Barnsley moved into the automatic promotion places with a comfortable 2-0 home win over Scunthorpe United - the seventh in ten league outings.
It is the first time the Reds have put together a 10 match unbeaten run between October and December 2005 (W6 D3) - remarkably the tenth match in that run was also a home victory over Scunthorpe - 5-2 on that occasion.
It means Barnsley sit in the top two of a division on the 3rd of February for the first time since 1981 - they would finish in that position 38 years ago securing promotion to the second tier.
Barnsley scored two first half goals for the ninth time in the league this season, they have now led by two goals at half time seven times, the most in a season since 2004-2005 (also 7)
Barnsley have scored 53 times in the league now this season only leaders Luton (61) have netted more.
It is already 30 goals more than they netted in the Championship last season.
Barnsley have scored in 25 of their 30 league games this season.
Alex Mowatt opened the scoring with a speculative shot that flew past Scunthorpe keeper Jak Alnwick - unsighted due to the sun - the 15th EFL goal Barnsley have scored from outside the area in 2018-2019.
It is Mowatt's 17th goal involvement this season (all comps) (5 goals, 12 assists)
This was Barnsley's 13th league clean sheet of the season (and Adam Davies' 60th overall for the club), their most in a season since keeping 14 in 2016-2017.
Barnsley have now scored 2+ goals in five successive games for the first time since doing so in six successive games in the final five of 2015-2016 (including playoffs) and the first game of 2016-2017.
Barnsley have scored in five matches in 2019 with this being the first one that either Cauley Woodrow or Kieffer Moore have not scored.
Barnsley have gone unbeaten in their first five league games of a calendar year for the first time since 2016 when they actually won their first six league games of that year.
Barnsley are now unbeaten in their last 23 matches at Oakwell in all competitions (W14 D9), their longest run at home since May 1968 (23 games).
They are also unbeaten in 19 home games (all comps) from the start of a season for the first time since that 1967-1968 campaign when they went unbeaten at Oakwell all season.
Daniel Stendel became a record breaker in this game as he is the FIRST Barnsley manager to remain unbeaten in his first 15 home league matches, breaking a record set 105 years ago when Percy Lewis avoided defeat in his first 14 in 1914-15. They lost their 15th home game back then but that would be the only home defeat of the season as Barnsley finished third in the Second Division.
The Reds are one of three teams still unbeaten at home in League One along with Luton and Sunderland and the 35 points they have picked up in front of their own supporters is bettered by only Luton (39)
Barnsley have lost only one of their last 18 home matches against Scunthorpe (W12 D5), a 1-2 reverse in League One in November 2014.
In all competitions this was Barnsley's 20th win against the Iron but the first in four meetings and the first in five in league competition.
Scunthorpe have now won one of their last 14 league games in February (D7 L6).
Barnsley enjoyed the majority of the ball possession (57%) - for the 37th time this season.
The Reds had 21 shots in this game, the seventh time they have had 20+ shots in a game this season (all comps) including in both league meetings with Scunthorpe having had 28 at Glanford Park.
Barnsley Team:
1. Adam Davies (c)
5. Ethan Pinnock
6. Liam Lindsay
8. Cameron McGeehan
9. Cauley Woodrow
12. Dimitri Cavaré
19. Kieffer Moore
23. Dani Pinillos
26. Mamadou Thiam
27. Alex Mowatt
33. Jacob Brown
Substitutes:
7. Ryan Hedges (for Thiam 67)
21. Mike Bähre (Y) (for Woodrow 72)
29. Victor Adeboyejo (for Moore 83)
Unused Substitutes:
3. Zeki Fryers, 4. Kenny Dougall, 13. Jack Walton, 15. Jordan Green.
Scunthorpe Team:
25. Jak Alnwick
4. Tony McMahon
5. Byron Webster
6. Funso Ojo
14. James Perch
21. Cameron Burgess
23. Rory McArdle (c)
26. Harrison McGahey
47. Adam Hammill
17. Lee Novak
18. George Thomas
Substitutions:
22. Levi Sutton (for Perch 45)
10. Kevin Van Veen (for Hammill 58)
7. Matthew Lund (for Webster 72)
Unused Substitutes:
15. Clayton Lewis, 16. Tom Pearce, 24. Olufela Olomola, 27. Jonathan Flatt.
Scunthorpe manager Stuart McCall said:
“In the last few weeks we’ve spoken about a little bit of luck going our way for a change, but today unfortunately it’s not. But that’s not to take anything away from Barnsley, who we knew were a good side and they proved that today.
“One minute, Hammy went down in the penalty box and it was a clear penalty kick. Ten seconds later, their boy is hitting it from 35 yards. On another day, it would have been bread and butter for Jak, but it swerved a little bit and he couldn’t see it. My first thought was he should have had a cap on, but he wore one in the warm-up and it didn’t do him any good, and he felt comfortable without it. Then, low and behold, the sun disappeared five minutes later. That’s not making excuses but it is a fact that the first goal was a freak. Ten seconds before, we should have been having a penalty kick and potentially going one up.
“The second goal was unfortunate, the shot was blocked, it flicked up and the lad is just running in and manages to knock it in. For all the good play they had, to lose the two goals we lost is frustrating.
“At the end of the first-half and in the second-half, we had opportunities. We can’t beat ourselves up too much. If we’d have been beaten by two outstanding goals, then you hold your hands up, but it’s frustrating that a big decision in the game has gone against us and had a major influence on it. The referee didn’t have a clear view of it and that’s where you want your near side linesman to help him out, but unfortunately he’s not done that.”
Match Reports:
League One results:
Saturday 2nd February 2019:
Accrington Stanley P-P Blackpool
BARNSLEY 2-0 Scunthorpe United
Mowatt 16
McGeehan 41
Burton Albion 0-0 Oxford United
Coventry City 1-1 Gillingham
Enobakhare 68
Eaves pen 90+2
Fleetwood Town 1-0 Charlton Athletic
Evans 68
Peterborough United 0-1 Plymouth Argyle
Lameiras 88
Portsmouth 1-1 Doncaster Rovers
Wilks 30
Bogle 54
Shrewsbury Town 0-3 Luton Town
Collins 30
Pearson 53
Collins 69
Southend United 1-2 Bristol Rovers
Sercombe 20
Reilly 32
Cox 39
Sunderland 1-0 AFC Wimbledon
McGeady 67
Walsall 1-2 Rochdale
Ebanks-Landell 4
Edwards 36
Hamilton 60
Wycombe Wanderers 0-0 Bradford City
Barnsley move up to 2nd place in Sky Bet League One with 59 points from 30 games. We are 12 points inside the Play-Offs, 1 point inside the Automatic Promotion Places, 6 points off First Place and 27 points above the Relegation Zone.
Up to 03/02/19
Next Up:
On The Road:
Sky Bet League One Matchday Thirty One: Gillingham v Barnsley, Saturday 9th February 2019. Kick-Off: 3pm
At Oakwell:
Sky Bet League One Matchday Thirty Two: Barnsley v Wycombe Wanderers, Saturday 16th February 2019. Kick-Off: 3pm