Barnsley came from 4-1 down with 20 minutes left to draw 4-4 at MK Dons in a remarkable game.

The Reds took the lead through James Norwood but the hosts struck four times in 20 minutes after the break.

Norwood pulled one back then Substitute Max Watters netted a brace in an extraordinary finish.

Barnsley are guaranteed to finish fourth in League One and will play either Bolton or Derby in the play-off semi-finals.

Michael Duff made four changes from the 3-0 loss to Ipswich Town on Tuesday, which ended their chances of automatic promotion.

Mads Andersen missed the game with a stomach injury, replaced by Robbie Cundy with Liam Kitching captain. Josh Benson and Luke Thomas came in for Jon Russell and Adam Phillips, who was not in the squad. Slobodan Tedic came in for Devante Cole up front, with Oli Shaw on bench.

Cundy played on the right of the back three with Bobby Thomas replacing Andersen in the centre, while Benson joined Herbie Kane in a central midfield two with Luke Thomas behind the strikers.

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MK had the first chance in the fourth minute when Mo Eisa shot weakly at Harry Isted from 15 yards out on the left of the box after being found by Conor Grant.

The hosts came closer on 20 minutes when, after a mix-up involving Bobby Thomas and Cundy, Jonathan Leko was played through and rounded Isted but Kitching blocked almost on the line.

Warren O’Hora then headed a left-wing corner narrowly wide of the right post.

But Barnsley took the lead against the run of play. After a Kitching shot was saved, Nicky Cadden’s cross was gathered by Jordan Williams who fund Luke Thomas to have a shot blocked but the next effort by Kane from 20 yards deflected off Norwood into the back of the net.

Cadden’s shot from the left was then turned behind by the goalkeeper.

Leko almost levelled on the stroke of half-time when released down the right and allowed to run into the box but his shot was impressively saved by Isted diving low to his right.

The hosts were given a penalty 90 seconds after the break when Bobby Thomas tripped Leko in the box and Eisa scored the penalty.

The second goal arrived minutes later when Barnsley’s defence was cut open with Sullay Kaikai played in on the right of the box and his low cross was tapped in on the line by Leko.

The hosts made it three goals in a quarter of an hour when, after a fine run down the right by Paris Maghoma, Eisa curled an excellent shot into the top right corner from just outside the box.

Luke Thomas saw a 25-yard shot easily saved then, at the other end, Tennai Watson’s low effort from a similar distance was pushed wide by Isted.

O’Hora headed in the fourth from a Watson corner and Barnsley looked to be heading towards a humiliating thrashing.

But substitute Max Watters ran onto a Kane pass on the left f the box and cleverly squared to Norwood to notch his second from close range.

It was 4-3 minutes later when, after a Kane shot hit another substitute Shaw, Watters volleyed into the bottom right corner from ten yards.

Cadden almost made it 4-4 but his powerful volley from just inside the box was brilliantly kept out of the top right corner by Cumming. Bobby Thomas then headed over a Cadden corner.

It was 4-4 when Cadden’s low left-wing cross was squeezed in at the near post by Max Watters.

Max Dean could have won it for the hosts but shot well over after a good move down the left in injury-time.

Barnsley (3–4-1-2): Isted, mark out of ten: 7; Cundy 5 (Cotter 64mins), B Thomas 5, Kitching 6; Williams 6, Kane 7, Benson 6 (Russell 74), L Thomas 7, Cadden 7; Norwood 7 (Shaw 74), Tedic 5 (Watters 64).

Unused: Collins, Larkeche, Cole.

Goals: Norwood 30, 73; Watters 75, 86.

MK Dons (3-4-3): Cumming; Tucker, O’Hora, Lewington; Kaikai (Jules 85mins), McEachran (Johnson 77) Maghoma, Watson; Leko (Dean 85), Eisa (Grigg 85), Grant (Devoy 77)

Unused: Ravizolli, Holland.

Yellow cards: McEachran, Johnson.

Goals: Eisa 48 (pen), 61, Leko 52, O’Hora 69.

