Barnsley suffered a fourth successive defeat as they went down 1-0 at Reading on Saturday.
The Reds were the better side for the first hour and created several chances but could not take them then conceded in 77th minute.
Markus Schopp's side are now winless in ten matches and remain in the relegation zone.
Liam Kitching and Callum Styles were both injured – and replaced by Toby Sibbick and Claudio Gomes – while Victor Adeboyejo replaced Devante Cole up front and Jordan Williams came in for Ben Williams.
Barnsley started quite brightly as Aaron Leya Iseka appealed for a penalty after a strong run and Adeboyejo fired a shot across the goal from the right of the box.
The hosts had the first real chance of the match when Tom Dele-Bashiru's pass opened Barnsley up and Ovie Ejaria was through on goal but, after Callum Brittain got back, he turned and shot weakly at Brad Collins when George Puscas was free for a tap in if passed to.
Cauley Woodrow sent a 30-yard free-kick just wide of the bottom right corner then, seconds later, his powerful effort from slightly closer in was tipped away by Luke Southwood.
Barnsley's Gomes and Reading's John Swift both saw long-range shots saved easily then the hosts had a goal ruled out when Dele-Bashiru tapped in from Ejaria's left-wing cross but the flag was up for offside.
Jordan Williams then turned wide from a couple of yards out at a very tight angle after Woodrow's right-wing free-kick went over everyone else in the box.
Iseka volleyed high and wide from eight yards out after a good run and cross by Woodrow, who then saw a 22-yard free-kick pushed wide by Southwood.
Collins made an excellent save just before the break, diving to his left to keep out Scott Dann's header from a left-wing corner.
Barnsley began the second half well and, seconds after the interval, Brittain thumped a 12-yard shot against the base of the right post after Iseka's cross dropped to him.
Adeboyejo missed a fine chance on 52 minutes as, after an excellent move on the right of the box which also involved Woodrow and Sibbick, his shot from the right of the six-yard box was weak and easily saved.
Collins then rushed out of his penalty area to head a long ball away and Josh Laurent shot from 35 yards on the right touchline but the goalkeeper was back on his line to catch it. Collins then brilliantly tipped a 25-yard strike by Baba Rahman wide of his left post.
The hosts had been on top for a spell before opening the scoring in the 77th minute. A crossfield pass by Dann was brilliantly controlled on the left wing by Swift who was then allowed to sprint into the Barnsley box and round Collins before tapping in.
Seconds later, Adeboyejo had a 20-yard shot easily saved by Southwood then Woodrow's long-range free-kick was comfortably held by the goalkeeper.
Barnsley (3-4-3): Collins; Sibbick, Helik, Moon; Brittain (Cole 83mins), Gomes, Palmer (Hondermarck 71m), J Williams; Iseka (Oduor 67), Woodrow, Adeboyejo.
Unused:Walton, B Williams, Cole, Frieser, Vita.
Yellow cards: Brittain, Gomes.
Reading (4-2-3-1): Southwood; Rahman, Moore, Dann, Yiadom; Laurent, Drinkwater, Dele-Bashiru; Ejaria, Swift, Puscas (Azeez 63).
Unused: Rafael,
AS IT HAPPENED
  • GAME UNDERWAY
  • 3:04pm
    A quiet start to the game, which will probably suit Barnsley as they look to settle in
  • 3:06pm
    5 Iseka bursts forward and is tackled, just on the edge of the box. He wants a penalty but the referee gives nothing
  • 3:07pm
    Michal Helik has hurt his knee. It looked worrying for a minute but he's back on now
  • 3:08pm
    8 Bright start for the Reds. They win a corner on the right after a neat passing move
  • 3:08pm
    8 The corner is played short and Brittain has a shot blocked
  • 3:13pm
    Markus Schopp slips over in his dugout getting the ball. He’ll be pretty happy though because he’s team have looked lively in the first ten minutes
  • 3:14pm
    Reading starting to get a bit more of a foothold in the game and their fans are getting louder
  • 3:16pm
    15 Decent attack by the Reds. Callum Brittain charges forwards through the centre, barging a defender out of the way then pass to Adeboyejo on the right of the box who whistles the ball across the area but it is wide and cannot be met by Woodrow
  • 3:17pm
    16 First shot on target of the game. Ovie Ejaria is put clean through on goal but, but Brittain gets back, he shoots weakly at Collins when he could have passed to Puscas for a tap in into an open goal
  • 3:18pm
    18 Woodrow sends a low 30-yard free-kick just wide of the right post
  • 3:19pm
    19 Now Woodrow's 25-yard low shot is tipped wide by goalkeeper Southwood
  • 3:23pm
    The Barnsley fans' reaction to that save was a sarcastic chant of 'we've had a shot'
  • 3:26pm
    26 Gomes wins the ball near the halfway line, runs about 20 yards with it and shoots from about 25 which is easily caught by the goalkeeper. He could have played Adeboyejo into space on the right
  • 3:27pm
    Reading have a goal ruled out for offside. Dele-Bashiru
  • 3:29pm
    Dele-Bashiru taps in from a left wing cross which evaded Jordan Williams.
