Barnsley U23s showed their never-say-die attitude once more as they struck twice in the last six minutes to claim a point against Bolton Wanderers on Monday evening.
The young Reds took a deserved lead midway through the first half courtesy of Jordan Williams’ delicate flick, but goals from DJ Buffonge, Joe Pritchard and Olawale Tanimowo after the interval left Martin Devaney’s side staring down the barrel.
However, Amir Berkovits turned the game on its head once more as his deflected effort halved the deficit before the tricky winger scored a brilliant late chipped volley to snatch a point at Leyland.
The visitors dominated for much of the first half and were unfortunate to go in at half-time only one goal to the good.
Mateo Aramburu and Williams both tested Jake Turner before the latter flicked home from a corner inside 23 minutes.
Matty Wolfe saw an acrobatic attempt cleared off the line before Aramburu’s half-volley from the resulting corner bounced over the bar.
The Uruguayan forward was also denied by Turner after the Wanderers’ stopper had spilled Sam Fielding’s free-kick as the Reds continued to pepper the home goal. Elliot Simoes then saw a fierce curling effort turned away after he cut in from the left flank.
HALF-TIME: Bolton 0-1 Barnsley
If the first half had been all Barnsley, the second half was anything but as the hosts looked to gain a foothold in the game.
Bolton were on level terms just after the hour mark as Buffonge raced clear down the left before confidently slotting the ball past Jack Walton into the bottom corner.
David Lees’ side were soon in front when Joe Pritchard burst into the area and casually prodded home between Walton’s legs with 17 minutes remaining.
And Wanderers appeared to kill the contest off when Tanimowo fired in at the second attempt after his initial effort had been brilliantly blocked by Walton.
But this young Reds side don’t know when they’re beaten and the comeback was on when substitute Berkovits’ shot from distance deflected beyond Turner.
The dynamic winger then scored an incredible volley as he latched onto Fielding’s pin-point ball over the top before deftly lofting it over the on-rushing Bolton stopper three minutes from time.
Barnsley had chances to claim all three points at the death with Trialist and Simoes both coming close, but a point in these circumstances will feel like a morale-boosting victory.
BOLTON XI: Turner, Johnson, Muscatt, Zouma, Warren, Brockbank (c), Buffonge, Davis Tanimowo, Pritchard, Brown.
Subs: Darcey, Aspinall, Earing, Hartshorne, Navarro.
REDS XI: Walton, Helliwell, Fielding (c), Moon, Simpson, Williams, Trialist (Trialist, 77), Otim, Wolfe (Berkovits, 63), Simoes, Aramburu (Trialist, 66).
Not used: Kendrick, Willard.