AAPO Halme’s 90th-minute leveller secured Barnsley a deserved draw with Championship leaders West Bromwich Albion in their Boxing Day fixture.
The Reds created the better chances throughout the match and showed their character with a second last-gasp goal in a week after Saturday’s winner at Millwall.
Alex Mowatt fired over the bar from just inside the box after 80 seconds but it was the visitors who took the lead in the fifth minute.
Radlinger sliced an attempted clearance straight to Filip Krovinovic 30 yards from goal in the centre of the pitch and the Croatian midfielder lobbed the ball into the net. That goal ended a run of five games in which the Reds had scored first.
The Reds responded to going behind well as Mowatt fired off-target from the left of the box after a one-two with Oduor then Cauley Woodrow had Barnsley’s first effort on target but his 25-yard attempt was straight at Sam Johnstone in the Baggies’ goal.
The hosts’ first really clear chance came after 19 minutes when Johnstone badly spilled a cross by Conor Chaplin but impressively got back up to block Woodrow’s ten-yard effort then Chaplin’s follow-up was blocked by Semi Ajayi.
Johnstone again kept his side in front three minutes later as he brilliantly dived full-length to his right to turn away Jacob Brown’s 15-yard volley after Mowatt cleverly flicked on a right-wing cross by Williams.
Andersen almost scored his first goal in English football on 27 minutes but his looping header from Mowatt’s right-wing corner bounced off the crossbar.
The game quietened down but the visitors almost doubled their lead on 43 minutes when a weak backward header by Williams saw Charlie Austin go clean through but his effort was poor and Radlinger could easily block it.
There was another chance for the Reds when a good move ended with Woodrow touching Thomas’ cross cleverly towards Chaplin whose shot from a tight angle on the right of the box was turned wide at the near post by Johnstone.
The visiting goalkeeper was also needed in the second half as he dived fully to his right to touch wide a long-range and powerful Thomas effort. At the other end, Ajayi volleyed over from a corner and Kenneth Zohore also dragged wide.
The Reds struggled to carve out as many chances after the break as the game became more scrappy and dull.
Woodrow shot weakly into Johnstone’s arms from outside the box then Mowatt curled a free-kick over.
The equaliser came in the 90th minute when Chaplin received the ball from Oduor and whipped in a low cross to the near past which Halme flicked in three yards out for his third goal of the season.
AS IT HAPPENED
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1 The visitors get us underway and the Reds almost immediately win the ball, Jacob Brown leading a charge upfield.
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15:05pm
1 A good move down the left sees Cauley Woodrow play Conor Chaplin into space, and the forward feeds a low ball into the box. Alex Mowatt collects but his left-footed shot is over the bar, despite him having time to set himself.
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15:07pm
3 A goal kick for Barnsley as Jordan Williams makes a sliding block from a cross on the right of goal and the ball rebounds off the crosser and out.
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15:08pm
GOAL!
5 A badly sliced clearance from Sami Radlinger and Filip Krovinovic loops the ball over the keeper.
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15:09pm
The midfielder was gifted the goal as he picked the loose ball up in the centre of the park and, with Radlinger retreating, lobbed the keeper from just outside the box.
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15:11pm
7 Alex Mowatt goes close from a similar position to his first effort, this time powering the ball low past the near post after collecting a through ball from Clarke Oduor.
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15:12pm
9 Pressure in midfield forces Alex Mowatt to pass the ball all the way back to Sami Radlinger. The visitors are matching Barnsley's 4-4-2 and pressing high, leaving them with little room to find a forward pass.
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15:15pm
11 Free kick for hand ball as Romaine Sawyers slices through the Reds defence with a low through pass and Charlie Austin dribbles past Bambo DIaby, with the ball flicking up and hitting the centre back's hand. He's booked.
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15:15pm
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15:16pm
13 Cauley Woodrow with a long range effort that's caught comfortably by Sam Johnstone.
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15:20pm
16 Clarke Uduor with some good work to keep the ball on the left wing, plays it back to Mads Andersen who attempts a high ball up the field to Conor Chaplin, but the forward can't collect and it's out for a goal kick.
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15:22pm
18 Hearts in mouths for Reds fans, but West Brom hold on. Conor Chaplin does well to fire a low ball into the box which is fumbled by Sam Johnstone, allowing Cauley Woodrow a chance to seize the loose ball in the centre of the box. Johnstone recovers well to bat the ball away, before Chaplin also gets a chance but can't get a clean shot on goal.
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15:23pm
20 Cauley Woodrow finds Conor Chaplin out wide on the left, where he's been having some joy - but the forward can't decide whether to cross or shoot this time and fires the ball into the stand.
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15:25pm
22 Another superb bit of goalkeeping from Sam Johnstone denies what would've been an excellent goal. Jordan Williams crossed from the right and Alex Mowatt played the ball first time to the advancing Jacob Brown, who also took his shot first time and forced a fine save.
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15:28pm
23 Offside for the visitors as Matheus Pereira is found in acres of space on the right and attempts to play in Hal Robson-Kanu.
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15:30pm
27 Another good move sees the Reds win a corner, as Jordan Williams' cross is blocked before it can reach Jacob Brown. Alex Mowatt takes and Mads Andersen's header hits the cross bar. Very close.
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15:30pm
28 Cauley Woodrow swings his boot at it from well out, and Sam Johnstone again collects the ball fairly comfortably. It did bounce quite awkwardly.
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15:33pm
29 Jacob Brown does really well to collect a clearance and win a throw in off the defender down the left. Moments later, Alex Mowatt beats the offside trap but can't get a shot on goal and the ball spins loose.
