Barnsley remain five points from safety with seven games left after conceding a late equaliser in a 1-1 draw with fellow strugglers Reading at Oakwell on Saturday.
Carlton Morris opened the scoring in the fifth minute but the hosts barely created another chance and sat increasingly deep before Reading levelled in the 81st minute.
A victory could have e cut the gap to two points but instead it will grow to eight if Reading win at home to Stoke on Tuesday when the Reds do not play.
There was bad news for the Reds before kick-off when Michal Helik was ruled out with an injury he had picked up in training the previous day. Liam Kitching replaced him at centre-back.
Reading should have taken the lead in the fourth minute when the Reds could not clear and Ovie Ejaria shot from six yards out on the left of the box but Brad Collins got down to his left to save.
It was 1-0 to Barnsley a minute later as Morris collected the ball from Amine Bassi on the edge of the penalty area, towards the right, and angled a superb shot into the bottom left corner.
The visitors then had the better of the rest of the first half.
Reading could have levelled in the 20th minute but John Swift scooped over a shot from 12 yards out after Ejaria’s deflected left-wing cross fell to him.
Swift came close again when he ran onto a Michael Morrison long ball and met the ball sliding on the volley five yards out but Collins turned it wide.
Tom Ince then looked certain to score when an Ejaria left-wing cross reached him five yards out but Remy Vita brilliantly took the ball off his toes from behind.
Kitching headed a Bassi free-kick over from about 15 yards out in first half stoppage time.
In the second half, Barnsley put together a fine move involving Kitching, Matty Wolfe and Claudio Gomes who found Bassi on the left wing and the cross was met by Morris whose lofted header was easily saved.
Callum Brittain blocked a Joao cross over the bar after 80 minutes, but the leveller came a minute later.
A low cross from the left by Swift was cushioned by Morrison into the path of Josh Laurent who fired in from close range.
Swift nearly won it with a curling 20-yard shot which Collins tipped wide of the bottom left corner after Quina gave the ball away then Gomes lost a tackle.
Brittain came close to his first Barnsley goal in the 95th minute when he was picked out by a left-wing cross at the back post but his five yards out but Tom McIntyre blocked.
Barnsley (4-2-3-1): Collins; Brittain, Andersen, Kitching, Vita; Wolfe (Adeboyejo 90+2mins), Gomes; Styles (Oduor 70mins) , Bassi, Quina; Morris.
Unused: Walton, Moon, Benson, Palmer, Iseka.
Yellow cards: Andersen, Brittain.
Goals: Morris 5.
Reading (4-2-3-1): Nyland, Yiadom, McIntyre, Morrison, Holmes, Drinkwater, Laurent, Swift, Ejaria (Dele-Bashiru 79mins), Ince, Joao. Subs: Southwood, Baba, Dann, Thomas Azeez, Ehibhatiomhan.
Yellow cards: Swift, Ince.
Goals: Laurent 81.
AS IT HAPPENED
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1 The away side get us underway.
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3:01pm
1 Nice bit of play from Bassi in the opening minute to find Morris in a bit of space, but it eventually comes to nothing.
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3:03pm
3 Ex-Red Yiadom has his first touch of the ball and his cross is over the bar.
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3:04pm
4 Almost an opener for Reading. Ejaria shoots in the box but his effort is well saved by Collins. Let-off for Barnsley.
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3:05pm
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3:06pm
5 Absolutely brilliant from Morris who fires it straight into the Reading net. There's no stopping that. Advantage Reds.
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3:06pm
6 It's absolutely bouncing inside Oakwell.
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3:07pm
7 It's been even since the goal, but the Reds have definitely settled down quicker than Reading.
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3:08pm
8 Penalty shouts from Barnsley as Morris goes down but they're waved away by the ref.
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3:08pm
8 Styles breaks into the box after the penalty claim but his cross is easily collected by Nyland.
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3:10pm
10 Good chance for Reading as Ince plays through Yiadom but he does nothing with the cross and Barnsley are eventually awarded a free kick.
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3:11pm
Mads Andersen is booked for a pull back on Joao. Very harsh.
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3:13pm
13 Reading are slowly starting to come into the game, but the Reds look dangerous whenever they have the ball.
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3:16pm
15 Absolutely fantastic control from Morris who takes it down seven feet in the air on his chest, but it comes to nothing as he his pulled down. No stoppage from the ref. Boos all around as Reading nearly create a good chance.
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3:18pm
17 The ref doesn't look to be giving anything to the Reds so far. Morris is down again but no foul. Reading instead have a free kick, given by Stroud, despite the linesmen who was just feet away not raising his flag.
