Reds 1 (Hourihane m/p 60, 90+5)
Sheff Utd 1 (Basham 17)
Barnsley had to wait until the 95th minute for their goal but it was just about worth the wait - Conor Hourihane rescuing a point for Barnsley having missed a penalty already.
It was a game with plenty of chances for both sides and Barnsley were wondering how they hadn't hit the net before stoppage time.
It was the visitors who got off to the better of the match and they, twice, came close to scoring.
First Matt Done cracked into the side-netting with barely 30 seconds played and a cross that came soon after was cleared by Nyatanga.
On five minutes Sam Winnall's quick-thinking throw-in allowed Adam Hammill a shot at goal from 30 yards but the win sent it wide of Long's goal.
With eight played Barnsley had finally found their rhythm after the Blades' positive start and Sam Winnall headed just wide from a Hourihane delivery.
At the other end John Brayford steamed forward down the right and, after Hammill was tripped, he got a shot away that sailed wide from 20 yards.
On 13 minutes it should have been 1-0 Barnsley. Watkins got the better of his man and pulled back for Winnall, his shot was saved by Long and Isgrove could only send the rebound wide.
With quarter-of-an-hour gone, Billy Sharp took a great ball down on the chest from Brayford's long ball but Davies was equal to his fierce attempt.
The visitors took the lead from a corner, of which they had forced five early on, with Chris Basham nodding home from two yards on 17 minutes.
After the goal, United settled in behind the ball, allowing Barnsley possession and just hacking clear when they had the chance.
Second half
After the break Barnsley came out of the traps quickly as they kicked towards the Ponty End, but it was the visitors who almost grabbed the next goal.
Aidy White was caught out by Billy Sharp out on the left corner, his pull-back had to be cleared by Wabara from inside his own six-yard box.
On 55 minutes Chris Basham drilled a low effort wide of Davies' eight-hand post after good hold-up play from Sharp on the edge of the area.
A minute before the hour, Barnsley were handed a lifeline as Adam Hammill was upended in the box, but Conor Hourihane was to be denied from the spot.
George Long guessed right and tipped the ball beyond the post for a corner.
The miss seemed to knock the stuffing out of the Reds and give United a second wind. Sharp forced Davies into a good save after the 'keeper had initially failed to properly clear.
After a lengthy break in play due to an injury to Davies, the 'keeper did well to recover and make an incredible one-on-one save to deny Matt Done a fine goal as he tried to dink the ball over the 'keeper on 68 minutes.
With less than 20 minutes to play, Lee Johnson rolled the dice with a double change as Ryan Williams and Ivan Toney replaced Lloyd Isgrove and Ivan Toney, respectively.
The Reds hit the post on 79 minutes when Hammill's wicked delivery into the box was glanced at goal by Winnall - with Long beaten, it cannoned off the post and away.
In the 88th minute, the woodwork was rattled again as Nyatanga this time nodded onto the crossbar from Hammill's corner.
In the 95th minute Barnsley finally found the net. A cross into the box from Wabara was expertly nodded into the path of Hourihane by Winnall and his strike from 20 yards whistled past Long and almost burst the netting in front of the Ponty End.
A minute later, Ryan Williams almost pulled back for Winnall and a certain winner but McEveley cleared the danger with the final whistle ending the game at 1-1.
Teams
Reds: Davies, Wabara, Mawson, Nyatanga, A.White (G.Smith 77), Isgrove (Williams 71), Hourihane, Pearson, Hammill, Watkins (Toney 71), Winnall.
Subs: Townsend, Roberts, Bree, Jackson.
Sheff Utd: Long, Campbell-Ryce (Woolford 69), Harris, Edgar, Basham, Collins, Sharp, Done (Freeman 85), Hammond, Coutts, Brayford.
Subs: Howard, Reed, Adams, Sammon.
Referee: Neil Swarbrick (Carl Boyeson 80)
Attendance: 13,571
