Barnsley conceded a 94th-minute winner in a 3-2 loss at Cardiff City, having led 1-0 and 2-1. 

Conor Chaplin put the Reds ahead but the hosts levelled almost instantly then the visitors retook the lead just after half-time. Cardiff equalised against the run of play midway through the second half then won it deep in injury-time.  Barnsley are now six points adrift of safety at the bottom of the table while they have yet to win any of their ten away matches, despite an impressive performance in Wales. 

Gerhard Struber kept the same side that beat Hull City 3-1 a week earlier, ending a 17-match winless run. The Reds played the better football but were always vulnerable to the hosts’ set piece threat. 

Cardiff started the better and had the first chance when huge centre-back Aden Flint headed wide a corner by Marlon Pack in the ninth minute. Chaplin then had a shot blocked in the box, after a clever corner by Alex Mowatt, before Jordan Williams fired over from 25 yards. 

Junior Hoilett curled a shot wide from just outside the box but it was the visitors who took the lead in the 16th minute. After good work by Jacob Brown and Cauley Woodrow, Mike Bahre’s clever pass played in Chaplin on the right of the home box and he provided a cool finish past the goalkeeper for his fourth goal of the season and third in four games under Struber.

But the lead lasted just three minutes as Flint got away from Diaby and seemed to flick in a left-wing cross by Hoilett from eight yards out at the front post. It was later given as an own goal by Diaby.

A Joe Bennett cross was then flicked just wide by Nathaniel Mendez-Laing before, at the other end, goalkeeper Neil Etheridge almost spilled a long-range Cauley Woodrow strike into his own net.  Woodrow’s low right-wing cross was then met by Chaplin ten yards out but he lifted the ball over the bar when he could have sent the visitors in 2-1 up at the break. 

The visitors took the lead two minutes after the break when, after a set piece, Chaplin collected the ball on the right of the box and whipped in a low cross which deflected in and home defender Lee Peltier was credited with the goal after Diaby initially claimed it. 

Chaplin then thought he should have had a penalty after getting behind the home defence and going down after a push in the back by Flint but the referee declined to give a spot-kick. Chaplin’s right-wing cross was then headed wide by Woodrow from ten yards out before Jacob Brown had a close range shot deflected wide following an excellent team move.  

But the hosts levelled against the run of play in the 69th minute when Ben Williams was tackled in the left-back position by Lee Tomlin who squared for Danny Ward and the substitute made no mistake when one-on-one with Sami Radlinger. 

The hosts almost won it in the 86th minute when Halme could not clear a corner and Pack blazed over on the volley ten yards out. Tomlin then fired narrowly wide of the bottom left corner from just outside the box before Radlinger made a mess of punching a corner but the ball was scrambled wide. 

The winner eventually came when a Murphy cross was headed high into the air by Flint and the equally unmarked Tomlin smashed 12-yard volley into the bottom left corner. 

Cardiff (4-4-1-1): Etheridge; Pelter, Flint, Nelson, Bennett; Mendez-Laing, Pack, Bacuna (Vaulks 75mins), Hoilett (Murphy 59mins); Tomlin; Madine (Ward 65).  Subs: Smithies, Morrison, Paterson, Richards. Yellow cards: Tomlin.  Goals: Diaby OG 19, Ward 69, Tomlin 90+4. 

Barnsley (4-4-2 diamond): Radlinger; J Williams, Diaby, Andersen, B Williams; Halme, Bahre (Oduor 90+3mins), Mowatt, Woodrow; Chaplin, Brown  (Schmidt 81). Unused: Collins, Sibbick, Dougall, Mottley-Henry, Thomas. Yellow card: Halme, Bahre, Andersen, B Williams, Mowatt.  Goals: Chaplin 16, Peltier OG 47. 

