Johnstone's Paint Trophy final: Barnsley 3-2 Oxford United

Adam Hammill put Barnsley 3-1 up at Wembley with a fine curling shot from 20 yards

Barnsley edged a thrilling Johnstone's Paint Trophy final with Oxford United at Wembley to win the competition for the first time in their history.

League Two side Oxford led 1-0 at half-time through Callum O'Dowda's header but Barnsley recovered to lead 3-1.

Chey Dunkley nodded into his own net, before Ashley Fletcher fired in a loose ball from eight yards and Adam Hammill curled in from outside the area.

Danny Hylton's header set up a tense finish but the League One club held on.

Oxford, who were aiming to become the first fourth-tier side to win the competition since Luton Town in 2009, came close to making it 2-2 shortly before Hammill netted what proved to be the winner, but Tykes goalkeeper Adam Davies made a stunning reaction save to keep out Liam Sercombe's close-range attempt.

Relive Barnsley's Johnstone's Paint Trophy final victory

Tykes taste Wembley success at last

Barnsley's victory, their first ever win at Wembley, was their season in microcosm.

The Tykes were 23rd in League One in November but a wonderful upturn in form since then has lifted them up to seventh, four points from a play-off spot.

Previous boss Lee Johnson, who left Oakwell for Bristol City shortly after Barnsley had secured their spot in the final, was a guest of the club at Wembley and watched caretaker manager Paul Heckingbottom demonstrate his credentials to take the role on a more permanent basis.

Paul Heckingbottom has won eight of his 12 matches as caretaker manager of Barnsley

Oxford downed by Barnsley comeback

O'Dowda had given Oxford a deserved half-time lead when he headed in Alex MacDonald's superb right-wing cross.

But Barnsley were level six minutes into the second period when the unfortunate Dunkley, under huge pressure from Barnsley's top scorer Sam Winnall, turned Hammill's centre past Benji Buchel.

Winnall, the Tykes' 18-goal leading scorer who had been a big injury doubt in the build-up to the final, was replaced by Ivan Toney after 65 minutes and the on-loan Newcastle striker made an instant impact.

His blocked shot rebounded to Fletcher, who found the net despite the best efforts of Buchel and Oxford defender Jonjoe Kenny on the line.

Hammill's run from halfway and excellent finish gave Barnsley a two-goal cushion, which was instantly halved when Hylton headed in Kemar Roofe's cross.

But the U's, currently second in League Two and supported by 34,000 fans at Wembley, could not seriously test Davies again in the closing stages.

Barnsley are the 24th different club to win the Football League Trophy

Post-match reaction

Barnsley striker Ashley Fletcher told BBC Radio Sheffield: "To see the whole of the Barnsley end go wild was crazy. I'm delighted for the team, the fans and the whole town.

"I visualised it all in bed last night - me scoring at Wembley. It's a dream and I'm thankful it's happened."

Barnsley full-back Aidan White: "It was a difficult first half and I felt like maybe the occasion got to us, but in the second half we came out raring to go and thankfully got the win.

"We wanted to come out of the game with no regrets, and luckily we managed to turn it around."

Barnsley caretaker manager Paul Heckingbottom: "I'm still buzzing. I told the players 'you've got to enjoy this'. That's what you play for.

"We'll be having a celebration tonight, not just the players, but the fans, the staff, the owner, the director - everyone's there.

"I'm just going to enjoy tonight, I enjoy what I do, even more so than I thought I would - love it to bits."

Oxford United head coach Michael Appleton told BBC Radio Oxford: "We got off to a good start and got our noses in front, but that second goal did for us really.

"That's something we've tried to avoid this season - conceding too many close together and a strong 20 minute spell for them in the game has done for us.

"We went up a gear once we got a second goal, but we fell a bit short today sadly."