Barnsley 2 Bristol City 3: Named after a former world heavyweight champion, Evander Sno boasts the towering physique of a professional pugilist.

Although a self-confessed boxing fan, the Dutchman still found the decision an easy one when presented with a choice between following in Evander Holyfield's footsteps or pursuing a career in football.

Bristol City's 22-year-old loan signing from Ajax said: "My Dad named me after Holyfield because of his love of boxing and I like the fight game as well. But football will always be the No 1 sport for me – I'm a lover, not a fighter."

For a majority of City fans, it was a case of love at first sight when they saw Sno and Ajax mete out a football lesson in a pre-season friendly at Ashton Gate in July.

Now that the former Dutch Under-21 international has thrown in his lot with the Championship club, the appreciation is mutual.

Perhaps for the first time since his arrival in England, Sno reproduced the level of performance which so impressed Robins manager Gary Johnson back in the summer.

It was simply too much for a Barnsley side which struggled to contain City's vibrant midfield and ended up being beaten far more comprehensively than the scoreline suggests.

Now that he is settled in his private life, Sno is at last displaying the pace, power, vision and technique which persuaded City to pursue his signature in the first place. And it is no secret that the Dutchman's growing influence has coincided with a sudden rise up the Coca-Cola Championship standings.

"You cannot play your best football unless you are happy off the pitch," contends Sno. "I have moved into an apartment in Bristol and I really like the city.

"The players are a great bunch of guys and I enjoy their company and the supporters have been so good to me. I'm feeling good about myself and it's showing in my game."

Sno spent two seasons in the Scottish Premier League with Celtic as a teenager, yet admits: "The Championship is even quicker and more competitive.

"My time in Scotland has helped me in that respect though, and I'm getting used to a different culture. In Holland the pace is slower and we pass the ball more. Here, it is fast nearly all of the time.

"But I'm coming to terms with the speed of things and I'm now able to get from box to box quickly. I'm looking to score more goals."

Sno's first goal in English football, delivered with aplomb four minutes before half-time, confirmed Bristol City's superiority, coming as it did a quarter of an hour after Nicky Maynard's impressive opener.

If Maynard demonstrated tenacity and pace aplenty in seizing upon keeper Dean Gerken's long clearance and holding off Tykes skipper Stephen Foster to steer a low shot past Luke Steele, Sno summoned the technique which comes only from religious practice from an early age to double City's advantage with a cultured swing of his left boot.

The Dutchman may have delivered the coup de grace, but the goal was made by Danny Haynes, the other obvious candidate for the man-of-the-match award on a day when so many visiting players stood out.

A constant threat with his pace and willingness to commit opponents, the former Ipswich winger set alarm bells ringing in the Barnsley defence when embarking upon a searing run to the by-line which culminated in him dragging the ball back to set up Sno.

When a rare mistake from Gerken, who allowed substitute Daniel Bogdanovic's speculative shot from 20 yards to sneak between his legs, gave Barnsley renewed optimism, it was Haynes who again slammed the door shut on Yorkshire aspiration, bursting on to Marvin Elliott's slide-rule pass and drawing a foul from defender Ryan Shotton.

Referee Andy Haines had no option but to award a penalty and issue a red card. Jamie McAllister's spot-kick was saved by Steele, only for Elliott to follow up and score his first goal of the season and restore an advantage which rendered Adam Hammill's late strike no more than a consolation.

Sno paid tribute to Haynes, saying: "He did an excellent job to make my goal. It was a good cross and made it easy for me.

"His work-rate was very good for the team and he was always coming back when Barnsley had the ball. When we attacked, he was a constant threat to their defenders."

Although Sno and Haynes were to the fore, Bristol City's first Championship away win since February was attributable to a supreme team effort and a degree of luck during the opening exchanges when Gerken made a wonder save from Foster and then saw an Emil Hallfredsson thunderbolt come back off the underside of his crossbar.

Barnsley's pressure proved short-lived and, once Maynard's ninth goal of the season had established daylight between the two sides, Bristol City's midfield three of Lee Johnson, Elliott and Sno took over, fully justifying manager Johnson's decision to change the team which beat Plymouth four days earlier.