Eight defeats in a row for Barnsley after 2-1 loss to Port Vale

Barnsley crashed to their eighth straight defeat in Sky Bet League 1 after losing 2-1 at home to Port Vale.

Goals either side of half-time from Ajay Leitch-Smith and then Sam Foley put Vale well on their way to victory and the visitors hung on to move seven points clear of the relegation zone despite Sam Winnall pulling one back late on for Barnsley, who fell to second bottom in the standings after their latest loss.

Barnsley had the better of the first-half chances, with Adam Hammill and George Smith testing Jak Alnwick in the Port Vale goal.

But the home side were hit with a suckerpunch when Leitch-Smith opened the scoring for Vale five minutes before the interval, rising highest to head a looping cross into the far corner.

The away side doubled their lead almost immediately after half-time. Bryon Moore broke away down the right with the ball eventually falling to Foley in the box and he finished in the top corner.

Substitute Winnall gave the Tykes hope of snatching a point in the 77th minute, calmly finishing low to Alnwick's left after a failed clearance had fallen to the unmarked striker.

Barnsley, who have not won or drawn in the league since beating Gillingham on September 26, piled forward in the dying minutes but Vale stayed resolute and took the three points.