Herbie Kane netted a late penalty as Barnsley came from behind to beat relegation-battling visitors Carlisle United 2-1 on Tuesday.
The Reds were incredibly sloppy in the opening 15 minutes, gifting the ball regularly to their visitors who scored one and missed three huge chances.
Devante Cole levelled with Barnsley’s first shot on target on 58 minutes then Kane won it with a spot-kick in the 86th minute.
The hosts were poor for most of the match but showed character to scrape a victory.
This was a game in hand and the only League One fixture of the day so the Reds moved up a place to fifth. They are three points off the top two and unbeaten in ten league games.
Neill Collins made one change from the starting line-up for Saturday’s win over Bristol Rovers. Fit-again Luca Connell replaced Jon Russell, with Fabio Jalo dropping out off the bench ahead of the under 18s’ youth cup game the following day. Jamie McCart was still out injured so Jack Shepherd kept his place on the left of the back three.
The visitors should have taken the lead after 40 seconds when, after Shepherd made a mess of a long ball, Daniel Butterworth went clean through but was denied by a fine one-on-one save from Liam Roberts.
Shepherd’s loose pass then played Butterworth through in the sixth minute but he somehow shot wide of the bottom left corner inside the box.
A third error in the seventh minute eventually resulted in a goal as goalkeeper Roberts’ clearance went straight to Luke Armstrong who found the bottom left corner of the gaping net from outside the box.
Butterworth then missed a third huge chance in the 13th minute as he headed Jack Ellis’ right-wing cross against the right post from close-range when unmarked.
The game settled down after that and Barnsley improved slightly without being anywhere near their best. Adam Phillips blazed over from 30 yards then John McAtee scuffed an effort wide from just outside the box.
Collins brought Barry Cotter and Nicky Cadden on at half-time for Connell and Corey O’Keeffe.
Styles curled a free-kick over but, at the other end, Armstrong could have netted a second when Shepherd missed a long pass and the striker lofted the ball over Roberts but it also sailed over the net.
Cole levelled just before the hour-mark when he collected a pass from Jordan Williams on the left of the box, took a good touch and fired into the bottom right corner.
Kane shot just over from 20 yards then John McAtee’s overheard kick bounced easily to the goalkeeper.
Adam Phillips was tripped in the box after a good move down the right and Kane smashed the spot-kick high into the net.
Carlisle’s Jon Mellish headed over in injury-time from a long throw on the left.
Barnsley (3-5-2): Roberts; Williams, de Gevigney, Shepherd; O’Keeffe (Cotter HT), Phillips, Connell (Cadden HT), Kane (Russell 90+1mins), Styles (Cosgrove 77); McAtee, Cole.
Unused: Killip, Lopata, Watters.
Goals: Cole 58, Kane 86 (pen).
Carlisle (3-5-2): Lewis; Huntington, Lavelle, Mellish; Ellis (Back 84mins), Neal, Moxon, McCalmont, Armer; Armstrong, Butterworth (Gibson 77).
Unused: Breeze, Garner, Charters, Maguire, Grehan.
Goals: Armstrong 7.