AS IT HAPPENED
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  • 15:03pm
     
    1 Cardiff the first team to attack, down Barnsley's right, but Bambo Diaby clears and the away fans sing his name
  • 15:04pm
     
    3 Cardiff's Marlon Pack takes the first corner of the game, from the left, and Radlinger touches it behind for another corner on the left side
  • 15:04pm
     
    3 The next corner is over everyone by Pack and out for a goal kick
  • 15:07pm
     
    Cardiff have had the better of the first five minutes but are yet to carve out a chance despite having most of the ball
  • 15:09pm
     
    7 Cardiff's Joe Bennett takes a free-kick from the left but the flag is up for offside as it goes over the giant Aden Flint at the back post
  • 15:09pm
     
    Cardiff will be dangerous from set pieces today and Struber warned about that in the pre-match press conference
  • 15:10pm
     
    8 Aapo Halme stops a counter-attack with a foul just inside Cardiff's half but gets away without a yellow card
  • 15:10pm
     
    9 Cardiff corner on the left, headed wide by Flint. First real chance of the game. It was a couple of yards wide after he beat Diaby to the ball
  • 15:11pm
     
    That's going to be a real challenge for Diaby from corners and free-kicks today as Flint is much taller than him (and almost every other footballer)
  • 15:13pm
     
    12 Barnsley's first corner is taken from the left Alex Mowatt. It's a clever pass into the box to Chaplin who strikes a powerful shot from 15 yards which is blocked by the head of Gary Madine over the bar. Seconds later, Jordan Williams shoots over from 25 yards out
  • 15:15pm
     
    Those half-chances will give Barnsley a bit of belief after they spent the majority of the first 11 minutes defending
  • 15:17pm
     
    16 Cardiff's counter-attack leads to Hoilett curling a shot just wide of the top left corner from just outside the box
  • 15:18pm
     
    GOAL!
    Conor Chaplin puts the visitors ahead
  • 15:19pm
     
    A nice finish by the Barnsley forward after Mike Bahre's clever pass played him into the box
  • 15:19pm
     
    It's his fourth goal of the season and third in four games under Struber
  • 15:20pm
     
    That could be a huge moment for the Reds as they look for their first away win of the season
  • 15:21pm
     
    GOAL!
    Aden Flint levels
  • 15:22pm
     
    The lead lasted only a couple of minutes. Flint gets in front of Diaby to flick in a cross by Hoilett
  • 15:25pm
     
    24 Cardiff lose the ball in midfield and suddenly their three defenders are up against five attackers but Bahre takes a poor touch and loses the ball in the box. It was great work to win the ball by Chaplin, and the right pass would have set up an easy chance for 2-1
  • 15:27pm
     
    There are definitely chances here for Barnsley, all through counter attacks and breaks whereas the hosts are looking to set pieces to score
  • 15:28pm
     
    27 Gary Madine thinks he has his first Cardiff goal as he hooks in from close range but the linesman rules he was offside when Flint headed the ball to him. A close call but looked like the right one
  • 15:31pm
     
    Half an hour gone here and the Reds have given as good as they have got so far. If they survived Cardiff's aerial onslaught from set plays, they have a chance of a very good result here
  • 15:34pm
     
    32 Conor Chaplin has been the best player on the pitch today. He comes up with a superb reverse pass to Woodrow which opens the home defence up but the 25-yard shot is deflected for a corner which is cleared
  • 15:35pm
     
    34 Cardiff corner on the left is taken short to Bennett whose cross is glanced wide by Nathaniel Mendez-Laing
  • 15:37pm
     
    36 Bennett takes a corner from the right which is really well punched clear by Radlinger
  • 15:40pm
     
    39 Cauley Woodrow shoots from almost 30 yards and it is straight at goalkeeper Neil Etheridge who spills but collects easily before it rolls in
  • 15:41pm
     
    YELLOW CARD
    Aapo Halme the first man into the book for a foul just inside the home half
  • 15:42pm
     
    That is Halme's fifth booking of the season and he will miss Wednesday night's game with Reading
  • 15:45pm
     
    43 Chaplin comes close to his second of the game as he meets a low right-wing Woodrow cross about ten yards out but lofts it over the bar
  • 15:46pm
     
    One added minute
  • 15:48pm
     
    HALF-TIME: Cardiff 1, Barnsley 1. The Reds have played some really nice football whereas the hosts look dangerous only from set plays. Conor Chaplin's opener was cancelled out within three minutes
  • 16:03pm
     
    SECOND HALF UNDERWAY
  • 16:05pm
     
    46 Barnsley win an early corner after a good one, two in the box by Woodrow and Brown
  • 16:06pm
     
    GOAL!
    Bambo Diaby gets his first goal for the Reds!
  • 16:07pm
     
    Conor Chaplin does really well to recycle the ball after a set piece then whips in a good cross from the right of the box which appears to hit Diaby almost on the line and bounce in
  • 16:08pm
     
