Derby won at Barnsley to extend their lead at the top of the Coca-Cola Championship - but the real talking point at Oakwell was a sickening injury to David Lucas.

David Jones had put the visitors in control with a sixth goal since his January move from Manchester United, but it was Derby's second for which the game will be remembered.

Making his first start for the club, goalkeeper Lucas was knocked out after clattering into Giles Barnes in the box, allowing Matt Oakley to fire into an empty net.

Despite several minutes of treatment, the on-loan Sheffield Wednesday stopper only regained consciousness en route to hospital.

Sam Togwell pulled a goal back late in stoppage time but Derby were worthy winners.

As well as Lucas, Barnsley made three other changes from their last outing, Bobby Hassell and Anthony Kay coming into the backline and West Ham winger Kyel Reid replacing the banned Martin Devaney.

Derby, meanwhile, entrusted Jon Macken with filling the boots of suspended top scorer Steve Howard, while Darren Currie was handed a first start in midfield at the expense of Seth Johnson.

Barnsley assistant boss Ryan Kidd revealed in midweek he and manager Simon Davey had devised a gameplan to beat the Rams.

That appeared to consist of flooding the midfield and playing Istvan Ferenczi as a lone striker.

The result was a scrappy start, Northern Ireland's Grant McCann - now a goalscorer at international level - first to try his luck with a weak shot from distance.

But Derby made the most of the minimum of ball when they broke from their own area in the 11th minute, Jones playing in Barnes, whose shot was parried by Lucas, only for Jones to net the follow-up.

The game then fell back into the same disjointed pattern with which it had begun.

It was a full 15 minutes until the next serious attempt at goal, again from a Derby break, when Oakley volleyed well over.

Reid then fired over the top at the other end as Barnsley abandoned their starting formation and moved Peter Rajczi up front.

A debatable free-kick then gave top scorer Brian Howard a sight of goal from 25 yards, but he sent the ball over the bar.

So too did Macken with a header from Jones' corner as the half wound down.

Rajczi then had a great chance to level when the ball reached him at point-blank range.

But his back was to goal and he hesitated long enough to allow Derby to clear.

The first half's lack of quality was of no concern to a very large and very vocal travelling contingent, who had more reason to celebrate shortly after the restart.

A flighted free-kick was played into the box for Barnes, who looked favourite to win it with his back to goal until Lucas decided to come and claim, flattening the midfielder in the process.

Before the referee could make a ruling, the ball ran loose to Oakley, who did well to guide it first time into the empty net from 20 yards with Barnes and Lucas still on the floor.

The keeper came off far worse and was eventually carried from the field on a stretcher.

Upon the resumption, the pattern of poor free-kicks persisted when Reid sent one straight at Stephen Bywater.

The home side came closer to pulling one back when the goalkeeper narrowly beat Ferenczi to a low cross.

There was another lengthy stoppage when skipper Paul Reid went down in agony. He was unable to continue and was replaced by Neil Austin.

Ferenczi and Barnes both had shots too close to the respective goalkeepers as the game became stretched.

Bywater was finally required to produce his best when Reid arrowed Rajczi's cross goalward, forcing a great reaction stop.

There was no surprise when an additional eight minutes was announced, giving Togwell enough time to pull one back from close range and set up a nervy finish.

Teams:

Barnsley Lucas (Colgan 55), Hassell, Paul Reid (Austin 73),Kay, Heckingbottom, Kyel Reid, Togwell, McCann (Hayes 56),Howard, Ferenczi, Rajczi.

Subs Not Used: Jones, Nardiello.

Booked: Heckingbottom, Ferenczi.

Goals: Togwell 90.

Derby Bywater, McEveley, Leacock, Moore, Mears,Jones (Seth Johnson 77), Oakley, Currie (Teale 66), Barnes,Fagan (Peschisolido 90), Macken.

Subs Not Used: Grant, Edworthy.

Goals: Jones 11, Oakley 48.

Att: 17,059

Ref: S Mathieson (Cheshire).