Barnsley 3 Bury 0 - Full Time report

Co-caretaker boss Paul Heckingbottom congratulates his players at the end of the game

Goals from Marley Watkins, Sam Winnall and Adam Hammill ensured a seventh successive league win for the Reds.

With Johnson having departed on Saturday for Bristol City, caretaker managers Tommy Wright and Paul Heckingbottom kept faith with the same side that overcame Fleetwood in the JP Trophy on Thursday to book a Wembley date on April 3.

Sheffield-born Shaun Tuton, who arrived on transfer deadline day from non-league FC Halifax Town, was handed a spot on the bench.

Adam Hammill saw a couple of chances go begging in the early exchanges before the Reds went 1-0 up on 19 minutes.

Watkins scored it when he chased the ball down forcing Bury stopper Ian Lawlor to retreat into his net before coolly slotting the ball in off the left-hand post.

Winnall should have made it 2-0 just after but planted a free header over the bar just inside the box.

Leon Clarke rifled an effort over the bar just before the half-hour mark as Bury showed signs of a comeback while Josh O'Sullivan whistled a shot just wide of a post.

Aidy White almost capped off a brilliant move on 50 minutes after Hammill had done brilliantly to work the ball out of a tight spot in the corner, but the former Leeds man rocketed a shot over the bar.

But the Reds didn't have to wait too long for their second.

On 56 minutes Winnall coolly slotted home inside the box for his 17th strike of the campaign after good work from Conor Hourihane.

Leon Clarke wasted a glorious chance for the visitors just after the hour mark when his free header went wide of the target with the goal gaping.

The Reds then scored a brilliant third with a move that involved half the team as they worked the ball form back to front before Hammill finished in style inside the box.

Sub Josh Scowen almost grabbed a fourth late on but his effort was parried away by Lawlor.

Barnsley are now tenth - five points off the play-offs.