    Barnsley have made a really bright start after the break and got a reward
  • 16:11pm
     
    52 Chaplin goes clear of the defence on the left of the box and goes down under a challenge by Flint but the referee does not give a penalty. Replays show there was a push in the back
  • 16:14pm
     
    Barnsley have definitely been the better side in the first ten minutes of this half. Brown now wins a corner on the right
  • 16:15pm
     
    57 Bahre's right-wing corner is headed by Woodrow but Etheridge easily catches
  • 16:15pm
     
    It looks as though Cardiff are about to bring on a £10million substitute Josh Murphy
  • 16:17pm
     
    59 Another fine run by Conor Chaplin, latching on to a pass by Jordan Williams on the right wing, his cross is headed up and wide by Woodrow from about ten yards out
  • 16:17pm
     
    Cardiff make the first change as Murphy replaces Hoilett
  • 16:19pm
     
    YELLOW CARD
    Mike Bahre is blocked for blocking Cardiff taking a quick free-kick
  • 16:22pm
     
    64 Another chance for the Reds as a good move ends with Woodrow squaring to Brown whose ten-yard shot is deflected wide of the net. The corner is then cleared
  • 16:24pm
     
    Cardiff make their second change as Danny Ward comes on for Gary Madine
  • 16:24pm
     
    Two thirds through the game and Barnsley have played the better and had the better chances. Cardiff have barely threatened in this second half but will hope for some more set piece chances as Barnsley try to hang on to what would be a huge victory
  • 16:26pm
     
    Danny Ward levels minutes after coming on
  • 16:28pm
     
    GOAL!
    It was Ben Williams who lost the ball on the left wing
  • 16:29pm
     
    Ben Williams lost the ball on the left in the build-up
  • 16:29pm
     
    What a shame for the Reds who had been on top and looking to make it 3-1
  • 16:31pm
     
    Mistakes have cost the Reds all season and that was a really sloppy goal to give away when in a very good position away from home
  • 16:32pm
     
    Cardiff's last change sees Will Vaulks replace the injured Leandro Bacuna
  • 16:35pm
     
    Into the final quarter of an hour now. Barnsley can be pleased with the way they have played but they know they should still be on course for their first away win of the season. The hosts, with the crowd well behind them now, will be looking to finish the stronger and claim a win which looked unlikely when Barnsley were well on top at 2-1 up
  • 16:36pm
     
    The Reds are yet to make a change today. They have attacking players such as Patrick Schmidt, Luke Thomas and Dylan Mottley-Henry on the bench should they wish to chase a winner
  • 16:39pm
     
    Patrick Schmidt is about to come
  • 16:39pm
     
    Both Lee Tomlin and Mads Andersen have been booked for squaring up to each other
  • 16:41pm
     
    Schmidt has come on for Brown
  • 16:44pm
     
    85 Substitute Will Vaulks sees a shot blocked in the area then the hosts win a corner
  • 16:44pm
     
    86 Murphy takes the corner from the left. Flint heads it up, Halme fails to clear and Pack, on the turn, volleys over when he should score eight yards out
  • 16:45pm
     
    87 Now Tomlin comes close with a shot from just outside the box which goes narrowly wide of the bottom left corner
  • 16:46pm
     
    The home side are finishing on top here. Can Barnsley hold on or work a chance for the winner?
  • 16:48pm
     
    The fourth official has indicated five minutes of added time
  • 16:49pm
     
    YELLOW CARD
    Ben Williams is booked for a foul on the left wing and Cardiff have a free-kick in a dangerous position
  • 16:50pm
     
    Clarke Oduor is about to come on for his Barnsley debut but Cardiff have a corner
  • 16:51pm
     
    90+2 The hosts so close to a winner as Radlinger comes to punch a corner but makes a mess of it but the scrambled shot is wide
  • 16:51pm
     
    What a time to make your debut. Clarke Oduor replaces Mike Bahre
  • 16:52pm
     
    Lee Tomlin volleys in in the 94th minute
  • 16:54pm
     
    What a sickener for the Reds. The cross from the left is headed up in the air by Flint then Tomlin volleys into the bottom left corner
  • 16:54pm
     
    GAME OVER: Cardiff 3, Barnsley 2