Barnsley almost pulled off a remarkable comeback but suffered a 5-4 aggregate loss to Bolton Wanderers in the League One play-off semi-finals.

Trailing 3-1 from the first leg at Oakwell on Friday, the Reds pulled one back through Sam Cosgrove but the hosts score twice in the next ten minutes and were 2-1 ahead on the night at half-time, 5-2 up overall.

Adam Phillips levelled on the night then Cosgrove netted again to put the Reds within one goal and they missed chances to level.

It was a great effort but the Reds were second best for the first hour of both games and made poor mistakes for the goals.

Martin Devaney made one change from the first leg, bringing in Sam Cosgrove, who scored off the bench, for Devante Cole.

Corey O’Keeffe’s attempted tackle turned into a pass into his box to Bolton’s Aaron Collins whose low cross-come-shot was pushed away by Liam Roberts. Collins then clearly shoved Mael de Gevigney to the ground chasing a long ball and the free-kick was given before he put the ball in the net.

Luca Connell saw a long-range effort easily saved before Barnsley were denied what looked a clear penalty on 13 minutes. Cosgrove ran onto a John McAtee pass and was tripped by goalkeeper Nathan Baxter just inside the box on the right but no penalty was given.

Collins then cut in from the right and his 15-yard effort was impressively tipped over by Roberts. Collins also volleyed wide from the edge of the box on 21 minutes after a Dion Charles shot was blocked by de Gevigney.

Bolton also wanted a penalty on 25 minutes after de Gevigney tangled with Collins then, at the other end, Josh Earl headed wide from a Nicky Cadden right-wing corner.

The deadlock was broken on 37 minutes when de Gevigney’s long throw from the left was flicked on by Josh Earl and McAtee collected it on the right, beat Collins then dinked a cross over the goalkeeper for Cosgrove to head home almost on the line.

Collins levelled on 43 minutes when he smashed an excellent shot from almost 30 yards into the bottom left corner.

Collins then went clean through and rounded Roberts but his effort from the left of the box was turned over the bar by Earl. From the resulting Josh Sheehan corner, which was missed by Roberts, ex-Red Gethin Jones volleyed back across goal at the back post then the unmarked Eoin Toal headed in.

In the second half, Connell shot wide from 25 yards then, after the other end, George Thomason went clean through after de Gevigney lost the ball but, instead of shooting, passed to Charles who shot wide from a worse position.

Phillips levelled on the night just after the hour-mark. After Ricardo Santos made a mess of an Earl long ball, substitute Cole headed to Cosgrove who played in Phillips on the right of the box and his shot deflected off Santos into the bottom right corner.

The Reds took the lead on the night when Cosgrove met substitute Conor Grant’s right-wing free-kick on the right of the box and headed it into the bottom left corner.

Barnsley were then on top. Cosgrove just missed connecting to a low right-wing free-kick before de Gevigney fired over at the back post. Cole brilliantly ran down the right and crossed but it hit Cosgrove and bounced to the goalkeeper.

De Gevigney headed a Connell free-kick onto the roof of the net, Jordan Williams’ deflected cross sailed just wide then Barnsley appealed for a penalty but the referee gave a foul against O’Keeffe.

Barnsley (3-5-2): Roberts; Williams, de Gevigney, Earl; O’Keeffe, Phillips, Connell, Kane, Cadden (Cotter 61); McAtee (Cole 61), Cosgrove.

Unused: Killip, Russell, Jalo, McCart,.

Goals: Cosgrove 37, 75; Phillips 62.

Bolton (3-5-2): Baxter; Jones, Santos, Toal; Dacres-Cogley, Maghoma (Dempsey 76), Sheehan (Morley 840, Thomason, Williams; Charles (Jerome 80), Collins (Adeboyejo 80).

Unused: Coleman, Iredale, Ogbeta.

Yellow cards: Thomason.

Goals: Collins 43, Toal 45+1.