Queens Park Rangers 2-2 Barnsley: Charlie Austin goal salvages point for Hoops
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Charlie Austin rejoined QPR in June on a free transfer from West Brom following a loan spell last season
Charlie Austin grabbed an added-time goal as unbeaten QPR came from 2-0 down to rescue a point against Barnsley at the Kiyan Prince Foundation Stadium.
The striker beat keeper Brad Collins from Yoann Barbet's cross after Ilias Chair had brought Rangers back into the game with an individual effort.
Having done the double in the previous two seasons, the Yorkshire side had gone ahead early as Dominik Frieser beat the offside trap and drilled the ball past Seny Dieng.
Captain Cauley Woodrow then scored his 50th goal for the club, but they were pushed back as Rangers dominated after the break and Austin's goal earned a deserved draw.
Rangers boss Mark Warburton made four changes for the game, three of them enforced, with Lee Wallace and Lyndon Dykes injured and Moses Odubajo suspended following his red card against Middlesbrough.
Austin was restored in attack, having scored seven times in previous matches against Barnsley - his best tally against any club - but he was starved of worthwhile service in the first half when the home side failed to produce a meaningful effort on target
Barnsley repeated the high-press tactic which helped carry them to the play-offs last term, but their slick first-time passing following Frieser's opener was also a headache for Rangers, who fell further behind when Callum Styles' cut-back presented Woodrow with a chance he could not miss.
Cauley Woodrow slots home his 50th goal for Barnsley from close range
So dissatisfied was Warburton with what he was seeing that he took George Thomas and Andre Dozzell off after 35 minutes and had to make another change at the interval with Jimmy Dunne replacing Jordy de Wijs in defence.
Dunne went close when he rose highest from a corner and headed just wide of the post and another dead-ball delivery saw Austin force a fine reaction save from Brad Collins.
Rangers kept pressing forward and Chair turned Toby Sibbick as he cut in from the left before firing into the roof of the net to give them renewed hope.
Woodrow missed a chance to settle it, shooting wide after being picked out by a long ball, and Barnsley's hopes of a first away league victory under Markus Schopp were dashed as Austin found space in the box to beat Collins for the equaliser - the 153rd league goal of his career.
QPR manager Mark Warburton on his first-half substitutions:
"We were two down and just felt we had to change it quickly. It's no reflection on Andre or George - they've been excellent since the first day of pre-season.
"But we had to change it and they were the two who suffered. It could have been a number of people.
"Around the pitch in the second half we were much better. We were good and created chances.
"We were on the front foot, took care of the ball and in the end could maybe have won the game."
Barnsley captain Cauley Woodrow told BBC Radio Sheffield:
"First half, we could have been 3-0, 4-0 up, but if you don't take your chances, the longer it goes on, the tougher it gets.
"They were flying before this game and I think we gave a good performance and were all over them at times. It's frustrating not to come out with a win.
"If you look at our performance, it was a progression. It's a journey we're on at the moment, playing a totally new style under the new manager and the longer the season goes on, the better we're going to get."