Reds draw first match after Stendel exit

The visitors took the lead midway through the second half but Alex Mowatt levelled three minutes later. Both sides had several clear-cut chances in what was, overall, an even and entertaining contest. 

The Reds are now bottom of the Championship, three points adrift of safety, while they have not won in their last 11 league matches. 

Caretaker Adam Murray made three changes from the side that lost 5-1 at Preston North End before the international break. Full-backs Jordan and Ben Williams dropped out of the team, with Jordan omitted from the squad, while captain Mike Bahre was benched. Into the side side came Bambo Diaby and Kenny Dougall, who both returned from injury, as well as recalled right-back Dimitri Cavare. Youngsters Clarke Oduor and Elliot Simoes were on the bench. The hosts used a 3-5-2 formation with Cavare and Brown as right and left wing-backs. 

Following a minute’s applause before the kick-off for Jeffrey Wroe, the fan who died after a heart attack during the last home game, Barnsley had the better of the first half but were not able to take any of the chances they created. 

The hosts almost took the lead in the first minute when a long throw was helped towards goal by a Woodrow volley and the ball was almost spilled over the line by goalkeeper Freddie Woodman but he gathered it. 

The Reds missed a big chance in the ninth minute when, after good work on the left wing, Woodrow’s shot from just outside the box was straight at Woodman but he fumbled it to Cameron McGeehan who blazed over eight yards out. Mowatt then headed over a Cavare cross when eight yards out. 

After struggling in the opening quarter of an hour, Swansea began to show glimpses of their traditional flowing football with excellent work by George Byers leading to Andre Ayew shooting from the edge of the box but his weak effort was easily gathered by Brad Collins. 

McGeehan came close again when his shot from just outside the box trickled wide of the bottom left corner after Conor Chaplin nudged the ball to him following a good run down the right by Cavare.  At the end other, Byers outmuscled Dougall but his shot from 25 yards was weak and easily saved. McGeehan then headed over from close range when surrounded by defenders after Chaplin crossed from the right wing. 

Swansea had the first chance of the second half when a left-wing cross ricocheted to Ayew who had only Collins to beat at a tight angle five yards out but the goalkeeper blocked well with his chest. 

McGeehan then missed an even better chance than his first half opportunity when, after a right-wing Chaplin cross fell to him eight yards out with the goal gaping, he scooped it over the bar. 

The Swans then should have taken the lead in the 61st minute when Sam Surridge went clean through on goal after a fine Matt Grimes pass but Collins made an excellent one-on-one save with his left foot. Collins then produced another superb stop to deny Bersant Celina’s header at the back post after Ayew ran down the right of the Barnsley box and lofted up a good cross. 

The opening goal came after 67 minutes following a real scramble. After Celina skipped past Diaby in the box, his shot was impressively pushed up into the air by Collins then Ayew’s header was cleared off the line by Aapo Halme before Ayew’s next effort crossed the line. 

The Reds levelled two minutes later when Chaplin ran down the right of the box and fired in a low cross which was met 12 yards out by Mowatt who found the bottom left corner for his first goal of the season and his first in the Championship at Oakwell. 

Ayew then glanced a header over from a Grimes free-kick while both Woodrow and Mowatt shot narrowly over the bar from outside the box. Another 25-yard Woodrow cross then forced Woodman to dive full-length to his left and push it away in the 89th minute.

Barnsley almost lost the game in injury-time when Halme nearly headed past Collins just outside the box but the goalkeeper, who had rushed out of his area to meet a long ball, blocked well with his foot. 

Barnsley (3-5-2): Collins; Sibbick, Halme, Diaby (Andersen 90+1mins); Cavare (B Williams 84), Mowatt, Dougall, McGeehan (Simoes 79), Brown; Chaplin, Woodrow. Subs: Walton, Andersen, Bahre, Thomas, Oduor, B Williams.  Goals: Mowatt 70.  Swansea: Woodman; Naughton, Van der Hoorn, Rodon (Wilmot 67mins), Bidwell; Grimes, Carroll; Ayew, Celina, Byers (Garrick 84); Surridge (Baston 75).  Subs: Nordfeldt, Peterson, Routledge, Roberts, Garrick  Yellow cards: Byers.  Goals: Ayew 67.