Intelligent Barnsley FC display Pilgrims progress as their season starts to get very interesting

That’s what it feels like at the minute and if Gary Lineker fancied nipping up to Oakwell on Saturday to do a bit of freelancing, given that he’d a few hours to spare, he would have probably said the same.

An eighth win in ten and fifth on the spin at Oakwell, the Reds are running hot, never mind the snow.

Ahead of a season-defining run of games from the end of last month against the division’s big-hitters, Michael Duff, when questioned about it, flipped it around and said ‘what happens if we win a couple?’

Well, Barnsley have done that already and should they take seven points or more in games against Wycombe, Sheffield Wednesday and Ipswich, things have the potential to get very interesting indeed.

Duff won’t say anything, but he’ll know.

More importantly in the here and now, his side won’t get ahead of themselves. One half at a time is Duff’s mantra. but three unanswered goals against a good Plymouth side does makes you wonder.

On the receiving end of a 1-0 beating in the reverse fixture in Devon on the opening day, when Argyle ‘wiped the floor’ with his side by his own admission, the Reds head coach wanted to see evidence of Barnsley’s Pilgrims’ progress and was handed a surfeit of it on the resumption.

After an even first 45 minutes, Duff addressed a few technical aspects at the break regarding his side’s pressing tactics, while endeavouring to find a way to free up their very influential deep-lying play-maker in Luca Connell and it worked a treat.

His side took it on board and displayed their game intelligence.

At this stage of a season, it’s a very encouraging sign - his players worked things out.

Second-placed Argyle’s threatening number ten’s in Finn Azaz and Callum Wright - players Duff fancied last summer - were taken out of the game and Barnsley were all over their opponents like a cheap suit.

High-press, front foot football, battles won all over the place and a big statement at the end of it. Not that Duff’s players will be getting Monday off. No chance. Not now.

That said, it was a second half not without its scares. One arrived just 15 seconds in and it was not just a huge moment in the context of the game, but in Barnsley’s season.

The usually immaculate Mads Andersen uncharacteristically erred. He got himself into a lather from Nigel Wonjik’s punt forward and Argyle top-scorer Ryan Hardie, of all people, was away.

Good sides require contributions across the board and it was here that another arrived for Barnsley.

Harry Isted, who coughed up a couple of first-half crosses, stepped up to the plate when it mattered.

Hardie was confronting him, one on one, but the keeper was not to be moved and won the battle of wits.

The 17-goal striker attempted to round him to his right and he guessed it and gathered and the game turned inexorably.

After his faux pas, Andersen, as all top players do, cleared his head. He was soon celebrating after netting his first goal of the season, but there was something before that.

Barnsley started to garner momentum and sensed uncertainty from the visitors. They did not take their foot off Argyle’s throats for the remainder of the game.

Adam Phillips’s daisy-cutter on the hour beat Callum Burton and took him ever closer to double figures for the season. Barnsley don't have a 25-goal hitman, but they are likely to finish 2022-23 with three players on ten league goals or more.

After bullying Derby a fortnight earlier, the hosts delivered a sequel, Plymouth were spooked and 2-0 down when Andersen guided home a header after Argyle clocked off following a right-wing cross from the impressive Bobby Thomas.

Lonwijk fouled sub Luke Thomas perilously close to the penalty box late on. No spot-kick, but no matter. Cadden, after his brilliance against Portsmouth, provided an encore with a lovely free-kick.

Look at the numbers on the right and not left of the table was Duff's mantra before this game. A few more wins and there will be a few glances to the left.

Barnsley: Isted; B Thomas, Andersen, Kitching; Williams, Phillips (Benson 71), Connell (Russell 90), Kane (L Thomas 83), Cadden; Cole (Watters 45), Norwood (Tedic 72). Substitutes unused: Searle, Larkeche.

Plymouth: Burton; Wilson (Mayor 65), Lonwijk, Gillesphey; Mumba, Matete (Houghton 74), Butcher, Miller (Edwards 56); Wright, Azaz (Waine 74); Hardie (Ennis 65). Substitutes unused: Parkes, Bolton.

Referee: W Finnie (Bedfordshire).