A Michael Sollbauer own goal was the difference as Barnsley lost 1-0 at local rivals and Championship leaders Leeds United on Thursday.
The Reds were the better team for the majority of the match but missed chances and are now two points adrift of safety at the bottom of the league with two games left.
Gerhard Struber made two changes from the side that drew 0-0 at home to Wigan Athletic on Saturday. Aapo Halme – who left Leeds for Barnsley last summer – replaced the benched Marcel Ritzmaier and Chaplin came in for the injured Elliot Simoes.
Halme played in central midfield with another ex-White Alex Mowatt while Cauley Woodrow was behind strikers Chaplin and Jacob Brown in a 3-4-1-2 formation.
Barnsley had the first chance in the tenth minute when Woodrow played in Brown on the left of the box but his shot from a tight angle was across the face of goal and wide.
Jack Walton produced an incredible reaction save midway through the first half to deny Bamford in a one-on-one situation but the striker was given offside anyway.
Mads Andersen also came close when he met Callum Styles’ left-wing corner with a diving header but sent it just wide of the bottom right corner.
A minute later, it was 1-0 to the hosts. Andersen’s weak headed clearance was played down the right into the box by Klich for Bamford and, although the Dane blocked the first effort, the follow-up low cross was turned in by Sollbauer when trying to clear five yards out. It was a horrible moment for the Austrian defender who has been one of the Reds’ best players since signing in January but it was also a terrible error as he toe-poked in with his right foot when he should have swung his left leg.Leeds were well on top for the remainder of the half but did not have a shot on target as Jordan Williams cleared another low cross from just under his crossbar.
Struber replaced Halme at half-time with Luke Thomas who had the first shot on target of the match within seconds of the re-start but his 20-year effort was easily saved.That was one of a flurry of Barnsley chances early in the second half.
Chaplin nearly levelled but his powerful strike from the left of the box whistled across goal and just wide after he exchanged passes with Mowatt. Styles then put a shot in almost exactly the same place from 20 yards in a central position after robbing Luke Ayling of the ball, with Chaplin believing his young team-mate should have played him in on the left of the box.
Leeds were sloppy in the second half, regularly losing the ball near their goal and inviting Barnsley attacks. The visitors also threatened from set pieces as Sollbauer almost made amends for his own goal but sent a header straight at the goalkeeper from Mowatt’s left-wing free-kick.Leeds almost extended their lead seconds later when Alioski played Bamford clean through on goal but Walton made an excellent save, diving low to his left. That was the hosts’ first shot on target in the 66th minute.Woodrow forced Illan Meslier into a good save in the 74th minute, bringing down an excellent cross by Ludewig then hitting a 12-yard half-volley which was tipped just over.
Leeds thought they should have been given a penalty in the 90th minute when Sollbauer challenged Bamford on the very edge of the box but the referee was unmoved. Replays showed it was inches outside the box but a clear foul. Walton then made another fine one-on-one save in injury-time when Stuart Dallas went through on goal.Leeds celebrated wildly at full-time and the Reds trudged off after a good performance which earned them nothing.
Leeds (3-4-3): Meslier; Berardi, Ayling, Cooper; Harrison (Struijk 60mins), Klich, White, Dallas; Roberts (Hernandez HT (Shackleton 90+2)), Bamford, Costa (Alioski 48).Unused: Casilla, Casey, Douglas, Poveda, Stevens.Yellow cards: Hernandez.
Goals: Sollbauer OG 28.Barnsley (3-4-1-2): Walton, mark out of ten: 8, J Williams 8 (Oduor 84mins), Sollbauer 6, Andersen 7; Ludewig 7, Halme 6 (Thomas HT, 6), Mowatt 8, Styles 7; Woodrow 6; Chaplin 6, Brown 6 (Schmidt 78)Unused: Collins, Bahre, Ritzmaier, Wolfe, Marsh, B Williams.Yellow cards: Sollbauer.Referee: Jarred Gillett (Australia)
