Barnsley netted a 95th-minute equaliser in a 2-2 draw with Derby County at Oakwell on Wednesday evening. 

Aapo Halme’s first goal for the club put the Reds in front but the visitors twice capitalised on poor defending to net in the final ten minutes of the first half. But Cauley Woodrow’s injury-time effort found the bottom left corner to avoid a fourth successive loss. 

The hosts had the better chances throughout the match in what was generally a good performance and the point took them up a place to third-bottom. They are still two points adrift of safety and winless in nine league matches. 

Head coach Daniel Stendel made two changes from the side that lost 3-1 at home to Brentford on Sunday. Dimitri Cavare dropped out of the squad and ex-Derby winger Luke Thomas was put on the bench, with Ben Williams and Mike Bahre returning to the side after suspension and illness respectively. 

Derby started Tom Lawrence and had Mason Bennett on the bench after the pair had been arrested for drink driving following a crash which left captain Richard Keogh with a season-ending injury. 

Barnsley should have taken the lead in the ninth minute when Bahre did extremely well to intercept a loose pass on the left wing, power into the box and square for Woodrow who, ten yards out with the goal gaping, mishit his shot which ballooned onto the left post. The goal the hosts deserved for their good start came four minutes later when Alex Mowatt’s right-wing free-kick was headed in six yards out by centre-back Halme. 

A Mowatt corner from the right almost brought the second goal but Woodrow’s goal-bound header was blocked by his team-mate Toby Sibbick. Derby should have levelled when Jamie Paterson’s right-wing cross was met in the six-yard box by the unmarked Curtis Davies whose diving header was put wide. Conor Chaplin’s 22-yard effort was then pushed away by visiting goalkeeper Kelle Roos who had to dive full-stretch to his left. 

Barnsley undid all their good work in a disastrous last ten minutes of the first half, as the equaliser came in the 35th minute just as it did against Brentford on Sunday. Barnsley struggled to clear their lines then Lawrence’s left-wing low cross was allowed to travel across the six-yard box and be slammed in from close range by veteran striker Chris Martin. 

The defending for the second goal was even worse as, after Jacob Brown missed a simple chance to clear on the right of the box, Mads Andersen and Alex Mowatt got in each other’s way trying to make a clearance and the ball rolled for Lawrence who was clearly tripped by Andersen. Tom Huddlestone beat Collins to net the penalty. 

The hosts began the second half strongly, and after Mowatt did very well to create space in the middle and find Brown on the right, another good pass played in Bahre whose shot from just inside the crowded box was repelled by the legs of Roos. The goalkeeper then dived to his left to comfortably save a long-range Woodrow effort. 

Collins did well to keep Waghorn’s low 25-yard free-kick out of his bottom left corner. County could have made it 3-1 midway through the second half when, after Lawrence’s shot was blocked, Collins made a good save from Paterson’s close-range effort. 

Barnsley were agonisingly close to a leveller on 82 minutes as a free-kick led to a scramble in the box with Jayden Bogle eventually clearing off the line after the ball was cleared against Sibbick's face and floated towards goal. Mowatt’s 25-yard free-kick was then tipped over by Roos. 

Substitute Bennett headed an injury-time goal kick into the path of Waghorn but his weak 20-yard effort was easily saved.  The equaliser came when Thomas took a corner short to Chaplin who brought the ball into the box and fired in a shot which was going wide but deflected in off Woodrow's calf. 

Barnsley (4-4-2): Collins; J Williams (Thomas 68mins), Andersen (Styles 75), Halme, B Williams; Brown (Wilks 75), Mowatt, Sibbick, Bahre, Chaplin, Woodrow. Unused: Walton, Pinillos,  Green, Schmidt. Yellow cards: Sibbick, Thomas.Goals: Halme 13, Woodrow 90+4.

