Reds and the Bees share the spoils in an Easter Monday thriller!
Barnsley dominated for long spells against Brentford, but had to settle for a point in a 1-1 draw with the Bees at Oakwell.
Tom Bradshaw’s driven attempt forced a good save out of Bonham early on, before Marley Watkins broke the deadlock with a clinical finish from the centre of the area just before the half hour.
Josh Scowen was denied the chance to make it 2-0 by a stunning save from Jack Bonham and the Bees snatched an equaliser just before the break as Florian Jozefzoon’s clipped Jota pass home.
The visitors were awarded a penalty seconds into the second half after Angus MacDonald handled Sergi Canos’ effort, but Adam Davies made a stunning save, tipping Jota’s spot kick onto the post to keep the scores level.
Canos and Barnsley’s George Moncur both fired efforts against the woodwork, with a fingertip save from Bonham denying Matty James from 25 yards, with Watkins fizzing just over from distance late on.
The Reds did have to hold their nerve at the death when Jota let fly from an angle, but failed to find the target as the Reds secured a point.
Neither side could muster an opening early on, with Jota’s strike that drifted just wide from the edge of the area the best of a quiet start.
The Reds tried hit back well with Ryan Kent bursting away down the right and swinging in a good cross, which Marley Watkins nodded just wide under pressure from Harlee Dean.
Gethin Jones was next to fashion an opening on 18 minutes as the ball squirmed loose off the boot of Tom Bradshaw, however he scuffed his effort and Jack Bonham saved easily.
Matty James fired just over after some good Barnsley play in the middle of the pitch, followed by the first real chance for Bradshaw.
The striker combined with Watkins 25 yards out and sent the ball flying towards the top corner only for Bonham to pluck his effort out of the air and deny the Welshman.
It was Watkins however who broke the deadlock just before the half hour with a clinical finish from the middle of the area.
Josh Scowen’s centre could not be finished by Bradshaw and as the ball broke loose, Watkins was on hand to lash into the roof of the net and put the Reds ahead.
Scowen missed the chance to double the lead when Matty James’ cross was spilled by Bonham as the ‘keeper recovered well to parry the midfielder’s effort away to safety.
Just before the break, the visitors drew level through Florian Jozefzoon, who raced onto Jota’s through ball and chipped the onrushing Davies to tie the contest.
HALF TIME: Barnsley 1-1 Brentford.
With less than 60 seconds on the watch after the restart, referee Robert Jones awarded the Bees a penalty after Sergi Canos’ effort was handled by Angus MacDonald.
Jota stepped up, but Davies pulled off an unbelievable save, diving to his left to push the ball onto the post, with the rebound sliced over the crossbar.
Moncur’s driving run could not be matched with what would have been a stunning finish moments later as Bonham got down smartly to parry the effort to safety.
Canos missed a great chance to put Brentford into the lead when he met Josh Clarke’s cross, only for his effort to cannon away off the crossbar, with Marc Roberts clearing the loose ball from the line.
A defensive mistake from Brentford almost allowed the Reds to profit again. This time, Scowen’s clever reverse pass slipped in Bradshaw, only for another fine save from Bonham to deny the Reds.
Jones was in exactly the right place to clear off the line as Jota’s corner spun dangerously close to the line, while Moncur went even closer to putting the Reds back in the lead almost immediately.
Stunning work on the left from Ryan Kent saw him scamper clear and he slipped in the central midfielder, who’s rasping 25 yard effort sailed toward the top corner, but struck the crossbar and went out of play.
Scowen let fly from the edge of the area with a free kick shortly after the hour, but could only find the side netting with Bonham rooted.
Bonham was tested once again with 19 minutes to play. Kent was once again the tormenter in chief, jinking this way and that to bring a low save out of the stopper at this near post.
No sooner had that chance passed than had Watkins been released by an excellent pass from Scowen. He broke away from Henry and was left one-on-one with Bonham, but lifted the ball just over the top.
Clarke tried his luck from a difficult angle but fired into the stand behind the goal, with Watkins again going close with another long-range effort, this one fizzing just over the crossbar.
Sergi Canos’ snapshot from the edge of the area 11 minutes from time called Davies into action once more, the Welshman responding well to smother the attempt.
James unleashed another stunning drive that was matched by an even better save from Bonham, before Watkins headed Saidy Janko’s cross just over in the final minute of normal time.
Brentford almost pinched victory in stoppage time as Jota fired toward goal, but his effort flew wide as the Reds took a deserved point.
Attendance: 13,935 (664 away)
Reds: Davies (GK), Janko, Roberts (c), MacDonald, Jones, Scowen, Moncur (Hedges, 82’ ), James, Kent, Watkins, Bradshaw (Armstrong, 67’ ).
Subs: Townsend (GK), Lee, Evans, Mowatt, Williams.
Brentford: Bonham (GK), Clarke, Dean (c), Egan, Henry, Woods (Yennaris, 67’ ), Kerschbaumer (McCormack, 75’ ), Jota, Sawyers, Jozefzoon, Vibe (Canos, 30’ ).
Subs: Bentley (GK), Hofmann, Barbet, Field.
