Barnsley 2-2 Bristol City: Cauley Woodrow ends Robins' 100% start
- Published
Bristol City had looked on course for a second successive 2-1 away win before Cauley Woodrow struck
Managerless Barnsley scored a penalty in the 102nd minute to rescue a point against Bristol City and end the Robins' flawless start to the season.
Cauley Woodrow, who has previously spent time on loan at Ashton Gate, fired into the top corner from the spot after having to wait for more than eight minutes as team-mate Michael Sollbauer received treatment.
Callum O'Dowda had clattered into Sollbauer just inside the area, with the Austrian eventually being carried off on a stretcher with a neck brace fitted.
The Robins, who won four out of four prior to the international break, earlier went behind inside the opening two minutes when Michal Helik headed Romal Palmer's far-post corner beyond goalkeeper Max O'Leary.
City then turned the game on its head within six minutes of the restart, with Jack Hunt and then Tyreeq Bakinson both seeing deflected strikes hit the net to put them in front.
But Woodrow's late equaliser ensured the final remaining 100% record in the English Football League came to an end.
Remarkably, it also means six of the past nine meetings between these two sides have finished 2-2 - although Bristol City head coach Dean Holden will be particularly frustrated that his team did not come away with three points from this contest.
While well short of their fluent best, they still looked well on course to grind out victory after their blitz at the start of the second half put them in charge.
Both goals had elements of luck, with Bakinson's diverted effort - his first for the club - completely wrong-footing Tykes goalkeeper Jack Walton before finding the corner.
But Barnsley, under the caretaker charge of Adam Murray, continued to press and have now drawn two of their past three fixtures.
City remain top despite the late equaliser, above second-placed Reading on goals scored.
Barnsley caretaker head coach Adam Murray:
"I've got to give credit to Solly (Michael Sollbauer) for putting his head in a place where he knew he was going to get hurt, but obviously it was a benefit for the team. I think that sums him up as a player.
"The last few moments were strange, because the moment went on for so long. You had their players messing with the penalty spot and trying to get into Cauley Woodrow's head.
"The penalty going in under that pressure is fantastic for Cauley and I felt we deserved to get something from the game."
Bristol City head coach Dean Holden:
"It doesn't look clear enough for me to give a penalty, I've got to be honest, but we have to get on with it.
"We took a while to get to grips with the game. In the second half we were so much better. We played the game on our terms, scored two good goals and we were in control of the game then.
"We had opportunities to take the game away from them, but if you don't do that then you're always at the mercy of a referee's decision or an equaliser."