Reds collapse late on in Posh loss

Barnsley conceded three late goals in a 3-1 home defeat to Peterborough United on Tuesday.

Barry Cotter scored his first Barnsley goal early in the second half and the Reds led until the 74th minute but Posh netted twice in two minutes then added another in the 85th.

Neill Collins made no changes from the side that drew at Bristol Rovers on Saturday. Adam Phillips is on the bench after suspension alongside Mael de Givegney who has his international clearance. Jack Shepherd and Charlie Winfield dropped off the bench.

The first half was a very entertaining game with chances and quality and both ends as well as impressive goalkeeping.

The visitors should have taken the lead in the third minute. The ball broke to captain Ephron Mason-Clark on the left of the box in yards of space but his effort was saved by Liam Roberts down to his left, then the goalkeeper also kept out Jonson Clarke-Harris’ weak follow-up.

Barnsley could have opened the scoring in the ninth minute when a mix-up between Harrison Burrows and Romoney Crichlow gifted the ball Max Watters in the box but he dragged a shot wide.

Jon Russell’s powerful 15-yard volley brought a smart save out of goalkeeper Nicholas Bilokapic after a cross dropped to him.

Mason-Clark was again denied by Roberts when his back post header from a Kwame Poku cross lacked power.

Nicky Cadden saw a 15-yard effort blocked on the line after excellent work on the right of the box by Barry Cotter who beat a defender then crossed low. From the resulting corner, Russell’s header was superbly clawed out by Bilokapic.

Poku then headed wide from a Mason-Clark left-wing cross as Peterborough’s wingers continued to cause problems.

Kacper Lopata rose well to meet a Kane corner at the back post but Bilokapic saved easily.

Roberts made an excellent save on 40 minutes, diving to his right to deny Joel Randall who had been played clean through.

Barnsley had a goal ruled out early in the second half when, after Kane’s free-kick was cleared into the air, the goalkeeper spilled the ball into the net but Kitching was judged to have fouled him.

The Reds scored a fair goal soon after when, following good passes by Kane and Watters, Cotter sent the ball towards goal from the right of the box and Bilokapic badly fumbled it in.

The hosts seemed to sit back after taking the lead and the visitors had a series of chances.

Roberts made another fine save from Randall, springing to his right to keep a 20-yard effort out of his bottom corner.

Poku almost levelled but he turned a Randall cross onto the post then Roberts produced another wonderful save to keep a Clarke-Harris header from a right-wing cross out of his top left corner.

The visitors levelled in the 74th minute when Peter Kioso got to the byline down the right and pulled the ball back for the untracked Hector Kyprianou to find the bottom left corner from just inside the box.

About a minute later it was 2-1 as, after Roberts cleared straight to Archie Collins, Mason Clark was played in on the right of the box and, amid calls of offside, squared for Clarke-Harris to tap in on the line.

Phillips came on immediately after the goals. Cadden saw a powerful shot from the left of the box well saved.

The third goal saw Kitching fail to cut out a low cross from the left by Ricky Jade Jones and Poku took it off him then finished well.

Barnsley (3-5-2): Roberts; Williams, Lopata, Kitching; Cotter, Styles (de Gevigney 87), Russell (Phillips 77), Kane, Cadden; Cole (Dallas 69), Watters (Shaw 69).

Unused: Killip, Lofthouse, Phillips, Chapman.

Goals: Cotter 50.

Peterborough (4-2-3-1): Bilokapic; Kioso, Edwards, Crichlow, Burrows; Kyprianou, Collins (De Havilland,90+5; Mason-Clark, Randall, Poku; Clarke-Harris. Unused: Talley, Knight, Ajiboye, Jones, Tshimanga, Tomlinson.

Yellow cards: Kyprianou.

Goals: Kyprianou 74, Clarke-Harris 75, Poku 85.