Super-sub Wayne Andrews wrapped up the points for Coventry City as they beat Barnsley 1-0 at Oakwell.
The forward, who has been out all season with an array of injuries, came on with six minutes to go for his debut and scored less than a minute later to seal the victory.
It was just rewards for Adams' men, who had worked hard to keep a clean sheet and find the breakthrough at the other end.
It was perhaps even sweeter for Adams, who had been booed ridiculously by his own supporters for taking off Leon McKenzie for Andrews.
Micky Adams made one enforced change against Barnsley to the side that beat Colchester 2-1 on Monday night.
Stern John was forced to miss the trip to Oakwell with a gash to his ankle, which was sustained early in the match against the U's.
Instead, Dele Adebola came into the side to partner Kevin Kyle up front, with Leon McKenzie remaining in midfield.
On the bench, Marcus Hall returned to the squad just two weeks after picking up a medial ligament injury against Southend, while Andrews was in the squad for the first time this season after recovering from an ankle injury.
The Sky Blues created the first real chance of the game with five minutes gone, when Duffy found Cameron on the right-hand side, who delivered into the area for Kyle, who headed it wide of the target.
Kyle was again involved three minutes later, when his deft touch found Adebola - the striker lifting his shot over the target with his back to goal.
Cameron hit a shot into the goalkeeper's arms, before at the other end, Marc Richards saw his shot fly wide of Andy Marshall's goal.
Kyle lifted a shot disappointingly over the bar from McKenzie's chip on 26 minutes before a minute later, Adams was forced into an early substitution when Hall replaced Clive Clarke at left back.
Paul Hayes forced Marshall down to his right-hand side to make a smart save on 34 minutes, before the keeper was called into action again, when Sam Togwell forced him to beat away a shot from his left post.
It was Barnsley's best spell of the half but Coventry were equal to it and at the other end, Duffy pounced on a mistake to find himself one-on-one with the keeper, only to see his shot saved by Colgan.
Doyle became the first player to go into the book after a tangle with Togwell on 41 minutes, before Richards headed into the arms of Marshall as the home side looked to break the deadlock before the break.
Michael McIndoe created the first real chance of the second half when he fired a fierce snapshop just wide of the right-hand upright on 59 minutes.
Adams selected to make another change on the hour, when Cameron was replaced by Jay Tabb. It marked a change in formation, with McKenzie joining Kyle up front and Adebola moving to fill the vacant spot of the right of midfield.
Barnsley made a change of their own four minutes later, with Danny Nardiello replacing Hayes. The substitution spurred the home side into life and Andy Ritchie's men thought they had taken lead moments later when McIndoe's shot was dropped by Marshall, only to be cleared off the line by Ward.
The home side made another substitution on 73 minutes, when Colin Healy replaced Mark Devaney.
Adebola almost scored an own goal when he turned Togwell's shot around the post, before Barnsley made their third and final change on 83 minutes when Mark Richards was replaced by Tommy Wright.
Andrews replaced McKenzie on 84 minutes and the former Palace man made an instant impact - curling it around the keeper to give Adams' men the lead and seal the win.
Barnsley: Colgan; Hassell; Reid; Togwell; Hayes (Nardiello, 64); McIndoe; Howard; Kay; Williams; Richards (Wright, 82); Devaney (Healy, 73)
Subs: Heckingbottom; Austin;
Coventry City: Marshall; Cameron (Tabb, 60); Hughes; Kyle; Clarke (Hall, 27); Adebola; Duffy; Doyle; McKenzie (Andrews, 84); Page; Ward
Subs: Andrews; Birchall; Heath
Bookings: Doyle (41) Howard (90)
Attendance: 10,470
