Wolves secured the Championship title with a 1-1 draw at relegation-threatened Barnsley.
Macken strike not enough for Tykes as Wolves secure title
Wolves secured the Championship title with a 1-1 draw at relegation-threatened Barnsley.
Kyel Reid's late strike against his former club cancelled out Jonathan Macken's opener to deny Barnsley all three points and send the visiting fans into raptures.
Reid came off the bench to net the equaliser six minutes from time and secure the point that was required to clinch the championship.
Despite a raucous atmosphere in Oakwell, the match began in pedestrian style with only a weak shot from Adam Hammill, which drifted wide, resembling anything like of a goal attempt early on.
The first real action of note came in the 15th minute when Barnsley winger Jamal Campbell-Ryce cut in from the right and drilled a low shot towards goal.
It should have been a routine save for Wayne Hennessey but the Welsh goalkeeper spilt the ball almost allowing Macken to stab home the rebound.
Moments later, Hennessey almost let the hosts in again when, after coming to collect a high ball, he made a mess of the catch and was fortunate Darren Moore was not alert enough to react and take a shot at goal.
As the game wore on the visitors started to dominate possession, but without star-striker Sylvan Ebanks-Blake, who is sidelined through injury, they looked bereft of ideas in attack.
Chance
Barnsley had a great chance to break the deadlock on the half-hour mark when, after Moore had deftly knocked down a free-kick in the six-yard box, Anderson De Silva scuffed a shot wide when he should really have hit the target.
Obviously unhappy with his side's lacklustre first-half display Wolves manager Mick McCarthy made a double change at the break with Sam Vokes and Reid sent on to add an extra dimension in attack.
The visitors certainly upped their game after the break and the added width was proving a real threat going forward.
But Barnsley almost carved out a golden opportunity to break the deadlock only for a last-ditch challenge from Christophe Berra denying Macken a clear run on goal.
But the former Preston was not to be denied as he hit the target in the 59th minute following good work from Daniel Bogdanovic.
The Maltese striker played a neat one-two with De Silva before wriggling his way into the area and despite scuffing his shot the ball fell to Macken.
Showing great composure the well-travelled striker steadied himself and tucked the ball home after his initial effort was saved.
The visitors reacted well to going behind and would have equalised five minutes later if it was not for a fine save from Luke Steele.
The Reds goalkeeper, recently promoted to number one ahead of Heinz Muller, showed great anticipation and bravery to rush out and block Reid's goalbound effort at the far post.
Fellow substitute Vokes was next to go close as his powerful volley from the edge of the area flew just wide of the post with Steele routed to his spot.
But Wolves were level with six minutes remaining as Reid was left unmarked at the far post and smashed home a low shot from Matt Jarvis' cross to deny the Tykes.
