BARNSLEY 1 (Colace 53)
SCUNTHORPE UNITED 1 (Hayes 58)

BARNSLEY were disappointing as Scunthorpe United fought their way to a point at Oakwell.

Barnsley manager Mark Robins made two changes to his starting eleven following Saturday's late win at Bloomfield Road. Out went Bobby Hassell and Emil Hallfredsson, who dropped to the bench, while Anderson de Silva and Nathan Doyle returned to the side. Scunthorpe United went with three very familiar faces in their side with Grant McCann, Paul Hayes and Sam Togwell all returning to Oakwell after spending time with the Reds in the last few years.

It was a slow, disjointed start for the Reds, who were put under pressure all over the park early on by Scunthorpe. The best the home side could muster came on three minutes when Adam Hammill's curling free kick beat everybody in the area but flew through to Joe Murphy.

Murphy had few real scares in the opening exchanges although he did well to clear under pressure from Daniel Bogdanovic on 14 minutes after David Mirfin's back pass left the Irishman in trouble.

Barnsley sprang to life on 16 minutes as Hammill raced at the heart of the Scunthorpe defence before putting Bogdanovic in the clear down the left channel. The striker took a touch before bringing a smart stop from Murphy. Jon Macken was inches away from getting a toe to the rebound.

Garry Thompson had Scunthorpe's best effort of the opening moments on 18 minutes as he skipped in from the left flank but his run was crowded out by a sea of red shirts.

The Reds went even closer on 21 minutes when Ryan Shotton leapt to meet Hammill's corner but Murphy managed to turn his header over the bar. McCann had his first sight of goal on 22 minutes as he broke onto a bouncing ball 30 yards out but the ex-Reds midfielder smacked his shot well wide of the target.

In an uneventful half Cliff Byrne's booking on 27 minutes for a deliberate hand ball was almost as exciting as it got. Marcus Williams' evening ended early just a minute later as injury forced the full back out of the game. He was replaced by George Friend.

Thompson was very, very lucky to get a soft free kick on 36 minutes that ended up causing the Reds more problems than it probably should as the ball dropped to giant defender Rob Jones at the back stick. Jones headed wastefully wide.

Hammill's corner on 43 minutes did give a little ray of hope in a woeful opening 45 minutes as it almost fell for Stephen Foster but the Reds skipper could not get his header goalward and got a whack in the eye for his trouble.

Foster's game ended at half time and the Reds skipper was replaced by Darren Moore.

The first chance of the second half fell to Anderson on 49 minutes as he found a yard in the area to meet Carl Dickinson's free kick but the Brazilian saw his low shot kicked away from the target.

Scunthorpe were gifted an opportunity to strike seconds later as Hayes went tumbling under Shotton's challenge. It gave McCann the chance to shoot but Luke Steele was in the right place to make his first save of the game.

Macken almost had a spectacular opener on 52 minutes as he met Hammill's cross but his volley fizzed just wide of the far post.

Barnsley finally lit up the game on 53 minutes and the goal came through the tenacity and determination of Bogdanovic, who battled his way to a lost cause down the right before finding the perfect cross to give Hugo Colace a tap in.

Scunthorpe were level inside six minutes after Mirfin nodded McCann's corner against the upright. Hayes reacted quickest and was on hand to head the ball into an empty net.

Scunthorpe were left a man down moments later when substitute George Friend caught one in the face from Anderson. It left the on loan Wolves man bleeding badly and forced him out of the action.

Barnsley had a stonewall penalty waved away on 70 minutes when Shotton was clearly pushed in the back as he went for Hammill's cross. Referee Eddie Ilderton gave a corner.

Kozluk picked up a booking for a foul on Andrew Wright on 71 minutes although both players went into the challenge with their feet up. Wright just appeared to come off worse.

Barnsley were being out fought but substitute Jamal Campbell-Ryce almost threatened Murphy's goal on 85 minutes as he let fly from distance but his effort flew high over the bar.

Scunthorpe could even have won it on 89 minutes with what was their second real chance of the game as Hayes smart flick found Togwell but the ex-Reds midfielder blazed wide with the goal gaping.

There was still time for McCann to plant a free kick high over the bar deep into stoppage time.

BARNSLEY: Steele, Kozluk, Shotton, Foster (Moore 45), Dickinson, Hammill, Colace, Doyle, Anderson (Campbell-Ryce 73), Bogdanovic (Hume 63), Macken.
Subs: Preece, Gray, Hassell, Hallfredsson.

SCUNTHORPE UNITED: Murphy, Jones, Byrne, Mirfin, Williams (Friend 28 (A.. Wright 63), McCann, Togwell, J. Wright, Thompson, Hayes, Hooper (Forte 77).
Subs: Lillis, Spence, Sparrow, Boyes.

Referee
Eddie Ilderton (Tyne & Wear)
Assistant Referees
Peter Davies (Cheshire) and Colin Harwood (Manchester)
Fourth Official
Kevin Mattocks (Lancashire)

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