Barnsley 0-2 Newcastle United

Dwight Gayle joined Newcastle in the summer for a fee reported to be in the region of £10m

Newcastle went top of the Championship as Dwight Gayle's two goals earned them victory over Barnsley at Oakwell and a fourth straight league win.

Gayle forced home his 10th of the season early in the second half after the home side failed to clear a corner.

And the former Crystal Palace striker increased the lead from the edge of the box from Matt Ritchie's through ball.

Barnsley's Sam Morsy was just too high with a 25-yarder and they have now taken only one point from six games.

• Tuesday's EFL action as it happened

Rafael Benitez's Magpies, relegated from the Premier League last season, have won nine of their past 11 league games, and overtake Norwich at the summit who let a two-goal lead slip to draw at Fulham.

Newcastle went into the game having won only once previously in 15 league visits to Oakwell - a 5-0 success in 1983 when Kevin Keegan was among the scorers.

Barnsley had skipper Conor Hourihane back after missing Saturday's 4-2 loss to Fulham with a calf strain and they gave as good as they got for much of the first half, with full-back James Bree driving just wide after a free-kick rebounded to him off the defensive wall.

Gayle's double prompted head coach Paul Heckingbottom to make changes in a bid to rescue the game, with winger Adam Hammill clearly unhappy to be substituted.

The Magpies almost added a third late on as Jonjo Shelvey played an excellent free-kick into the box, but keeper Adam Davies reacted well to keep out the livewire Gayle's flick.

Barnsley manager Paul Heckingbottom:

"We worked our socks off, went toe-to-toe with the top of the league and two lapses in concentration cost us the game and they gave us absolutely nothing.

"Dwight Gayle was the difference and that's what they paid all that money for.

"On another day we might have got something from the game. It was much better tonight, but we've got to keep improving and aim higher."

"[Adam Hammill] showing a lack of respect to his team-mates is not on. He is frustrated, but I had a big problem with him not showing the lads respect."

Newcastle United boss Rafael Benitez:

"The team played well and created chances. His job is to be there, fighting with the centre-back and try to score if he gets a chance. Dwight Gayle is on fire now, he is happy and we're all happy.

"I made it our priority in the summer to get him and Matt Ritchie to the club.

"We did that in the first half, while scoring in the second half where we had more time, more space and possession and we could play in a different way. I am really pleased as we did what we had to do."

• Line-ups
• Match Stats
• Live Text

Line-ups

Barnsley

• 1Davies
• 2BreeSubstituted forKpekawaat 83'minutes
• 4Roberts
• 18Jackson
• 17Yiadom
• 40Kent
• 8HourihaneBooked at 38mins
• 29Morsy
• 7HammillSubstituted forBradshawat 71'minutes
• 15WatkinsSubstituted forLeeat 71'minutes
• 9Winnall

Substitutes

• 5MacDonald
• 11Lee
• 13Townsend
• 19Kpekawa
• 20Bradshaw
• 28Williams
• 37Bird

Newcastle

• 26Darlow
• 8Anita
• 6LascellesBooked at 40mins
• 2Clark
• 3Dummett
• 12ShelveyBooked at 74mins
• 14Hayden
• 11RitchieSubstituted forAtsuat 83'minutes
• 15DiaméSubstituted forColbackat 90+2'minutes
• 20Gouffran
• 9Gayle

Substitutes

• 4Colback
• 7Lazaar
• 17Pérez
• 22Yedlin
• 28Sels
• 30Atsu
• 45Mitrovic

Referee:

Paul Tierney

Attendance:

18,597

Match Stats

Home TeamBarnsleyAway TeamNewcastle

Possession

Home50%

Away50%

Shots

Home8

Away17

Shots on Target

Home2

Away6

Corners

Home0

Away4

Fouls

Home18

Away12

Live Text

Posted at

Match ends, Barnsley 0, Newcastle United 2.

Full Time

Posted at 90'+5'

Second Half ends, Barnsley 0, Newcastle United 2.

Posted at 90'+4'

Attempt saved. Jonjo Shelvey (Newcastle United) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Dwight Gayle.

Substitution

Posted at 90'+2'

Substitution, Newcastle United. Jack Colback replaces Mohamed Diamé.

Posted at 89'

Foul by Paul Dummett (Newcastle United).

Posted at 89'

Elliot Lee (Barnsley) wins a free kick on the right wing.

Posted at 88'

Offside, Newcastle United. Paul Dummett tries a through ball, but Mohamed Diamé is caught offside.

Posted at 88'

Attempt saved. Dwight Gayle (Newcastle United) right footed shot from the right side of the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Karl Darlow.

Posted at 87'

Attempt saved. Adam Jackson (Barnsley) header from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Marc Roberts.

Posted at 85'

Attempt saved. Dwight Gayle (Newcastle United) header from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Jonjo Shelvey with a cross.

Posted at 84'

Christian Atsu (Newcastle United) wins a free kick on the right wing.

Posted at 84'

Foul by Sam Morsy (Barnsley).

Substitution

Posted at 83'

Substitution, Barnsley. Cole Kpekawa replaces James Bree.

Substitution

Posted at 83'

Substitution, Newcastle United. Christian Atsu replaces Matt Ritchie.

Posted at 82'

Ciaran Clark (Newcastle United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 82'

Foul by Sam Winnall (Barnsley).

Posted at 80'

Foul by Dwight Gayle (Newcastle United).

Posted at 80'

Adam Jackson (Barnsley) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

Posted at 79'

Attempt missed. Mohamed Diamé (Newcastle United) header from the centre of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Matt Ritchie with a cross.

Posted at 78'

Attempt missed. Marc Roberts (Barnsley) header from the right side of the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Conor Hourihane following a set piece situation.

Posted at 78'

Offside, Newcastle United. Ciaran Clark tries a through ball, but Dwight Gayle is caught offside.

Posted at 76'

Offside, Barnsley. Conor Hourihane tries a through ball, but Sam Winnall is caught offside.

Posted at 76'

Foul by Jonjo Shelvey (Newcastle United).

Posted at 76'

Elliot Lee (Barnsley) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Booking

Posted at 74'

Jonjo Shelvey (Newcastle United) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

Posted at 74'

Foul by Jonjo Shelvey (Newcastle United).

Posted at 74'

Sam Winnall (Barnsley) wins a free kick on the left wing.

Posted at 73'

Karl Darlow (Newcastle United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 73'

Foul by Marc Roberts (Barnsley).

Posted at 72'

Foul by Mohamed Diamé (Newcastle United).

Posted at 72'

Sam Morsy (Barnsley) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

Posted at 72'

Offside, Newcastle United. Jonjo Shelvey tries a through ball, but Dwight Gayle is caught offside.

Substitution

Posted at 71'

Substitution, Barnsley. Tom Bradshaw replaces Adam Hammill.

Substitution

Posted at 71'

Substitution, Barnsley. Elliot Lee replaces Marley Watkins.

Posted at 70'

Matt Ritchie (Newcastle United) wins a free kick on the right wing.

Posted at 70'

Foul by Adam Hammill (Barnsley).

Posted at 69'

Mohamed Diamé (Newcastle United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 69'

Foul by Sam Morsy (Barnsley).

Goal!

Posted at 68'

Goal! Barnsley 0, Newcastle United 2. Dwight Gayle (Newcastle United) right footed shot from outside the box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Matt Ritchie with a through ball.

Posted at 67'

Attempt missed. Paul Dummett (Newcastle United) left footed shot from outside the box is too high. Assisted by Mohamed Diamé.

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