BARNSLEY 1 (Watt 90)

ROTHERHAM UNITED 1 (Barker 31, Burton OFF 56, Williamson OFF 85)

ON loan star Steven Watt was in the right place at the right time to head a 95th minute equaliser as the Reds did their best to throw away their recent unbeaten run against a Millers side who finished the game with nine men.

With suspension robbing the Reds of two of their most consistent players, Reds boss Andy Ritchie was forced into changes from the side that took Bradford to the cleaners last week but were held to a goalless draw in West Yorkshire. Antony Kay and Brian Howard were forced to watch from the stands as Jacob Burns and Paul Reid returned to the side to face Rotherham.

The Millers handed a debut to new signing Paul Evans in midfield and ex Red Deon Burton lined up alongside Martin Butler in attack.

Both sides started brightly and it was Rotherham who almost broke through on three minutes when Lee Williamson fed Butler in the area but the striker threw himself to the floor in a vain attempt to win a penalty. The referee waved away his protests and Butler was left with sore ears after a rollicking from Bobby Hassell.

Two minutes later Butler showed the right side of his game when he beat Watt in a foot race down the right before shooting straight at Nick Colgan from 14 yards. Burton was next to antagonise the home crowd on seven minutes when he made absolutely no attempt to play the ball and went straight through Reid long after the Reds skipper had cleared his lines. Burton was shown the first yellow card of the afternoon.

Rotherham got in again on 17 minutes as a hopeful ball over the top sent Burton in, although the striker appeared to be yards offside and the assistant well behind play, but the Millers star hammered his effort almost into the car park. Again the Millers found space in the Barnsley area on 24 minutes as John Mullin crossed for Evans to head back but this time Williamson fired well, well wide under pressure.

Barnsley were finally shaken into life and Burns did well down the right on 25 minutes before almost picking out Marc Richards in the centre but his cross was just in front of the striker and the ball dropped through to Neil Cutler. The Reds went close again after Bobby Hassell had sent a great free kick into the area on 29 minutes but neither Richards nor Reid could turn the ball into the net.

Rotherham were in front a minute later as Mullin's free kick from the right caused all sorts of problems for a normally water tight Reds defence and Shaun Barker was well placed to put the ball into the back of the net.

The Millers' long ball game was still causing problems when Burton got in again on 33 minutes but the former Barnsley loanee's blatant handball stopped another decent attack. At the other end Richards picked up a caution two minutes later after his push on Barker saw a Reds chance evaporate into the freezing Oakwell air.

A whistle happy official, who turned the first half into a game littered by myriad stoppages, then cautioned Paul McLaren for a foul on Burns although the booking was more for the midfielder's reaction than the actual challenge. Two minutes later Watt was then booked for complaining after yet another niggling free kick was awarded by the official. From the kick Burton put a free header wide of the target from six yards.

After being like a whippet in flashing his yellow cards just moments earlier, the official decided to keep his red in his pocket on 43 minutes as Burton, who had already been cautioned, first handballed and then dragged Reid back as the pair raced for another long ball.

Barnsley finally fired a decent shot in anger deep into first half stoppage time as Burns hammered the ball inches wide of Cutler's post but the Millers' keeper always had the goal covered.

Rotherham again started the brighter and McLaren's corner on 48 minutes almost gifted the Millers a goal as a host of players took a swing at the ball but Richards eventually cleared his lines well. At the other end Richards saw a shot blocked before Burns flashed a volley inches wide of the target after Cutler had spilled Devaney's 55th minute cross

Burton, who had escaped a red card in the first half, then cheated his way into an early shower on 56 minutes when he threw himself over Watt's leg in a bid to con a free kick. The referee was having none of it and the Miller was rightly sent off to the jeers of the home fans.

The Reds almost made the one man advantage pay on 65 minutes as McPhail's corner eventually dropped to Hayes in the area but the Millers had a man on the post to kick his effort away from under the crossbar. Rotherham were not finished yet and Colgan had to be at his best to grab Evans' low drive as it arrowed towards the bottom corner on 68 minutes. Hayes went close again on 69 minutes as he found himself free after McPhail had broken into the area but put his volley high over the top with only Cutler to beat.

Barnsley should have been level on 72 minutes as a great ball by substitute Nathan Jarman sent Richards clean through and the striker lifted his effort over Cutler but wide of the far post. More sustained pressure by the Reds saw the ball fall to Watt 30 yards from goal two minutes later but the defender drilled his shot high into the stand. Devaney again created from the left on 82 minutes when his swirling cross fell to Hayes but this time the striker could only put his looping header into Cutler's waiting hands.

The game descended into a farce on 85 minutes as Williamson talked his way into a second yellow after berating the officials when he tripped Shuker. It left the Millers down to nine and the Reds five minutes to salvage something.

They almost did just that a minute later as Devaney picked out Dale Tonge's run but the youngster could only shoot straight at Cutler and Richards could not put the rebound into an empty net. The farcical scenes on the pitch were too much for Millers boss Mick Harford and his vociferous protests saw him sent to the stands.

As the Fourth Official showed five minutes to be added on, the Reds continued to press and Jarman went close with a dipping volley.

The leveller finally came on 94 minutes as Shuker sent over a deep corner and Watt rose highest to head the ball down and into the net. There was still time for some controversy as Paul Hurst looked to have cleared the ball from the line and the referee needed a chat with his assistant to give the goal.

The referee still had time to add more controversy as he red carded Colin Murdock as he entered the tunnel at full time.

BARNSLEY: Colgan, Hassell, Watt, Reid, Burns (Tonge 80), Hayes, McPhail, Austin (Jarman 70), Shuker, Richards, Devaney.

Subs: Flinders, Carbon, Williams.

ROTHERHAM UNITED: Cutler, Worrell, Hurst, Barker, Murdock, Evans, Mullin (Gilchrist 76), Butler, Burton (OFF 56), Williamson (OFF 85), McLaren.

Subs: Montgomery, Hoskins, Monkhouse, Ostemobor.