Barnsley conceded two disastrous second half goals as they lost 3-1 at home to Bolton Wanderers in the first leg of their League One play-off semi-final.

The visitors took the lead halfway through the first half then added another from the penalty spot early in the second half after a huge error by home captain Jordan Willliams.

Substitute Sam Cosgrove pulled one back but then the hosts were on top for the final 20 minutes having offered little in attack before that, before they conceded directly from a corner deep in injury-time.

They now need a miraculous comeback in Bolton on Tuesday evening to claim a place in the Wembley final.

Interim boss Martin Devaney kept the same starting 11 which started the final league game against Northampton the previous Saturday. Jon Russell returned from injury to replace Aiden Marsh on the bench. Jordan Williams made his 200th appearance

Barnsley made a fairly bright start but there were no real chances until the visitors took the lead midway through the first half when a good move down the right finished with Paris Maghoma’s low cross being turned in from close range by Dion Charles. A clever flick by Josh Dacres-Cogley on halfway was followed by a slick one, two between Maghoma and Aaron Collins which cut open the left side of Barnsley’s defence. There were some claims that Maghoma was offside initially.

Maghoma then shot just wide of the top left corner from the right of the box after Mael de Gevigney gave the ball away.

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Although the game was fairly even overall, all Barnsley offered in attack in the first half were two long-range Adam Phillips shots that were well off-target and a John McAtee effort from the right touchline which the goalkeeper easily gathered.

The visitors netted a second eight minutes after the break when Williams’ terrible back header was intercepted by Josh Sheehan who was then taken out by goalkeeper Liam Roberts. Charles’ penalty found the right side of the net via a hand from Roberts.

It was almost 3-0 but Nicky Cadden turned over a shot by Maghoma after Randell Williams easily beat Corey O’Keeffe on the left and pulled the ball back.

Ricardo Santos headed in the resulting corner via a touch from Josh Earl but it was ruled out apparently for an attacker making contact with Roberts.

Cosgrove pulled one back with the Reds’ first shot on target on 75 minutes. After a free-kick was headed out to Conor Grant, he played a pass through the out-of-position visiting defence to his fellow substitute to beat the goalkeeper from close range. It was his first goal in 11 games.

Phillips then saw a powerful 25-yard shot blocked after Cadden played a corner to him from the right.

Phillips also saw a header from Cadden’s left-wing corner brilliantly clawed out of the bottom right corner by goalkeeper Nathan Baxter.

Phillips came close again when his volleyed shot on the right of the box from another fine Cadden cross was pushed out of the bottom left corner by Baxter.

Roberts made a superb one-on-one save from substitute Kyle Dempsey who had been played clean through by ex-Red Victor Adeboyejo. But the resulting corner from the right by Williams went straight in past Roberts who was under pressure from Cameron Jerome.

Barnsley (3-5-2): Roberts; Williams, de Gevigney, Earl; O’Keeffe, Phillips, Connell, Kane (Grant 66mins), Cadden; Cole (Cosgrove 66), McAtee (Jalo 89).

Unused: Killip, Russell, Cotter, McCart.

Yellow cards: Phillips.

Goals: Cosgrove 75.

Bolton (3-5-2): Baxter; Jones, Santos, Toal; Dacres-Cogley, Thomason, Sheehan, Maghoma, Williams; Collins (Adeboyejo 88), Charles (Jerome 88).

Unused: Coleman, Iredale, Ogbeta, Morley, Dempsey,.

Yellow cards: Maghoma, Dacres-Cogley, Collins.

Goals: Charles 23, 53 (pen), Williams 90+6.

