BARNSLEY 2 (Dagnall 63 pen, 66), UNITED 0

Barnsley: Steele, O'Brien (Mellis 32, Rose 88), Dawson, Golbourne, Kennedy, Dagnall (Noble-Lazarus 90), Cranie, Perkins, Harewood, McNulty, Stones. Subs: Alnwick , Foster, Hassell, Etuhu.

Leeds: Kenny, Peltier, Pearce, Tate, Byram, Norris (Green 46), Tonge, Barkley, Austin, Diouf (McCormack 46), Becchio. Subs: Ashdown, Lees, White, Varney, Somma.

Referee: C Pawson

Booked: Becchio (Leeds)

Att: 13,999 (4,800 Leeds)

United manager Neil Warnock handed a debut to new loan signing Ross Barkley for the trip to Oakwell in a re-shaped side that saw Michael Tonge also named for his first appearance since joining the club on a permanent basis.

Barnsley, who had won comfortably at Oakwell the last two times the sides had met, were still searching for a new manager, with David Flitcroft operating on a caretaker basis.

The home side shrugged off their poor form to start on the front foot, though, and Paddy Kenny had to react well to save from Jim O'Brien before United made two vital defensive blocks.

But United settled fairly quickly and Luciano Becchio went close after a good delivery from Lee Peltier.

It was shaping up into a keenly contested derby encounter. Kenny was called upon to beat another effort away before Marlon Harewood rattled the inside of the post.

United new boy Barkley made a good early impression, both with his strength in the tackle, and with his passing, and he almost released Becchio on goal inside the opening 20 minutes.

The home side were clearly firing on all cylinders and after a great challenge by Jason Pearce, Martin Crainie headed the resultant corner inches wide of the upright.

Kenny was called upon again to save from O'Brien and Barnsley looked a threat when they moved the ball and put Leeds under pressure.

There was a halt to play after half-an-hour for O'Brien to receive treatment for what appeared to be a nasty injury. He was stretchered from the field, clearly in pain, to be replaced by Jacob Mellis.

It was the hosts who carved out the next chance, though, when Leeds lost the ball in the middle of the park and Chris Dagnall sent a ball fizzing across the face of goal.

United made two changes at the interval, introducing Ross McCormack and Paul Green, replacing El-Hadji Diouf and David Norris.

And it was United who had the first opportunity of the second half when Barkley worked himself a opening from distance and sent a low strike just wide.

It was a more positive start from Leeds and Barkley went close again when he rattled the underside of the bar with a vicious strike.

In the 62 minute Barnsley's Chris Dagnall ran into United's penalty area and was brought down by Sam Byram, referee Craig Pawson pointing straight to the spot. Dagnall stepped up and smashed the ball past Kenny.

Three minutes later saw Barnsley increase their lead with another goal from Dagnall after the Barnsley latched on to a neat pass before delivering a good finish.

United huffed and puffed in a bid to find a way to get back into the game - Barkley lifted another effort over the top - but the hosts always looked a threat when they came forward.

McCormack and Green had a couple of late efforts over the top and Harewood also fired wide for the hosts.