Rovers weren’t at their best, but possessing a top quality goalkeeper and the Championship’s top scorer will always give them a chance.

Armstrong proved his worth again, his 13th league goal of the season giving Rovers the lead late in a first half in which they were outplayed.

Thomas Kaminski then made superb one-handed saves with the score at 1-0, and 2-0, and although he couldn’t preserve a seventh clean sheet of the season, as Barnsley were handed a late lifeline, the Belgian made two outstanding saves.

Sam Gallagher came off the bench to add a fine second goal, and that proved to be the winner, as a Barnsley side who never stopped pushing forward, found a goal back in the dying seconds of normal time through Romal Palmer.

Rovers were able to negotiate five added minutes, and in doing so move up to ninth in the Championship table.The concerns from the game were injuries to Barry Douglas and Scott Wharton, the latter following a head collision from a corner.

Barnsley were brave in their approach, happy to press high up the pitch, a style Rovers hadn’t encountered in their previous six home matches.

The visitors were full of energy and winning the majority of second balls, and with Rovers unable to find a link between defence and attack, there was a lack of rhythm to their play.

Rovers did have the game’s first shot on goal, Tom Trybull, who kept his place in the side despite Bradley Johnson being back available, tried his luck from 25 yards, with Jack Walton palming away his dipping effort.

That wasn’t a sign of things to come, having to wait until the closing stages of the half to threaten again.

Inbetween, Barnsley had the much the better of proceedings, Herbie Kane drawing a smart save underneath his crossbar from Thomas Kaminski.

Spaces were opening up across the pitch, while another Kane set play saw Mads Anderson head over under pressure from Darragh Lenihan.

 A huge chance fell Barnsley’s way in the 13th minute, Barnsley getting in down the right and although Nyambe was able to get his head to the cross, it fell only to Conor Chaplin eight yards out. His shot was deflected narrowly wide of the post, in a huge let off for Rovers.

They didn’t emerge unscathed however, as trying to block the cross, Barry Douglas picked up a muscle injury that forced him off, with Amari’i Bell on in his place for his first appearance in over a month.

Rovers continued to try and play out from the back, despite the pressure Barnsley were applying, with a loose pass from Nyambe allowing Callum Styles to cross for Chaplin whose shot on the turn was gathered by Kaminski.

That was his second save inside the opening 15 minutes, and he was also seeing plenty of the ball, as Rovers were forced back.

Their inability to find a midfield link meant Armstrong was starved of service, while Harvey Elliott, recalled in place of Sam Gallagher, couldn’t get into the game.

Long periods of possession fizzled out, with no real tempo to their play, until two late chances in the half. Both fell the way of Armstrong, first denied by the legs of goalkeeper Walton from Brereton’s pull-back.

He didn’t need a second invitation however, an emphatic finish putting the hosts ahead a minute before the break. It owed much to the tireless work of Nyambe who held off Anderson to collect Elliott’s pass and find Armstrong who thumped a shot into the roof of the net.

Rovers couldn’t lay claim to having deserved to go into half-time ahead, but did so courtesy of a 14th of the campaign for Armstrong.

The second half started with both sides having early territory in what was becoming a more open game.

Callum Styles blasted over after Woodrow saw a shot blocked by Trybull, while for Rovers, Armstrong was becoming more involved in the game.

Drifting to the left he went close to setting up Brereton, but did find Bell who worked a shooting angle from 10 yards, but Walton held on to his effort that was straight at him.

Rovers still weren’t at all convincing, not least in possession as a host of passes went astray. Harvey Elliott’s in the 61st minute was followed by a missed tackle, allowing Brittain to break forward, his break ended with him curling wide of the target.

Kaminski was confident he had that one covered, but was at full stretch to pull off a superb save moments later. Anderson was found unmarked at the far post from a corner, the Belgian tipping it over as the ball appeared to be behind him, to keep his side level.

That prompted a double Rovers change, as Sam Gallagher and Bradley Johnson were sent on.

Brereton soon had a chance for 2-0, played in behind the last defender, only to get his feet mixed up at the vital moment as he failed to get a shot away.

A real moment of concern came for Rovers with 15 minutes to play, Wharton going down following a clash of heads in the box. After treatment from the medical team he was able to walk off the pitch, with Hayden Carter on in his place.

No sooner had Rovers made their fourth change than they doubled their lead. Again Nyambe poured forward from right back, and although his cross was cleared, Gallagher arrowed a half volley into the bottom corner, out of reach of Walton, for his third of the season. The Barnsley goalkeeper had been a lot busier in the second half, and he was in the action again to deny Brereton’s effort as the visitors failed to clear a corner.

Not that Kaminski at the other end hadn’t been forced into action, another one handed stop at his near post preserved Rovers’ clean sheet as he tipped behind a Dominik Frieser strike.

Barnsley did get a goal before the end, substitute Romal Palmer netting in the dying seconds of normal time, firing into the roof of the net after Nyambe had blocked a shot.

But Rovers weren’t to be denied, as unbeaten November has added some momentum to their season.

Rovers: Kaminski, Nyambe, Lenihan, Wharton (Carter, 76), Douglas (Bell, 14), Trybull (Johnson, 66), Holtby, Rothwell, Brereton, Elliott (Gallagher, 66), Armstrong

Subs: Pears, Downing, Chapman, Buckley, Dolan

 

Barnsley: Walton, Styles (Palmer, 82), Andersen, Brittain, Kane, Woodrow (Miller, 82), Chaplin (Adeboyejo, 58), Thomas (Frieser, 58) Sollbauer, Mowatt (Odour, 69), Helik

Subs: Collins, Schmidt, James, Moo