AS IT HAPPENED
  • GAME UNDERWAY
  • 3:03pm
    Robbie Cundy on right of back three with B Thomas in middle. Looks like Benson and Kane in midfield two with L Thomas behind strikers
  • 3:05pm
    4 First chance for the hosts. Conor Grant plays in Mo Eisa moon the left of the box but his weak shot from 15 yards is easily saved
  • 3:08pm
    Even start so far. Barnsley had a lot of the ball in the first few minutes but the hosts have been the more attacking in the last few
  • 3:13pm
    A quiet first ten minutes here. Only that Eisa chance. MK have had most of the ball since then
  • 3:14pm
    Sections of the home fans are pretty loud while there are regular songs driving over from the away end
  • 3:17pm
    Barnsley getting the ball forward a bit more in the last few minutes but not breaking through the home defence
  • 3:19pm
    17 Close for MK. A low cross from the right by Sullay Kaikai is. inches away form the toes of Eisa
  • 3:19pm
    The hosts have been the more threatening so far
  • 3:20pm
    YELLOW CARD
    Josh McEachran booked for bringing down Luke Thomas who had beaten himn
  • 3:22pm
    20 Big chance for the hosts. A mix-up in defence gifts the ball to Eisa who rounds Eisa but Kitching makes a fine block to stop a certain goal
  • 3:23pm
    Big chance for the hosts. A mix-up in defence gifts the ball to Leko who rounds Isted but Kitching makes a fine block to stop a certain goal. c
  • 3:25pm
    YELLOW CARD
    Liam Kitching booked for a foul on Leko
  • 3:26pm
    24 MK free-kick from right put behind by Williams
  • 3:27pm
    25 Dons close again. A header from a right wing corner goes just wide by Warren O’Hora
  • 3:31pm
    Barnsley really struggling to get going. They look quite disjointed after these changes and lacking intensity which is probably human nature with bigger games to come
  • 3:32pm
    GOAL!
    James Norwood deflects in a shot by Kane
  • 3:35pm
    A scramble in the home box sees a Luke Thomas shot blocked then Kane's shot from 20 yards hits Norwood and goes in
  • 3:37pm
    Now Cadden has a shot turned wide on the left and the corner is dealt with
  • 3:39pm
    Mk Dons corner cleared to edge of box and shot is wide
  • 3:42pm
    That goal was against the run of play for Barnsley and had an element of fortune about it with Kane's shot hitting Norwood and going in.
  • 3:46pm
    Just a few minutes left in the half now. Barnsley will be happy with the score if not performance
  • 3:47pm
    One added minute
  • 3:48pm
    Isted makes a fine save on half-time, diving to his right to keep out Eisa's shot from the right of the box
  • 3:48pm
    HALF-TIME: MK Dons 0, Barnsley 1.
  • 4:04pm
    SECOND HALF UNDERWAY
  • 4:06pm
    Barnsley concede a penalty
  • 4:06pm
    GOAL!
    Mo Eisa levels from the penalty spot after Jonathan Leko was judged to have been tripped in the box
  • 4:11pm
    GOAL!
    Leko puts the hosts in front
  • 4:13pm
    Barnsley opened up as Sullay Kaikai is played in on the right and whips in a low cross which Leko taps in on the line
  • 4:15pm
    Clearly a terrible start to the second half for the Reds. But the hosts deserve it overall
  • 4:16pm
    Barnsley losing the ball often. Kane guilty this time. Kaki finds Eisa whose shot is blocked for a corner
  • 4:17pm
    Corner from the right headed out by Tedic
  • 4:17pm
    Bobby Thomas makes an important interception in his bx for the second time in a minute but the Reds concede another corner
  • 4:19pm
    Looks like Barnsley will be making changes soon
  • 4:20pm
    GOAL!
    Mo Eisa makes it 3-1 with a superb 25-yard strike into the top right corner
  • 4:21pm
    God move. Paris Maghoma runs down the left and spreads it to Eisa who supplies a superb finish
  • 4:22pm
    Three goals in 15 minutes have totally changed this game.
  • 4:22pm
    Barry Cotter comes on for Cundy and Max Watters for Tedic
  • 4:26pm
    67 Luke Thomas lets fly from abut 22 yards but it's straight at the goalkeeper to save easily
  • 4:26pm
    68 Tennai Watson's low long-range strike is turned around the bottom left corner by Isted
  • 4:27pm
    GOAL!
    Warren O’Hora heads in a fourth
  • 4:29pm
    A flicked header from a right-wing corner
  • 4:29pm
    This is embarrassing for the Reds at a relegation struggler
  • 4:30pm
    The big picture is very good for Barnsley but they have been abject so far today
  • 4:32pm
    GOAL!
    James Norwood pulls one back
  • 4:34pm
    Max Watters pulls another back!
  • 4:34pm
    GOAL!
    Max Watters pulls another one back!
  • 4:35pm
    What is happening? I can't keep up
  • 4:35pm
    The 4-2 goal was a pass from Kane into the box for Watters who cleverly squared to Norwood to finish from close range
  • 4:35pm
    The 4-3 goal saw a shot, I think from Kane, hit substitute Oli Shaw and fall for Watters who smash in a good volley
  • 4:38pm
    Barnsley pushing for a fourth. Cotter cross pushed away.
  • 4:38pm
    Now Barnsley win a corner
  • 4:39pm
    So close to 4-4. Nicky with a superb strike after a corner but Jamie Cumming dives to his left to keep it out of the top left corner
  • 4:42pm
    84 Cadden corner on the left. Headed over by Thomas
  • 4:45pm
    GOAL!
    Max Watters makes it 4-4 from 4-1 down!
  • 4:46pm
    Cadden cross from the left and Watters squeezes it in at the near post.
  • 4:47pm
    This is bonkers
  • 4:48pm
    Watters has been magnificent. Setting up the first then scoring twice. And he played for MK last season
  • 4:49pm
    Six added minutes
  • 4:49pm
    Barnsley on the attack now. It looks like a winner for them if anyone
  • 4:50pm
    Luke Thomas down injured now. Looks in pain
  • 4:55pm
    Chance for the hosts to win it but, after a good move down the left, Max Dean shots well over
  • 4:56pm
    FULL-TIME: MK Dons 4, Barnsley 4. An extraordinary comeback from 4-1 down for the Reds