Alex Mowatt admits he celebrated in his kitchen when he heard his red card has been overturned.
The Barnsley captain was sent off in the 3-1 in at Wycombe Wanderers for a tackle on Scott Kashket, meaning he was due to miss three games.
But the Reds’ appeal was successful and he played in the 2-1 loss to Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday.
Mowatt told the Chronicle: “I was relieved. When I got the phonecall, I was buzzing in the kitchen.
“I don’t know how he (referee Darren Bond) gave the red card.
“But I didn’t think it was going to be overturned because it looks like it’s two-footed.
“But I have won the ball.
“My right foot came in because I thought he was going to put it through my legs.
“There was no intention to hurt the player, and the way he went down was ridiculous.
“I was gutted after the game, even though we won, because I thought I would miss three games.
“But thankfully it got overturned.”
Mowatt has been pleased with Barnsley’s form as they collected 28 points from a possible 33 across 34 days.
“It’s been good. The run has been great, everyone has been buzzing with all the wins. We want to get back to winning ways against Reading (a week today at Oakwell).”
The Reds are fifth, five points clear in the play-off places with eight games left.
Head coach Valerien Ismael says they need four more wins to reach the play-offs.
Mowatt said: “We have set our own targets in-house with the gaffer and all the players and the staff.
“We want to reach those targets.”
Barnsley are now in the middle of a two-week international break.
Mowatt said: “We will have a bit of break and some sleep to recover then go again when we’re back in.”
Barnsley’s 12-game unbeaten run was ended by Wednesday.
“I didn’t think there was much in the game. Our mistakes cost us goals.
“We were disappointed to lose a derby game. It’s been a great run but that’s come to an end.
“We’re disappointed but we have got to go again.
“It didn’t fall for us.
“We could have had a couple of penalties (for fouls on Daryl Dike).
“I thought they were both penalties from where I was standing.
“Sometimes you get them, sometimes you don’t.
“A lot of things have gone our way recently but on that day it just didn’t.”
