Barnsley head coach Valerien Ismael praised the resilience of his players after Michal Helik struck a dramatic winner as they beat Huddersfield 2-1 in the Yorkshire derby at Oakwell.
Rarmani Edmonds-Green put Town ahead in the 13th minute but Helik levelled eight minutes later before settling the outcome in the fourth minute of time added on.
The result means Barnsley are now just three points off a play-off spot after winning four of their last five games.
Ismael said: “It was good to win after coming from behind and it is a great feeling in football when you win the game in 90+. That’s why we are very delighted about the win.
“It was another comeback win. We were one down and that’s why it was very important to win the game.
“In the first half, it was a good game from us and we won a lot of balls but the last pass was not good enough.
“It was a poor game in the second half because the wind made it very difficult.
“We pushed right to the end because we knew set-pieces would be a big part.
“It will give the guys, for sure, more confidence for the next game on Tuesday.
“I’m very happy for him [Helik] and I’m overjoyed for his performance.
“For him, it was maybe not easy for him to adapt to change to another country and another culture and he needed to adapt but now we can see how he’s improving every game and now he rewards himself.
“We can count on every player and every player is important for us. We need this mentality and togetherness.
“We have to win this respect in every game and the gap to the 50 points is still big and we have to close the gap before we think about something else.”
Barnsley’s Cauley Woodrow had an early header saved by Ryan Schofield at the foot of his left-hand post.
Schofield thwarted the same player a few minutes later, using his legs to keep Woodrow’s shot out.
The visitors took the lead when a short-corner routine led to Carel Eiting delivering a cross which was headed beyond Jack Walton by Edmonds-Green.
The equaliser came when Woodrow did well to keep the ball in play from a Matty James cross and Helik headed home.
Schofield made a fine reaction save to keep out Victor Adeboyejo’s overhead kick.
Helik then notched the winner deep into time added on, firing into the net after a long throw from Herbie Kane was headed on by Mads Andersen.
Huddersfield head coach Carlos Corberan said: “I think the team was competing well but we weren’t able to defend well these two set-pieces.
“We didn’t defend well and we conceded two goals from set-pieces. It was down to individual concentration.
“We tried to attack but we didn’t create all the chances that we wanted to create.
“In the first half we started well but in the second half we didn’t win enough second balls.
“We need to learn a lot from the situation because we need to be defensively strong from the first action until the last moment of the game.
“I don’t think we deserved to lose but at the same time when you lose a game it is because you didn’t do something well enough in the game.
“We need to give the right answer to these type of situations.”