AS IT HAPPENED
  • GAME UNDERWAY
  • 7:31pm
    Very loud in here
  • 7:32pm
    A few long balls each way in the first two minutes
  • 7:33pm
    Bolton made a blistering start last week and went 2-0. up in eight minutes at Peterborough No sign of that yet as. the ball has barely been on the floor
  • 7:35pm
    Earl gives the ball away on edge of box but wins it back with a good tackle
  • 7:35pm
    Bolton have had a lotto the. ball in the last few minutes and are the more attacking side so far
  • 7:36pm
    6 Liam Roberts tries to find Adam Phillips with a long free-kick but the goalkeeper gets there first
  • 7:36pm
    6 Aaron Collins put through on left by long ball but flag goes up
  • 7:38pm
    Barnsley going long pretty much as soon as they get it to get strikers in behind Bolton defence but all passes overhit so far
  • 7:39pm
    Cole presses ex Red Gethin Jones who passes straight out of play
  • 7:40pm
    10 Important touch by Williams as Bolton try to pass into box. Collins crosses from left. over everyone
  • 7:40pm
    11 Kane wins corner on left
  • 7:41pm
    11 Kane's left wing corner is headed out
  • 7:41pm
    Throw in on right. Mael to take
  • 7:42pm
    12 De Gevigney long throw headed out. Barnsley twice work it back to the edge of the box but lose it and it's cleared
  • 7:42pm
    Good spell for Reds. Now goalkeeper Baxter slices a clearance out. Crowd really. up
  • 7:42pm
    Kane wins a free-kick. He's started well
  • 7:43pm
    13 Cadden free-kick cleared. McAtee crosses and it is worked back by Cole to Phillips whose 25 yard effort is well off target. First shot of the tie
  • 7:45pm
    Bolton play a free-kick straight out. They haven't quite got going yet in attack
  • 7:46pm
    A positive first quarter of an hour for the Reds. There is very little in the game but they have certainly competed and look up for it and organised
  • 7:47pm
    Barnsley press the ball and win it then a good move ends with two Williams crosses cleared
  • 7:47pm
    YELLOW CARD
    Adam Phillips booked for a strong challenge on touchline deep in Bolton half
  • 7:50pm
    19 Dangerous cross by Bolton's Randell Williams and Cadden slices the clearance into air. He then blocks a shot when ball comes back into box
  • 7:50pm
    Kane taken out when trying to counter attack. No card. Getting a bit feisty
  • 7:51pm
    Cole is down receiving treatment
  • 7:52pm
    Cole walks off but will continue by the looks of it
  • 7:54pm
    GOAL!
    Dion Charles opens the scoring for the visitors
  • 7:55pm
    A good passing move down the right ends with Paris Maghoma's cross being turned in from close range.
  • 7:56pm
    in the build-up, Barnsley wanted to get Cole back on pitch after treatment
  • 7:58pm
    McAtee tries one of his. first time long range shots from 30. yards out well wide o n right but straight at goalkeeper
  • 7:59pm
    Now Maghoma shoots over from the right of the box after Barnsley lose the ball in their half
  • 8:02pm
    O'Keeffe's cross headed behind. Corner on right
  • 8:02pm
    32 Nicky Cadden's goes through the crowd in the box then Kane's cross goes over everyone and out
  • 8:06pm
    35 Long ball into box, Roberts comes out, Charles heads it past him but straight out for goal kick
  • 8:07pm
    37 Phillips shoots again from distance, again well wide
  • 8:09pm
    Just seen goal again. A clever flick by Josh Dacres-Cogley on halfway was followed by a slick one, two between Maghoma and Aaron Collins which cut open the left side of Barnsley’s defence. Some talk of Maghoma being offside
  • 8:11pm
    Bolton counter attack and Collins' cross evades Charles. Then a block is blocked in the box
  • 8:12pm
    YELLOW CARD
    Paris Maghoma booked for stopping a counter attack by taking down Cole
  • 8:14pm
    44 Long ball almost puts Phillips in but it is just too hard
  • 8:15pm
    Three added minutes
  • 8:16pm
    45+1 Kane free-kick headed on by Earl and Phillips cross from right of box is cleared