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15:35pm
33 Jake Livermore caps a fine move for the visitors with a powerful long range effort, but it's inches over the far post.
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15:38pm
35 A long delay at a throw in on the right sees the visitors draw some frustration from the Reds fans. The home side win a free kick directly from it as Hal Robson Kanu is judged to pull on Mads Andersen's shirt.
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15:40pm
37 Good pressing from Barnsley forces Sam Johnstone to hoof the ball into the East Stand. Luke Thomas in particular did well to force Kieran Gibbs to play the ball backwards.
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15:46pm
42 Jordan Williams attempts to head the ball back to Sami Radlinger but his effort isn't powerful enough and the keeper has to rush to stop the oncoming Charlie Austin. The striker's effort hits Radlinger and he calmly catches the ball.
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15:47pm
45 Conor Chaplin forces another good save from Sam Johnstone, firing a low effort towards the near post from a tight angle. He was played in by Cauley Woodrow, off of Luke Thomas' cross.
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15:48pm
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15:51pm
45+1 A corner and the last chance for Barnsley after Jacob Brown is played down the left. Alex Mowatt fires it in and Bambo Diaby attempts an acrobatic effort, with the ball spinning away to Jacob Brown on the right of the box. He's tackled before he can get a shot away, and that's the half.
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16:04pm
The two sides make their way back out for the second half.
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16:06pm
45 We're back underway and the Reds win a throw on the right in the opponents' half, and then a second one.
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16:10pm
48 A bright start with the Reds getting the better of the opening exchanges of the second half. Sami Radlinger is inviting jeers from the away fans behind him every time he gets the ball at his feet, but he finds Aapo Halme well with a low ball forward and then Luke Thomas wins a free kick.
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16:11pm
50 Another free kick, this time in a good position on the left. Alex Mowatt delivers the cross and it barely goes over the head of Bambo Diaby in the middle.
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16:13pm
51 Mads Andersen plays a looping ball forward which is met by Alex Mowatt, whose header into the box finds Jacob Brown. The forward can't quite get a good connection on the ball and it's out for a goal kick off his left boot.
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16:15pm
53 Hal Robson Kanu wins a corner for the visitors as his left-footed cross is blocked. Clarke Uduor heads Filip Krovinovic's delivery away at the near post.
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16:18pm
56 Luke Thomas with a superb strike after cutting in from the right and hitting it towards the far post. Sam Johnstone saves at full stretch and tips it out for a corner. The West Brom keeper has been sensational.
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16:22pm
SUB OFF
61 Charlie Austin
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16:23pm
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16:24pm
YELLOW CARD
62 Filip Krovinovic booked for a bad challenge on Luke Thomas, who won the ball and started a charge down the right wing.
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16:24pm
63 Alex Mowatt whips the ball into the box from the free kick and it finds Aapo Halme, whose header is wide.
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16:27pm
64 A good move from Barnsley as Conor Chaplin and Jacob Brown combine in the centre and the ball comes out to Luke Thomas on the right. He has time to pick a man out but West Brom can deal with the cross and the attack fizzles out.
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16:29pm
67 A free kick for the visitors just outside the centre circle is played forwards by Matheus Pereira, but none of his team mates can get to it and it's out for a goal kick.
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16:31pm
69 Luke Thomas plays Cauley Woodrow into the box with a good pass, but the forward attempts a backheel that's not quite tidy enough for Jacob Brown to collect.
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16:31pm
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16:32pm
SUB ON
72 Patrick Schmidt
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16:35pm
74 A free kick for handball in a decent position for the Reds. Alex Mowatt and Cauley Woodrow both stand over it, with the latter having his attempt blocked by the wall and Mowatt following up with a half-volley off target.
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16:36pm
SUB OFF
76 Filip Krovinovic
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16:36pm
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16:38pm
77 Semi Ajayi fires the ball high and wide from a ball into the box after a throw in on the left.
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16:41pm
80 Kenneth Zohore plays the ball wide to Romaine Sawyers and receives it back from him on the edge of the box, taking a touch before sending a side-footed effort wide of the right hand post.
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16:41pm
81 Sam Johnstone collects comfortably from a weak shot by Cauley Woodrow on the edge of the box. He had Conor Chaplin running in front of him.
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16:43pm
82 Cauley Woodrow is tripped in a good position 25 yards out and the ref blows his whistle. Alex Mowatt takes the free kick and it's a decent effort that goes just over the right of the goal.
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16:46pm
YELLOW CARD
85 Hal Robson Kanu is booked for a tough challenge on Luke Thomas as the winger collected a pass on the right.
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16:48pm
87 Alex Mowatt goes close after a goalmouth scramble, but West Brom hold on and manage to get the ball clear. Luke Thomas drilled the ball across goal from the right and then Conor Chaplin did the same from the opposite side.
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16:49pm
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16:49pm
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16:50pm
GOAL!
90 Aapo Halme nets from close range after Conor Chaplin drills the ball across goal.
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16:52pm
A good spell of pressure from the Reds as Clarke Oduor was found in space on the left and crossed it to Chaplin, who spun and looked as if he was aiming for goal. Halme was in front of Sam Johnstone to nick it and lift it over the keeper.
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16:53pm
YELLOW CARD
90+1 Ahmed Hegazi booked for a foul on Luke Thomas.
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16:56pm
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16:56pm
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16:57pm
FULL-TIME: Barnsley 1, West Bromwich Albion 1. Aapo Halme's 90th-minute strike gives the Reds a fair point.
