Reds 1 (Winnall 62)
Chesterfield 1 (O'Shea 26)
Barnsley's Play-Off dream all but ended at Oakwell as the Reds played out a 1-1 draw with fellow top-six chasers Chesterfield.
In what turned out to be an entertaining game after a slow start, it could have gone either way as Sam Winnall's 62nd-minute strike cancelled out Jay O'Shea's first half effort.
With barely two minutes on the watch Clucas capitalised on a miscued clearance from Lewin Nyatanga in the box. With the goal at his mercy from eight yards, he shot straight at Davies before Cranie cleared the danger.
The Reds responded on five minutes with Waring prodding through for Hourihane and his delivery for Winnall was blocked by Talbot as a goal seemed certain.
Two minutes later it was another Hourihane delivery that caused havoc in the Spireites box and Tommy Lee had to be at full stretch to turn away Waring's flicked header.
Waring was again in the thick of the action on 16 minutes when he got his head to Winnall's delivery but could only steer the wrong side of the post with Evatt close by.
Sam Hird had a free header for the visitors on the 20-minute mark as he met Roberts' corner, however his effort was straight at Davies.
A slip from Hourihane on 26 minutes allowed the visitors to attack and find the opener. Jimmy Ryan picked up possession as Hourihane fell and threaded through for Jay O'Shea to tuck beyond Davies.
Winnall took aim from a fairly tight angle on 34 minutes but a deflection saw his low drive out for a corner. From the resulting delivery by Pearson, Martin Cranie thundered a header at goal but was denied by the crossbar
The Reds continued to press as the clock ticked down and five minutes before the break, Winnall's volleyed cross was met by Ramage and then John as they were both denied by blocks.
Just before two minutes of stoppage time was indicated, Tommy Lee pulled off a wonderful save to deny George Waring at practically pointblank range as the striker dug out a shot from inside the six-yard box. It was the closest the Reds had come to finding the back of the net.
Second half
The away side got the restart off with a shot from the halfway line as Gary Roberts tried his luck only for Davies to make a decent stop on the line.
On 57 minutes Conor Hourihane brought a good save from Tommy Lee as the Spireites 'keeper was proving to be the difference. Scowen was the architect with a cheeky flick into the box for Irishman on the left but Lee was equal to the vicious drive at his near post.
Lee Johnson made a double change just before the hour with Jabo Ibehre and Luke Berry replacing George Waring and Conor Hourihane.
On 62 minutes the Reds final hauled themselves level as Sam Winnall met Peter Ramage's driven delivery. Scowen rescued what was a half-hearted Spireites clearance and teed Ramage up to cross for Winnall who turned home from six yards for his eleventh of the season.
The Reds looked rejuvenated but were left frustrated by a couple of decisions that went against them. On 74 Sam Winnall drew yet another save from Lee. Ramage's header down from Pearson's free-kick dropped nicely for the striker, whose shot was just within the grasp of Lee from 12 yards.
Barnsley were looking far more lively than their last two performances and were registering more and more shots on goal. Luke Berry this time on 79 minutes cracking a volley at goal that Lee had to deal with.
The visitors came back through Ryan on 80 minutes as his low effort fizzed wide of the near post when he was picked out unmarked in the area.
Three minutes of stoppage time was added as both sides went for the winner and the game stretched from end to end.
Teams
Reds: Davies, Cranie (C), Ramage, Nyatanga, Smith, Pearson, Hourihane (Berry 59), Scowen, John (Lalkovic 86), Winnall, Waring (Ibehre 59).
Subs: Dibble, Holgate, Hemmings, Bailey.
Chesterfield: Lee, Evatt (Raglan 37), Ryan, Darikwa, Morsy (C), Talbot, O'Shea, Ariyibi (Harrison 70), Hird, Roberts (Humphreys 74), Clucas.
Subs: Flatt, Banks, Gardner, Gnanduillet.
Attendance: 11,268 (2,459 Chesterfield)
