Cardiff City 3-4 Barnsley
- Published
Sam Winnall doubles his tally with Barnsley's third goal
Barnsley snatched a late win against Cardiff in an extraordinary game.
Sean Morrison nodded in from a corner to put Cardiff ahead, before Sam Winnall's fine stretching header brought Barnsley level.
Winnall finished a counter-attack to give the Tykes the lead and Josh Scowen scored their third before half time.
Cardiff fought back with goals from Peter Whittingham and Anthony Pilkington to make it 3-3, only for Ryan Williams to strike in added time.
Paul Heckingbottom's side are now only six points behind the Championship play-off places, while Cardiff drop to 20th in the table - three points above the bottom three.
The home side were ahead inside three minutes, as Morrison flicked in from Whittingham's corner.
Barnsley's response was impressive, equalising as Conor Hourihane's deep cross found Winnall, who directed a looping header over Cardiff goalkeeper Ben Amos.
Bruno Ecuele Manga of Cardiff City pulls his top over his head after Barnsley take a 3-1 lead
The visitors then took the lead with a flourish, seizing possession from a Cardiff corner and breaking at pace before Sam Morsy laid the ball off to Winnall, who converted with a low finish.
There was a sense of déjà vu to Barnsley's third - stemming from another Cardiff set-piece. The visitors swept upfield and Amos ill-advisedly rushed out to present Scowen with a simple tap-in into an empty net.
Manager Neil Warnock had said his uncompromising half-time team talk had inspired Cardiff's fightback against Wolves and they improved again in the second half against Barnsley, with Junior Hoilett hitting the post less than 30 seconds after the restart.
Whittingham's swerving half-volley stirred hopes of another Cardiff revival with 11 minutes left and Pilkington - who scored the late winner against Wolves - thought he would be the hero again when he bundled in from close range after 88 minutes.
But it was Barnsley who had the final say with yet another counter-attack, with substitute Williams finishing from close range to settle a remarkable match.
Cardiff boss Neil Warnock:
"It was an exciting game for the neutral, on how not to defend! I'm disappointed with every goal. They were elementary errors.
"I've persevered for a few weeks, but I've got to change it. I've had enough now, I have to be critical when I look at the goals.
"The chances we had, they take some missing. I'm not going to name individuals, but I'll be changing the team before the next game - and January can't come soon enough."
Barnsley boss Paul Heckingbottom:
"We don't set aims. If you set a goal you're limiting yourself and we just want to win as many games as we can.
"It's reflected in games like that. We've got a group of players who have responded to that over the past year or so. We know we won't win them all, but we'll try.
"I've had some big games in the short time I've been doing it. But in terms of the scoreline and nature of the game, it's probably the most dramatic game I've been involved in."
- Published17 December 2016