  • 8:18pm
    McAtee charges forward and tires to play in Phillips. but a defender just takes the ball off his. toes on right of box
  • 8:18pm
    Barnsley win free-kick on right wing
  • 8:19pm
    O'Keeffe free-kick bounces through everyone
  • 8:20pm
    HALF-TIME: Barnsley 0, Bolton 1
  • 8:34pm
    SECOND HALF UNDERWAY
  • 8:36pm
    A huge 45 minutes ahead for the Reds. They weren't that far off Bolton in the first half but not as potent in attack
  • 8:37pm
    Nearly. Cole and McAtee almost dispossess defender Santos on the edge of his own box but he just gets away with the ball
  • 8:39pm
    Barnsley opened up by a good move again but Connell makes a really good block from cross on right and it hits attacker so goes out for goal kick
  • 8:41pm
    Penalty. Disaster for Williams and Roberts fouls attacker.
  • 8:42pm
    Charles to take the penalty
  • 8:43pm
    GOAL!
    Dion Charles scores the penalty after a foul on Josh Sheehan by Liam Roberts following a massive error by Jordan Williams
  • 8:45pm
    It's a terrible mistake by the captain on his 200th game. His weak back header plays in Sheehan on the left of the box and Roberts takes him out. Roberts gets a hand to the ball but it goes into right corner
  • 8:49pm
    So close to 3-0. Cadden brilliantly blocks over bar from Maghoma effort after Randell Williams cuts in from left and plays ball back
  • 8:49pm
    Resulting corner headed in but goal ruled out
  • 8:52pm
    Santos headed in the resulting corner via a touch from Josh Earl but it was ruled out apparently for an attacking making contact with Roberts.
  • 8:53pm
    Barnsley really on the ropes. Bolton could book Wembley tonight for all intents and purposes
  • 8:53pm
    Bolton win corner on left
  • 8:54pm
    Corner from left caught by Roberts
  • 8:54pm
    Cosgrove and Grant coming on
  • 8:55pm
    Cole and Kane off
  • 8:56pm
    Phillips cross from right easily caught by goalkeeper
  • 8:59pm
    Barnsley having a better spell. Cadden cross just evades Cosgrove
  • 9:00pm
    Devaney sends Jalo to warm up
  • 9:00pm
    O'Keeffe heads behind for corner under no pressure
  • 9:01pm
    71 Williams corner on left Head up at back post then over by Santos but the referee blows his whistle for a foul anyway
  • 9:02pm
    O'Keeffe has to concede another corner on left
  • 9:03pm
    74 Left corner Bolton corner. Headed out by Earl
  • 9:04pm
    Grant loses ball in own half, Charles put through, Williams makes fine tackle but flag up for offside anyway
  • 9:05pm
    GOAL!
    Sam Cosgrove pulls one back!
  • 9:06pm
    Grant plays him clean through and it's a simple finish. Good subs, Devaney
  • 9:08pm
    That was Barnsley's first shot on target
  • 9:09pm
    O'Keeffe wins corner after great bit of skill
  • 9:10pm
    80 Cadden corner on right. Back to Phillips who connects very well from 25 yards but a defender blocks
  • 9:12pm
    Bolton bring on Kyle Dempsey for Paris Maghoma
  • 9:14pm
    Another Phillips shot blocked then Cadden's deflected cross touched over
  • 9:14pm
    86 Corner on left headed out for. another
  • 9:15pm
    86 So close to 2-2. Phillips' header from a corner. really well saved
  • 9:17pm
    Bolton take off their strikers Collins and Charles for ex-Red Adeboyejo and Cameron Jerome
  • 9:17pm
    Fabio Jalo comes on for John McAtee
  • 9:20pm
    Six added minutes
  • 9:21pm
    Barnsley have been well on top the last 20 minutes. Can they level?
  • 9:21pm
    Cadden's excellent cross is volleyed on right of box by Phillips but Baxter pushes it out of bottom right corner
  • 9:22pm
    Corner scrambled out
  • 9:22pm
    Massive save Roberts. Dempsey goes clean through but it's a huge one on one block
  • 9:24pm
    GOAL!
    Randell Williams scores direct from a corner
  • 9:25pm
    The left wing corner goes straight in past Roberts following slight contact by Jerome
  • 9:25pm
    That could be that
  • 9:28pm
    FULL-TIME: Barnsley 1, Bolton 3.