Garry Monk registered his first win in charge of Cambridge as they gave their League One survival hopes a massive boost by beating promotion-chasing Barnsley 2-0 at Oakwell.

Barnsley should have gone ahead inside 11 minutes when Nicky Cadden fired wide from six yards after a low cross was cleared into his path.

Cambridge then took the lead in the 13th minute from an own goal. Mael de Gevigney tried to play the ball back to his goalkeeper but his misdirected pass found the Barnsley net.

Ryan Bennett saw his header controversially disallowed for a foul on the half-hour mark as Cambridge continued to cause problems for the home side.

The Tykes almost equalised when John McAtee met Josh Earl’s cross but his shot came back off the far post.

Sullay Kaikai had the chance to score Cambridge’s second in the 68th minute but he blazed his effort wide after latching on to James Brophy’s ball in behind.

But substitute Gassan Ahadme doubled Cambridge’s lead after 72 minutes, planting his header into the far corner from Danny Andrew’s free-kick.