Barnsley 1-1 Reading: Tykes hit back to draw with play-off rivals
- Published
Lucas Joao reacts after missing a great chance to put Reading back in front
Barnsley hit back to draw with fellow Championship play-off challengers Reading in a hard-fought match at Oakwell.
Reading forward Ovie Ejaria latched on to Andy Rinomhota's ball over the top to open the scoring with a low right-footed shot 11 minutes before the break.
The Tykes equalised from the penalty spot through Alex Mowatt just after the hour mark after Andy Yiadom hauled down Callum Styles in the box.
Lucas Joao missed a glorious chance to restore the visitors' lead, but skewed wide with the goal gaping after Yakou Meite beat Barnsley goalkeeper Brad Collins to a backpass.
Mads Anderson diverted the ball onto the Reading post after Rafael Cabral fumbled a free-kick, and the hosts also had a late goal ruled out for a foul on the Brazilian keeper.
Barnsley remain two points ahead of the Berkshire side, in fifth, with the Royals a point above seventh-placed Bournemouth, who beat Middlesbrough 3-1 earlier on Friday.
Although it was the hosts applying the late pressure, the visitors will likely feel they were the side which dropped two points after Joao's miss with 16 minutes to go.
Callum Styles passed the ball back to Collins not realising Meite was behind the Tykes keeper after a previous Royals attack had broken down.
The Ivory Coast international got to the ball first and set it back for Joao to finish into an empty net, but the Portuguese, who has 21 goals this season, somehow skewed his shot across goal and just wide.
Reading host Derby on Monday, while Valerien Ismael's side visit Luton on the same day.
Barnsley boss Valerien Ismael told BBC Radio Sheffield:
"We accept the point and we continue to move forward.
"It's the second game in a row where we have had a goal ruled out like that but we don't want to complain.
"We are proud of our efforts and we deserve to be where we are in the table.
"There are seven games left and you have to be clinical because all of the teams have the desire to win. The big difference will be the details now."
Reading manager Veljko Paunovic told BBC Berkshire:
"It wasn't tight, we were the better team and we absolutely deserved to win.
"You can't ask for more than then chances we had with Yakou at the start of the game and Lucas in the second half. I'm not happy with one point but we move on.
"It's not the first time Lucas has missed a good chance. You have to support him because the team needs him and there is no time for lamentations.
"I have a good rapport with him and it's important to see how he is feeling so that this kind of thing doesn't happen in the future."
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