Barnsley need two wins from their remaining two games to have any chance of staying in the Championship after a 2-1 loss at Derby County in a thrilling Easter Monday fixture.
The Rams went 2-0 up at half-time thanks to long-rangers from Jeff Hendrick and Jonny Russell but substitute Nick Proschwitz pulled one back on 81 minutes. Luke Steele then saved a Russell penalty but Derby held on to win.
The Reds will be down if they fail to at Middlesbrough on Saturday while a draw will leave them needing a huge goal difference swing. They could go down even if they win but three points might give them a chance of staying up as long as they win at home to Queens Park Rangers on the final day of the season.
At Derby, Ryan McLaughlin and Kelvin Etuhu dropped out of the side due to injury and were replaced by Paddy McCourt, on a rare start, and Lewin Nyatanga who played at left-back with Tom Kennedy swapping to the right of defence.
Derby began the game well and Luke Steele made an excellent block to deny Jamie Ward while Russell missed a one-on-one. At the other end, Tomasz Cywka drew a decent save out of Lee Camp.
County took the lead on 34 minutes when Steele left a 25-yard shot from Hendrick which crept in the bottom right corner. The second goal came from similar distance eight minutes later when Russell's effort took a big deflection and looped into the top left corner.
The Rams had several chances to make it 3-0 with Nyatanga heading off the line. But it was Barnsley who scored next as Proschwitz convered late one after a knockdown by Jacob Mellis, who replaced McCourt a half-time.
Derby had the chance to restore their two-goal lead seconds later when Jean Yves M'voto fouled Connor Sammon in the box. But Steele saved Russell's effort.
A wayward Proschwitz free-kick was the closest the visitors came to equalising and their failure to pick up any points from their two games over Easter could cost them.
