West Bromwich Albion vs Barnsley. Sky Bet Championship.
The HawthornsAttendance22,086.
Report and highlights from the Sky Bet Championship clash at The Hawthorns
Wednesday 23 October 2019 13:20, UK
Leaders West Brom rescued a point against Barnsley to remain top of the Sky Bet Championship after coming from 2-0 down to draw 2-2 at the Hawthorns.
An own goal by Bambo Diaby after 68 minutes and Matheus Pereira's header nine minutes from time completed an unlikely revival after the Baggies trailed 2-0 at half-time.
West Brom were left shellshocked after conceding two first-half goals against a determined Tykes side but recovered to make it 16 points from losing positions this season.
Barnsley, seeking their first win since the opening day of the season, went ahead in the 18th minute with the first real attack of the game.
Dimitri Cavare picked out Cauley Woodrow with a superb cross from the right and the striker glanced a powerful header into the top corner of the net, giving goalkeeper Sam Johnstone no chance.
Six minutes later, Barnsley doubled their lead with a move built from the back.
Midfielder Alex Mowatt cut in from the left for Woodrow, who cashed in on the space in front of him by lashing into the far corner.
It was no more than Albion deserved after they were a distant second best in the first 45 minutes.
Normally free-scoring, the only effort they registered near goal was a deflected shot from Grady Diangana that drifted into the side-netting.
West Brom made a double change at half-time to breathe new life into the team as Nathan Ferguson and Kyle Edwards made way for Conor Townsend and Filip Krovinovic.
But it made little difference as Albion continued to be wasteful in possession and let themselves down with sloppy fouls.
Instead of a revival, it was Barnsley who went desperately close to the next goal.
Cameron McGeehan's looping header hit the bar after Cavare again was the provider from the right flank.
There seemed no way back for West Brom for long periods, with Barnsley blocking them at every turn and leaving two men up front at all times ready to counter-attack.
West Brom were piling on the pressure in the latter stages and Barnsley erected a tireless red wall to keep them at bay, throwing their bodies in the way of everything.
But it was one of their own that ultimately and cruelly let them down.
Diaby glanced Pereira's inswinging corner past his own keeper Brad Collins, before Pereira timed his run perfectly to head home Townsend's whipped-in cross, with the youngster having looked a danger from the moment he came on.
Barnsley had eight players booked as they strained every sinew to earn a share of the spoils.
West Brom boss Slaven Bilic: "Considering everything that happened during the game, especially in the first half, it's a fantastic point for us. We were trying to play key balls like assists when the situation was nowhere near ready to play them. We were trying to rush things too much and play sexy football, things like that.
"Then we conceded two goals and that made it worse. We conceded one then there was a screamer. So the team talk at half-time was a very calm one in that we didn't need to rush things."
Barnsley caretaker Adam Murray: "When the lads have suffered a lack of confidence, I've seen a real positivity around, and resilience and mentality. I feel sorry for the lads that we couldn't get the win but even in the 90th minute, we were still pushing.
"I think it would have been a famous win. We had a gameplan in the way we want about the game and in the first half we executed it perfectly. I didn't just want us to defend, I wanted us to be on the front foot and attack them, not come here and fight for a point. I was proud and pleased of the boys."