  • 3:30pm
    YELLOW CARD
    Callum Brittain booked for a foul on the right of the Barnsley box
  • 3:30pm
    30 John Swifts powers his free-kick from the left wing into the chest of Collins who does not have to move
  • 3:33pm
    32 Decent chance for the Reds. Cauley Woodrow's right-wing free-kick is met at the back post by Jordan Williams who blazes back across goal from a very tight angle
  • 3:37pm
    Ten minutes until the break. Barnsley will be pretty happy with their work so far.
  • 3:38pm
    37 Another chance for the Reds. Woodrow does well on the right to beat Baba Rahman and send in a cross which is volleyed over eight yards out by Iseka. it wasn't an easy chance but he should have hit the target
  • 3:39pm
    39 Woodrow does really well to win the ball deep in the home half and win a free kick
  • 3:40pm
    40 Decent free-kick by Woodrow, Southwood gets down to his right to push it out for a corner
  • 3:43pm
    43 A left-wing Reading corner is headed by Scott Dann and Collins makes an excellent save diving to his left
  • 3:46pm
    One added minute in this first half
  • 3:47pm
    HALF-TIME: Reading 0, Barnsley 0. The Reds have competed well so far and had more shots than their hosts, although many of them have been from long-range
  • 4:02pm
    SECOND HALF UNDERWAY
  • 4:04pm
    Callum Brittain so close to his first Barnsley goal. After an Iseka cross on the left of the box is flicked by a defender's head, Brittain thumps a 12-yard shot against the base of the right post
  • 4:06pm
    This has been a very positive start to the half for Barnsley, who have had most of the ball and a lot of it in the home half
  • 4:09pm
    52 Nice move by Barnsley on the right with Toby Sibbick swapping passes with Adeboyejo then finding Woodrow who put Victor in on goal on the right of the box but his shot is weak and easily saved. It was also at a tight angle.
  • 4:12pm
    55 Another effort on goal. This time by Palmer who shoots into the floor and loops up to the goalkeeper after find hold up play by Adeboyejo, who crossed for Brittain to head and Iseka to find Palmer
  • 4:13pm
    YELLOW CARD
    Claudio Gomes into the book for stopping a Reading counter-attack
  • 4:15pm
    57 Collins rushes out of his box to head the ball and Josh Laurent shoots from 35 yards on the right touchline but the goalkeeper has got back on his line to catch
  • 4:19pm
    61 Big chance for the Reds. Gomes wins the ball deep in the Reading half and the visitors have a four on three advantage but they work it too slowly and eventually Brittain and Palmer's efforts are blocked. Barnsley have to make this dominance count.
  • 4:20pm
    Femi Azeez comes on for George Puscas
  • 4:21pm
    64 John Swift's free-kick on the left is cleared a after head tennis
  • 4:23pm
    Clarke Oduor is getting ready to come on
  • 4:24pm
    Barnsley's first chance sees Oduor come on for Iseka
  • 4:27pm
    69 Substitute Azeez is played behind the Reds defence but Helik manages to catch up and, after Azeez cuts inside, his shot is blocked by the Polish international
  • 4:28pm
    A break in play with Palmer down injured
  • 4:29pm
    72 Fantastic save by Collins, tipping an excellent 25-yard strike by Rahman just round his right post
  • 4:31pm
    Will Hondermarck has come on for Palmer
  • 4:32pm
    Reading have been on top for the last five minutes or so, with Barnsley seeming to tire slightly
  • 4:34pm
    GOAL!
    John Swift opens the scoring
  • 4:36pm
    He brings down a cross field ball on the left, drives into the box easily and beats Collins.
  • 4:36pm
    That's an absolute sucker punch for the Reds after they missed chances earlier
  • 4:40pm
    Devante Cole comes on for Callum Brittain, who is applauded by the away fans
  • 4:44pm
    87 Another Woodrow free-kick on target but Southwood catches easily
  • 4:46pm
    90 Barnsley win a corner on the left. They are still fighting in this game
  • 4:47pm
    90 Woodrow's corner is flicked away by the head of a defender
  • 4:47pm
    Three added minutes

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