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3:20pm
20 John Swift finds himself unmarked in the box but his effort is high of the goal.
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3:20pm
21 Morris is down on the floor again, but Stroud once again gives nothing.
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3:24pm
24 The game has settled down now, neither side are properly taking control.
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3:25pm
25 Barnsley are awarded a free kick and the fans sarcastically cheer. Morris isn't moving freely up top at all.
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3:28pm
28 Good play by Vita who cuts inside, but his cross is just short of Styles and Nyland collects.
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3:31pm
31 Swift almost levels for Reading but Collins makes a smart save. Corner for the away side.
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3:34pm
John Swift is booked for hacking down Bassi. Met with sarcastic cheers from Barnsley fans.
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3:37pm
37 Reading have probably been the better team since the goal but haven't made any clear-cut chances. The Reds still lead.
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3:39pm
39 Ince finds himself with the ball three yards out, but Vita makes an incredible challenge and Collins claims.
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3:42pm
41 That's four chances now for Reading, you've got to think if they keep creating the way they are that they'll find an equaliser.
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3:44pm
43 Some good chances for the Reds as Morris first sees his shot blocked and then Gomes. Lively end to the first half.
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3:45pm
45 Kitching has a good chance from a free kick but his header is narrowly over.
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3:45pm
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3:46pm
46 Ejaria sees his cross go over the bar after a poor bit of skill from Quina saw him lose the. ball.
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3:48pm
HALF TIME: The Reds go in at the break 1-0 up.
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4:06pm
46 The Reds get us back underway.
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4:07pm
47 The weather has deteriorated quickly here at Oakwell, it's now very cold and wet. Will likely be a scrappy 45 minutes.
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4:10pm
49 Reading have started the second half the brightest but haven't created anything as of yet. Styles almost breaks through but Reading do well to track back.
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4:11pm
51 End-to-end stuff now. The Reds fans are in full voice.
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4:12pm
52 Corner to Reading. Brittain does well to shield out a cross.
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4:15pm
54 Quina does well to find Bassi, who then crosses into the back but Morris' header is tame and straight at Nyland.
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4:16pm
Tom Ince is booked for diving in the box.
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4:17pm
57 It's a really bad dive as he tries to win a penalty. Not gone down well with the home fans, unsurprisingly.
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4:20pm
60 Reading coming into the game a bit more now but still fairly even. 1-0 to the Reds with half an hour to play.
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4:23pm
62 Vita almost lost the ball and put Reading through on goal but Kitching does well to step in and clear.
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4:23pm
63 Corner for Reading after Tom Mcintyre sees his effort deflected off Brittain.
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4:24pm
64 Mads is down with a head injury - the medical staff are quickly on to assist.
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4:26pm
66 Mads is back on the pitch and the game is underway again.
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4:27pm
Callum Brittain is booked for supposedly time wasting. Asbaghi isn't happy.
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4:29pm
69 First sub for the Reds.
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4:29pm
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4:29pm
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4:30pm
69 Styles had played a lot of minutes for Hungary in the international break.
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4:31pm
71 A free kick to Reading in a good area - the Reds not happy with the decision.
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4:32pm
71 Oduor is now on for his 50th Barnsley appearance.
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4:32pm
72 Reading nearly equalise as there's a scramble in the box but it's out for a corner.
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4:34pm
74 Ince puts the ball into the net but he's well offside and he shot well after the whistle had gone.
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4:35pm
75 Let off there for Barnsley as Wolfe slices his clearance inside the box but luckily it falls to Morris.
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4:36pm
76 Reading piling on the pressure now, Oduor gave the ball away but Ejaria can't do anything with the cross.
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4:38pm
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4:38pm
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4:40pm
79 Just over ten minutes to play, plus added time, and Reading are completely on top. Barnsley are hardly having any of the ball.
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4:41pm
81 Corner for Reading but they should be in front - Brittain does so well to block Joao's effort.
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4:42pm
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4:43pm
83 Reading get their deserved equaliser. Laurent fires in from three yards.
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4:44pm
84 Corner to Reading. They're looking for a winner.
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4:46pm
86 Not long left for Barnsley to grab a winner.
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4:48pm
88 Collins makes an incredible save to deny Swift. Corner to the away side.
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4:51pm
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4:51pm
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4:51pm
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4:53pm
92 Kitching saves the day after Brittain gives the ball away. Ince looked certain to score.
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4:56pm
96 Brittain almost wins it. Corner Reds after his shot is blocked a yard out.
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4:58pm
FULL TIME: Barnsley 1-1 Reading. Probably a fair result but the Reds didn't deserve more than that. Brittain had a great chance to win it in the 96th minute but he couldn't find the net for his first Barnsley goal. It's not relegation confirmed just yet but it's a hard task from here. Another late equaliser conceded at home for Poya Asbaghi's side.