Derby (4-4-2): Roos; Lowe, Davies, Bielik, Bogle; Paterson, Huddlestone (Clarke 45mins), Holmes (Bennett 89), Lawrence; Martin (Knight 79), Waghorn. Unused: Hamer, Dowell, Jozefzoon,  Malone. Goals: Martin 35, Huddlestone 44 (pen). Referee: Tony Harrington (Cleveland). Attendance: 13,634 (2,127 from Derby). 

AS IT HAPPENED
  •  
  • GAME UNDERWAY
  • 19:48pm
     
    1 Barnsley concede an early free-kick on the right wing for handball
  • 19:48pm
     
    2 Jamie Paterson sends the free-kick straight at Brad Collins
  • 19:51pm
     
    4 Minutes in and it's been quite an even start with both sides venturing into opposition territory without creating a chance
  • 19:53pm
     
    It very much looks like a 4-4-2 tonight with Chaplin up front with Woodrow and Bahre on the left wing
  • 19:55pm
     
    8 Barnsley win a free-kick on the left wing and Mowatt takes it quickly to get Chaplin in behind the defence on the left of the box but he just cannot quite catch up with the ball which goes out for a goal kick
  • 19:56pm
     
    9 Huge chance for the Reds. Bahre intercepts a lose pass by the visiting defence and races down the left wing before squaring to Woodrow who, with the goal gaping eight yards, mishits his shot which floats well wide
  • 19:57pm
     
    That might have just bobbled before it reached Woodrow's foot but, as the lowest scorers in the league, they need their top-scorer and star striker to take that kind of chance
  • 19:58pm
     
    12 Derby's first shot. It's a 30-yarder from England international Tom Huddlestone which is deflected and loops easily into the hands of Collins
  • 19:59pm
     
    GOAL!
    Aapo Halme with his first for the club!
  • 20:00pm
     
    13 Mowatt's right-wing free-kick is headed in by the Finnish centre-back six yards out
  • 20:00pm
     
    That's a huge moment for the Reds who have started this game really well
  • 20:03pm
     
    Halme has been playing really well since his nightmare debut in the EFL Cup against Carlisle and he'll be thrilled with that
  • 20:05pm
     
    19 Barnsley are playing really well now. Sibick wins a corner after a good move
  • 20:06pm
     
    20 Halme nearly gets his head on a Mowatt corner but it is nodded behind. Then the second corner looks set to be headed home by Woodrow but his goal-bound effort is blocked
  • 20:07pm
     
    Woodrow thought he had scored that and was left with his head in his hands after it was blocked, possibly by his team-mate Sibbick
  • 20:11pm
     
    Halfway through the first half now and Barnsley have been well on top, they could have had three if two Woodrow efforts had gone in
  • 20:14pm
     
    27 Derby corner on right. Paterson takes. Headed out by Andersen but Paterson crosses again and Curtis Davies is totally unmarked in the six yard box before sending a diving header wide. Big, big chance for the visitors
  • 20:17pm
    Halme's goal
  • 20:17pm
    The celebration
  • 20:18pm
     
    32 Another opportunity for the hosts. The ball falls nicely for Chaplin about 22 yards out centrally and his powerful effort is well saved by Roos diving to his left
  • 20:19pm
     
    33 The following corner is easily cleared
  • 20:20pm
     
    GOAL!
    Chris Martin equalises for the visitors
  • 20:22pm
     
    For the second time this week the Reds concede a leveller in the 35th minute
  • 20:23pm
     
    It's a poor goal. The ball is sent in from the left of the box and Collins hesitated when it looked as though he could claim it so Martin fired in from close range
  • 20:24pm
     
    How will Barnsley deal with that? They had been by far the better team in the first half an hour
  • 20:28pm
     
    The game is pretty even now which not much happening since the equaliser
  • 20:29pm
     
    Penalty to Derby
  • 20:30pm
     
    GOAL!
    Tom Huddlestone with a penalty after Andersen conceded a penalty
  • 20:32pm
     
    Terrible moment for the Reds. Both Jacob Brown and Mads Andersen had simple chances to clear that before the Danish defender chopped down Lawrence
  • 20:33pm
     
    Huddlestone got injured taking that pen and has been replaced by Matt Clarke, with Krystian Bielik going into midfield
  • 20:34pm
     
    HALF-TIME: Barnsley 1, Derby 2
  • 20:50pm
     
    SECOND HALF UNDERWAY
  • 20:52pm
     
    47 Fantastic move by Barnsley. Alex Mowatt shows some nice skill to dribble into space in the middle then plays a good pass out to Brown who does well to find Bahre who moves into the box and has a shot which is kept out by the feet of Roos
  • 20:55pm
     
    Barnsley desperately need something in this second half. They cannot afford to lose four in a row at this stage of the season, fall further adrift in the bottom three and fail to capitalise again on a good start to a match
  • 20:58pm
     
    Barnsley look slightly the brighter side at the start of this second half and are seeing plenty of the ball
  • 21:01pm
     
    Barnsley had the chances to be 3-0 up after 20 minutes of this match, with Cauley Woodrow coming close twice - either side of Aapo Halme's opener
  • 21:02pm
     
    But they are trying to overturn a deficit handed to the visitors by a terrible final ten minutes of the first half in which poor defending gave Derby two goals
  • 21:02pm
     
    58 Bahre gets the ball in the box but it is high and, after he brings it down on his chest, it is cleared
  • 21:05pm
     
    60 Derby win a free-kick just outside the box on the right. Waghorn takes and it looks to be sneaking in the bottom right corner but Collins pushes wide
  • 21:08pm
     
    There is a break as a Derby player is down injured. Daniel Stendel has been talking passionately to his side on the sidelines, especially Mads Andersen. Play back underway now
  • 21:11pm
     
    66 Woodrow shoots from 25 yards but Roos easily catches diving to his right
  • 21:12pm
     
    67 A chance for the Rams to finish their hosts off as once again a cross is not properly cleared and Jamie Paterson stabs an effort at goal which is blocked by Collins. The visitors' first opportunity of the second half
  • 21:13pm
     
    Barnsley's first change sees Luke Thomas replace Jordan Williams, with Jacob Brown dropping back to right-back
  • 21:16pm
     
    It looks as though Mallik Walks is coming on
  • 21:18pm
     
    YELLOW CARD
    Toby Sibbick the first man in the book after he trips a home player near the halfway line
  • 21:19pm
     
    Andersen and Brown have been taken off with Callum Styles and Mallik Wilks replacing them
  • 21:21pm
     
    It looks as though Luke Thomas is playing at right-back but he is extremely high up the pitch. The Reds are going for it and leaving themselves open to counter-attacks
  • 21:22pm
     
    We're approaching the final ten minutes here. Can Barnsley find an equaliser?
  • 21:23pm
     
    Goal-scorer Chris Martin comes off for the visitors with Jason Knight replacing him
  • 21:27pm
     
    81 Barnsley are so close to the equaliser. A free-kick into the box causes chaos and, after the ball appears to hit Wilks last, Jayden Bogle scrambles off the line
  • 21:28pm
     
    83 Barnsley close again as Mowatt's 25-yard free-kick is tipped over by Roos
  • 21:30pm
     
    YELLOW CARD
    Luke Thomas booked after tipping a visitor on the counter attack
  • 21:33pm
     
    Almost into the 89th minute now. The home side have played well tonight, apart from ten mad minutes before half-time.
  • 21:34pm
     
    Mason Bennett is booed onto the pitch after replacing Duane Holmes
  • 21:36pm
     
    We're into five added minutes
  • 21:38pm
     
    90+3 Bennett heads a goal kick to Waghorn whose 20 yard effort is easily saved by Collins
  • 21:39pm
     
    GOAL!
    Conor Chaplin levels in the 95th minute
  • 21:46pm
     
    FULL-TIME: Barnsley 2, Derby 2