the ongoing row over Andy O’Brien’s alleged refusal to play for the club again, Grayson has work to do.
“When you look at our previous results, winning the last two away from home, then we want to build on recent games,” he said.
“We started well but without any real opportunities. They slowed the play down, we allowed Barnsley time on the ball and they have players who can hit you on the counter-attack.
“We normally have movement and opportunities at home, but today, even when we scored the goal, we didn’t work their keeper or back four enough.
“We can play a lot better than that.”
Tykes boss Keith Hill admitted his side’s gameplan worked a treat.
He said: “It was about keeping the ball and not allowing the home supporters to get behind Leeds the way we know we can.
“We kept the ball excellently and that allowed us to defend the way we did. It was about retaining the ball and diffusing the atmosphere.
“You can come here, go gung ho and make it attack, attack, attack. We defended by keeping the ball.”
At the fulcrum of Barn-sley’s dominance was the outstanding captain Jacob Butterfield.
The 21-year-old is rated as one of the best prospects outside of the top flight, and Hill knows he has a job on his hands keeping the midfielder at the club.
“He was superb. We can trust him to keep the ball, and his vision and creativity... wow,” he said.
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