Rock-bottom Tykes stun Seagulls to give Mellon perfect start Brighton 1 Barnsley 2

Rock-bottom Tykes stun Seagulls to give Mellon perfect start Brighton 1 Barnsley 2

Managerless Barnsley stunned Brighton and Hove Albion at The Amex with goals from Paddy McCourt and Jacob Mellis to give the Tykes their first away win in 10 months.
With only two days in the caretaker role after the sacking of David Flitcroft, Micky Mellon’s impact on the men from Oakwell was emphatic.
The victory was not enough to lift Barnsley off the bottom of the Championship with Sheffield Wednesday’s 2-1 win against Leicester.

Red alert: Barnsley's Patrick McCourt (right) is congratulated by his team-mates after scoring his goal against Brighton

Sheer joy: Barnsley goalkeeper Jack Butland celebrates his team scoring against Brighton at the Amex

Match facts

Brighton: Kuszczak 6, Bruno 6, Greer 5, Upson 6, Ward 5, Crofts 6, Bridcutt, Forster-Caskey 6 (Buckley 45, 5), Lopez 7 (Augustien 65, 7), Barnes 5 (Lita 82, 5), Conway 8.
Subs not used: Brezovan, El-Abd, Agustien, Calderon, Ince.
Goal: Upson 63
Barnsley: Butland 9, Wiseman 6, Ramage 6, Cranie 6, Kennedy 7, McCourt 7 (Dawson 75, 6), Perkins 6, Cywka 6, Etuhu 7 (Scotland 92, 6), Mellis, Tudgay 8.
Subs not used: Hassell, O'Brien, Mvoto, Dibble, Fox.
Goal: McCourt 35, Mellis 50
Booked: Ramage, Perkins, Mellis, Wiseman, Scotland.
Att: 25,759
MOM: Marcus Tudgay
Referee: James Linington (Isle of Wight)
*Player ratings by Tom Roddy at The Amex Stadium

Under the Scot’s guidance, the Tykes proved to be a difficult prospect for Brighton: tough to beat and break down and they looked dangerous on the break throughout.
Barnsley’s first goal came through Paddy McCourt in the 35th-minute with some splendid build-up play.
After a number of passes progressing up the field, McCourt drove into the box, played a lovely one-two with Marcus Tudgay and sent the ball past the helpless Tomasz Kuszczak.
Tudgay played his part in Barnsley’s second as well with another perfectly played one-two with Jacob Mellis.
The former Chelsea midfielder skipped past a couple of Brighton defenders, sent the ball out wide to Tudgay, who played the ball behind the Albion defence for Mellis to run onto and double Barnsley’s lead.
On such a chilly evening on the south coast, the game had been rather stale up until Albion winger Craig Conway struck the crossbar with wonderful strike.
The Scot cut in from the left hand side, accelerated away from the defender and unleashed a right-footed drive which looked goal bound but for the fingertips of Jack Butland in the Barnsley goal.
Brighton manager, Oscar Garcia, brought on Will Buckley and Kemy Agustien in the early stages of the second half in an attempt to salvage the game.
Agustien had a positive impact as he took control of the midfield and began to craft more chances for the home team.
A fightback came from Albion on the hour mark after a period of constant pressure and some spectacular stops from Butland when Matthew Upson pulled a goal back for the home side.

Air time: Brighton defender Stephen Ward, top, is challenged by Barnsley's Marcus Tudgay

Dugout battle: Brighton manager Oscar Garcia, right, and Barnsley caretaker manager Micky Mellon

Barnsley’s young English keeper was in fine form but as Upson met a corner, whipped in by Lopez, he sent the ball looping over the 20 year-old’s head.
Ashley Barnes has found form recently with three goals in his last three appearances for the Seasiders but couldn't convert any of the chances presented to him during the match.
Agustien whipped in a delicious cross that met the striker’s head but he sent the ball over the crossbar.
Brighton pushed for the equaliser as Garcia threw on-loan striker, Leroy Lita, on for the last 10 minutes of the game but he failed to convert the only chance he got.
Butland again denied Brighton an equaliser with four minutes to go.
David Lopez latched onto a long ball behind the Tykes defence, cut back onto his stronger right foot but the Barnsley keeper made himself big and denied the Spaniard.
Despite seven minutes being added on at the final whistle for a long stoppage involving the fourth official coming on to referee the rest of the game, Brighton failed to create any real chances and their home form continues to be unpredictable.
Mellon was jubilant at the final whistle and the three points are certainly a good way of putting his name into the pot for Flitcroft’s replacement should he want the job.

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