Shaun Goater struck his 17th goal of the season last night to set Manchester City on their way to a 3-0 victory over Division One strugglers Barnsley.

Goater scored in the 14th minute of the match at Oakwell, South Yorkshire and the other two goals, from Stuart Pearce and Darren Huckerby came before the first-half was up.

Danny Tiatto returned after suspension to provide the steel in the midfield where the manager, Kevin Keegan, was experimenting with the bold move of putting playmakers, Eyal Berkovic and Ali Bernabia together.

But the plan paid off when Ali Benarbia fashioned an opening for Darren Huckerby, who fired in a cross to the far post and Goater, the Division's top scorer, finished it off.

More pressure resulted in a corner from which Pearce scored directly, curling the ball in round the crowded penalty area.

On the stroke of half-time City scored their third. The Blues played a long ball from the right hand side on the half-way line which found Huckerby. The striker, who had been proving to be thorn in the home side's defence, was clear of his marker, cut into the box and thundered the ball home past the keeper.

"There was some wonderful football here tonight. I thought it was the start of Manchester City," said Keegan afterwards. "It is the first time I have come in at half-time and thought that style of football for 90 minutes each week will be more than enough to get us out of this Division. It was superb."

City are now fifth.

Elsewhere, Alex Rae headed a late winner as Wolves extended their lead at the top of the Division to three points with a 1-0 victory over Millwall at Molineux.

The former Sunderland midfielder's effort from a Michael Branch cross in the last minute lifted Wolves' points tally to 34 from 16 games, three points clear of second-placed Coventry City.

Coventry stretched their unbeaten run to 11 games under new manager Roland Nilsson but were held 2-2 at Highfield Road by improving Preston North End.

David Thompson scored twice for the home side but goals by Chris Lucketti and Richard Cresswell saved a point for Preston.