Barnsley U23s were denied all three points by a Cardiff City equaliser eight minutes into stoppage time at Oakwell.
The young Reds had taken the lead nine minutes from time when Victor Adeboyejo coolly slotted home from the penalty spot after Trialist had been brought down in the area.
It looked as though Paul Harsley’s side would go onto end their nine game winless run, only for the Bluebirds to snatch a share of the spoils with the last kick of the game.
Defender Jason Akiotu took advantage of chaos in the Barnsley defence after a free-kick was lumped into the box to scramble home a dramatic late leveller.
Cardiff had the best of the possession throughout the contest, but rarely troubled Trialist in the Reds’ net.
James Waite came close to opening the scoring just after the hour mark, but his long range effort was tipped over the bar by Trialist.
Barnsley were then almost the beneficiaries of a freak goal as Trialist blocked a defensive clearance and the ball looped towards goal from distance, only for Ben Williams in the Bluebirds’ net to acrobatically turn it behind from a corner.
The Reds looked lively on the counter-attack, with Adeboyejo in particular causing the visiting defence problems during the course of the game.
Then came the game’s major talking point as Trialist was clumsily bundled to the ground inside the box, and, after some deliberation, the referee awarded a penalty.
Adeboyejo notched his 14th of the campaign, sending Williams the wrong way to give Barnsley a late advantage.
The Reds survived a few late scares as they battled tirelessly to hold onto the slender lead, but Akitou had the final say to send Cardiff back to South Wales with a point.
REDS XI: Trialist, Wardle, Trialist, Smith, Williams, Walsh (Trialist, 55), Trialist, Trialist, Berkovits, Adeboyejo, Trialist
Not used: Trialist, Fielding, Greenfield, Gagen
CARDIFF XI: Williams, Soleman, Abbauzzese, Veale (Nesbitt, 55), Brown, Akiotu, Coxe, Regis, Harris, Waite, Obi (Evans, 65)
Not used:
