Barnsley vs Reading. Sky Bet Championship.
Oakwell Stadium.
Report and highlights from the Sky Bet Championship clash between Barnsley and Reading at Oakwell as a second-half Alex Mowatt penalty cancels out Ovie Ejaria's cool finish to ensure the points are shared
Monday 5 April 2021 12:49, UK
Championship promotion hopefuls Barnsley and Reading could not be separated as Alex Mowatt's second-half penalty earned the hosts a 1-1 draw at Oakwell.
Ovie Ejaria's first goal since November had given Veljko Paunovic's men a half-time lead before home skipper Alex Mowatt's penalty levelled the scores just past the hour.
The Royals are now unbeaten in their last eight trips to Oakwell since 1996 but should have gone on to collect maximum points, with leading marksman Lucas Joao guilty of a runaway candidate for miss of the season after Mowatt's equaliser.
The result means Reading remain in sixth place on 63 points following the other Championship fixtures on Good Friday, a point above seventh-placed Bournemouth, while Barnsley stay in fifth on 65 points.
Earlier, Barnsley managed the first shot of the match with less than a minute on the clock as Mowatt volleyed wide from the edge of the box.
The visitors quickly settled, however, as Yakou Meite squandered an excellent opportunity to open the scoring after eight minutes.
Following a mistake by Tykes defender Mads Andersen close to the halfway line, Meite charged clear through the right channel only to lift a side-footed effort well over a relieved Brad Collins' crossbar.
Liam Moore's free-kick was then deflected off target by the home wall, while a clever corner routine saw Joao balloon too high after Michael Morrison had helped on Michael Olise's near-post delivery.
The game's first save saw Rafael Cabral gather a Michal Helik header from Mowatt's inviting free-kick on the half-hour mark.
But four minutes later, the Royals led when Andy Rinomhota's lofted long ball exposed a flat-footed home defence.
Ejaria expertly latched on to the ball without breaking stride and found Collins' bottom-left corner from 15 yards.
In response, Callum Brittain's right-wing cross glanced against the visitors' crossbar and the same player's thumping volley was bravely headed away from goal by Moore, before the final action of the half saw Romal Palmer head over from Mowatt's subsequent corner.
Home boss Valerien Ismael attempted to pep up his attack with the double introduction of strikers Daryl Dike and Carlton Morris at half-time.
But, after Palmer dragged a 20-yard opportunity wide, it was Reading that came within inches of doubling their lead.
A rapid counter attack saw Olise and Joao combine to tee up a charging Meite, who just failed to get a stretching leg to the ball in front of Collins' goal.
The Tykes were afforded a route back into the game on the hour, however, when Andy Yiadom grabbed Callum Styles around the neck and wrestled him to the floor in the penalty area.
Mowatt aimed the resulting spot kick down the middle of the goal and was a little fortunate to score after the ball struck Cabral's trailing leg.
More fortune was to follow for the hosts when Joao's horrific miss staggered everybody in Oakwell after a mix-up in the home defence led to Collins making a last-gasp challenge on Meite.
The ball then ran loose to the Royals' top-scorer but he inexplicably side-footed wide of an empty goal from 12 yards.
Barnsley immediately looked to punish such profligacy with Styles shooting over from 15 yards and Andersen stabbing against an upright after Cabral dropped a high ball into the box.
Morris also cut in from the left and forced a save, while Aapo Halme headed over from a corner and Dike dragged wide from 15 yards, but Reading held on for a share of the spoils.
Barnsley boss Valerien Ismael was involved in an animated argument during a stormy second half at Oakwell, claiming his Reading counterpart Veljko Paunovic was "disrespectful" to members of his coaching team and the match officials.
"Their bench has got to be more respectful, because I've never seen anything like it," Ismael declared. "He was directing stuff in a different language at my staff and the referee.
"I understand we are crashing the party for some of the bigger teams who want to get into the play-offs, but what was going off was unacceptable. I could understand a little bit of what was being said and, while I understand the emotion of football, you can't cross the line.
"We are a professional team who fight for points and try to stay fair on the pitch and on the sidelines and I thought it was a great game full of intensity. We made a mistake to concede the goal but came back to score a deserved equaliser.
"Alex isn't our normal penalty-taker but it was very important that our captain took on that responsibility and scored."
Reading boss Paunovic on Joao's squandered chance that prevented his team from leapfrogging Barnsley into fifth: "He's disappointed but now is not the moment to do anything else but give him support.
"We believe in him as we have always done and, while it's not the first time it has happened, I understand it can happen and he was fantastic throughout the whole game.
"We also have to give credit to Lucas for the many other times that he has won us points this season and we had other great opportunities in this game.
"But that's been the disappointment of this season, especially in games like this one, and I hope that we're not going to lament these chances once everything is over."
Paunovic declined to elaborate on the touchline bust-up, only saying: "What happens on the sidelines, stays on the sidelines, but they were involved too and I'm disappointed to hear those comments from him."
Lee Trundle told Sky Sports:
"I want to make an excuse for him, but in that situation he's just got to roll the ball in. I don't know why he's tried to play it across goal into the other corner when he could put in at the empty side of the net.
"He'll know himself and won't need us to break it down to him but he could even have taken a touch, gone round the 'keeper and tapped it in. I don't understand what he's tried to do."
Reading defender Liam Moore told Sky Sports:
"It was a very tough game - very competitive and everything we expected coming here today. I'm gutted and I'm fuming as we had a big chance to win the game. We've just got to consolidate now and go again very quickly.
"Lucas is a quality player and he knows. Barnsley have been brilliant this season and this is a really tough place to come. It was scrappy at times so we've come away with a point at least. We just wanted to win. It feels like a loss, but we at least take a point."
Barnsley travel to face Luton Town on Monday in the Sky Bet Championship at 3pm while Reading host Derby County at the same time.
