Valerien Ismael’s 100% record came crashing to a halt with the Reds heaviest league defeat of the season.
It is the heaviest first defeat of a permanent Barnsley manager’s reign since Viv Anderson’s first reverse came courtesy of a 4-1 defeat at Peterborough in August 1993.
The Reds were behind after just four minutes, the earliest they have conceded since James Collins put Luton 2-0 up at Oakwell after four minutes in August 2019.
The wretched record when conceding the first goal continues, they have now failed to win any of their last 61 Championship matches when conceding first, (D12 L49) since defeating Leeds 3-2 in January 2017.
This was the first time Barnsley were two goals behind at the break since Stoke away in July when they were 3-0 down.
Barnsley have now lost each of their FORTY ONE league games when they have trailed by two goals at half time. They last rescued such a situation on the opening day of the 2009-2010 season at Sheffield Wednesday (2-2)
This result handed Cardiff their first home win of 2020-2021 (D2 L2) and their first home win since the final regular home game of 2019-2020 when they also won 3-0.
This was also the first time the Bluebirds have opened the scoring at the Cardiff City Stadium since that match.
Elliot Simoes was hooked off after just 40 minutes, the earliest Barnsley substitution since Romal Palmer was replaced after 37 minutes against Blackburn in June.
There has now been nine goals scored between the 40th and 50th minute of the last seven Barnsley matches.
Barnsley have lost five successive games against Cardiff for the first time and have lost each of the last three in Wales, conceding at least twice in all three and three times in the last two.
There has now been four penalties awarded in Barnsley’s 10 league games so far this season
Barnsley have failed to win any of their last 11 Championship away matches in November (D4 L7) since beating Leeds at Elland Road in 2011.
There was an equal 50% ball possession share for the first time in 34 Barnsley league games (since Millwall away in December 2019)
Barnsley Team:
1 Jack Walton
6. Mads Andersen
30. Michal Helik
26. Michael Sollbauer
4. Callum Styles
32. Matty James
27. Alex Mowatt
28. Dominik Frieser
23. Elliot Simoes
11. Conor Chaplin
19. Patrick Schmidt
Substitutes:
22. Clarke Oduor (for Simoes 40)
29. Victor Adeboyejo (for Schmidt 63)
24. Aapo Halme (for James 80)
Unused Substitutes:
40. Brad Collins, 8. Herbie Kane, 25. George Miller, 16. Luke Thomas.
Cardiff Team:
12. Alex Smithies
7. Leandro Bacuna
4. Sean Morrison
16. Curtis Nelson
3. Joe Bennett
23. Harry Wilson
21. Marlon Pack
8. Joe Ralls
33. Junior Hoilett
10. Kieffer Moore
9. Robert Glatzel
Substitutions:
27. Sheyi Ojo (for Glatzel 67)
20. Gavin Whyte (for Wilson 79)
6. Will Vaulks (for Ralls 85)
Unused Substitutes:
32. Joel Bagan, 22. Sol Bamba, 11. Josh Murphy, 1. Dillon Phillips.
Cardiff manager Neil Harrissaid:
"I can talk a lot about the goals we scored, the chances we created, the clean sheet, but I am most impressed with the reaction of my players.
"Obviously I was honest in my opinion after the game on the performance in the first half at QPR. I was honest with my players at half-time and after the game.
"When you do that you want a positive reaction from the group and tonight I got that.
"I thought the performance level tonight individually and collectively was outstanding. The only frustration is that we didn't score more."
Sky Bet Championship results
TUESDAY 3RD NOVEMBER 2020
Brentford (10th) 1-1 Swansea City (2nd)
Toney 36
Ayew 77
Cardiff City (13th) 3-0 BARNSLEY (18th)
Hoilett 4
Ralls pen 45+1
Wilson 77
Huddersfield Town (15th) 1-2 Bristol City (7th)
Koroma 43
Dasilva 77
Paterson 83
Norwich City (3rd) 0-0 Millwall (8th)
Sheffield Wednesday (24th) 1-0 AFC Bournemouth (5th)
Bannan pen 71
Blackburn Rovers (17th) 0-0 Middlesbrough (6th)
WEDNESDAY 4TH NOVEMBER 2020
Reading (1st) 0-3 Preston North End (12th)
Sinclair 64
Riis Jakobson 68
Potts 90+2
Watford (4th) 3-2 Stoke City (11th)
Fletcher 2
Cleverley 28
Joao Pedro pen 61
Powell 81
Sarr 90+3
Birmingham City (14th) 1-2 Wycombe Wanderers (22nd)
Roberts 40
Kashket 75
Pedersen og 90+2
Derby County (23rd) 0-1 Queens Park Rangers (16th)
Bonne 88
Nottingham Forest (20th) 2-1 Coventry City (21st)
McKenna 30
O’Hare 57
Taylor pen 90+7
Rotherham United (19th) 0-1 Luton Town (9th)
Collins 70
Barnsley lie in 18th place in the Sky Bet Championship with 10 points from 10 games. We are 7 points off the Play-Offs, 9 points off the Automatic Promotion Places, 12 points off First Place and 3 points above the Relegation Zone.
Up to 4/11/20
Next Up:
On The Road:
Sky Bet Championship Matchday Eleven: Derby County v Barnsley, Saturday 7th November 2020. Kick-Off: 3pm.
At Oakwell:
Sky Bet Championship Matchday Twelve: Barnsley v Nottingham Forest, Saturday 21st November 2020. Kick-Off: 3pm