Bristol City's play-off push gathered further momentum as dogged Barnsley were despatched at Ashton Gate.

Made to huff and puff for an hour, the Robins turned the game on its head when scoring two goals in 14 second-half minutes to extend their unbeaten run in the Championship to five games.

Restored to the squad in the absence of injured midfielder Marvin Elliott, it was Gavin Williams who broke the deadlock on 65 minutes, seizing upon a Cole Skuse through ball to hammer his first goal since October.

City did not have things all their own way and were indebted to goalkeeper Adriano Basso, who pulled off an astonishing fingertip save to deny Bobby Hassell an equaliser two minutes later.

But winger Michael McIndoe calmed West Country nerves, scoring with a first-time shot in the 79th minute to register his second goal in as many games and put his team in closer contention for the play-off places.

As expected, City boss Gary Johnson made two enforced changes to the side which started at Plymouth five days earlier, McIndoe and Stern John replacing the injured Elliott and Nicky Maynard in midfield and attack respectively.

Tykes manager Simon Davey was again without several key players through injury and recalled former City Academy striker Kayode Odejayi, who had not scored since knocking Chelsea out of last season's FA Cup.

Beaten in their last four outings and precariously placed just three points above the relegation zone, Barnsley's approach did not suggest a team suffering from diminished confidence.

Quick to harry City whenever the home side were in possession, the Reds enjoyed the better of the opening exchanges, Jon Macken firing wide from Marciano Van Homoet's cross and Darren Moore sending a wayward drive into the Atyeo Stand.

When the fleet-footed Macken was permitted to turn and run at red-shirted defenders, it required a timely intervention from the back-tracking Ivan Sproule to deny the former Derby man a sight of goal.

Tempers flared when Odejayi tangled with Jamie McAllister on the edge of the home penalty area and appeared to strike the Scot with a raised elbow, an incident which earned him the game's first yellow card from referee Trevor Kettle.

Needled into a response, City threatened to take the lead, John reacting in a split-second to steer his header inches over the bar after Lee Johnson's goal-bound shot was deflected.

The better chances continued to materialise at the other end, however, and Basso flung himself low to his right to hold onto Macken's testing drive.

But City finally managed to pierce Barnsley's hitherto obdurate rearguard on 26 minutes, John surging onto Sproule's lofted through ball and skipping clear of the covering defence to be left one-on-one with giant keeper Heinz Muller.

Unfortunately for John, he placed his shot too near to the German, who dropped like a stone to deny the loan striker what would have been only his second goal in City colours.

City conjured another opportunity seven minutes before the interval, Dele Adebola meeting Johnson's free-kick with a header which cleared the bar.

Having slowed the tempo and upset City's rhythm, the visitors twice went close to breaking the deadlock in first-half injury time, Odejayi curling a shot just the wrong side of Basso's left-hand post and Macken then directing a header straight at the Brazilian keeper.

Barnsley again dictated terms at the start of the second half and Macken was denied a shot on goal by a superbly-timed challenge from City captain Louis Carey.

Robins manager Johnson had clearly seen enough and announced a double substitution in the 54th minute, withdrawing Sproule and John and sending on Williams and Peter Styvar in like-for-like changes.

Williams was immediately at the heart of the action, sending McIndoe scampering free on the left flank. The Scot’s cross eluded Adebola yet fell invitingly for Bradley Orr, who had time and space in which to pick his spot. Unfortunately for the home side, his first-time shot cannoned off the cross bar and Barnsley were allowed off the hook.

The Tykes remained dangerous on the counter-attack and Basso was called upon to demonstrate safe hands when going down to gather a shot on the turn from the lively Macken.

When opportunity again came knocking for City in the 63rd minute, Skuse steered his curling effort disappointingly high and wide of the target from the edge of the 18-yard box.

The goal City fans craved arrived moments later, Skuse splitting Barnsley’s defence asunder with an incisive through ball which put substitute Williams in on goal. Making his first Championship appearance in more than a month, the Welshman steadied himself before beating Muller with a measured shot from 12 yards.

Knocked out of their comfort zone, the visitors summoned an instantaneous riposte, Macken setting up right-back Hassell for a shot from 20 yards which look destined for the top right-hand corner of the net. That is until Basso took off to apply the slightest of touches and turn the ball onto the bar.

The danger was still not averted, the rebound bouncing off the Brazilian’s head and rolling wide and behind.

City made sure of their fourth victory in five league games 11 minutes from time, McIndoe lashing a rising left-footed drive past Muller after Styvar’s shot had been blocked by Dennis Souza.