Barnsley let a two-goal lead slip as Cardiff City came from behind to claim a share of the spoils at Oakwell on Wednesday evening.
Headers from Mads Andersen and Cauley Woodrow in either half were cancelled out by Sheyi Ojo and Kieffer Moore as Valérien Ismaël drew for the first time as Reds Head Coach.
Barnsley had the ball in the back of the net inside the opening eight minutes, but the referee adjudged that Woodrow had fouled visiting ‘keeper Alex Smithies in the process, much to our leading scorer’s annoyance.
However, the Reds were in front shortly after when Dominik Frieser fired a wonderful cross in from the right flank and Andersen met it flush to head home his first goal for the club, powering into the top corner.
In a half devoid of any real goal mouth action, Woodrow had a glorious chance to double Barnsley’s lead just before the break, but he blazed Callum Brittain’s lobbed ball high into the North Stand.
HALF-TIME: Barnsley 1-0 Cardiff City
Within seven minutes of the restart, though, the Reds won a free-kick deep inside City territory and Mowatt whipped in a beautiful ball that Woodrow connected with after muscling his way past two Bluebirds defenders to head beyond Smithies.
That sparked Cardiff into life and within moments they had halved the deficit when Ojo diverted Josh Murphy’s effort into the net from close range, wrong-footing Brad Collins.
The visitors were almost level in the blink of an eye as Aden Flint flicked on a long throw and Moore saw his header gathered comfortably by Collins as the game sparked into life just before the hour mark.
City skipper Will Vaulks then skewed a half-volley narrowly wide of the upright after Barnsley only half-cleared a dangerous free-kick.
But Cardiff wouldn’t be kept at bay as Moore rose highest at the back post to nod home Joe Ralls’ corner midway through the half.
The Reds pushed forward looking for an elusive winner, and Victor Adeboyejo came agonisingly close to flicking in Callum Styles’ cross as we entered the dying stages.
And when substitute Carlton Morris attempted an overhead kick as the board went up to signal three minutes of stoppage time, the ball fell to Styles who lashed over, with both sides having to settle for a point.
FULL-TIME: Barnsley 2-2 Cardiff City
REDS XI: Collins (GK), Sibbick (Sollbauer, 79), Helik, Andersen, Brittain, Palmer (Kane, 71), Mowatt (c), Styles, Frieser (Morris, 58), Woodrow, Adeboyejo.
Not used: Walton (GK), J Williams, Omar, Oduor, Chaplin, Schmidt.
CARDIFF XI: Smithies (GK), Ng, Flint, Nelson, Bagan, Ojo (Pack, 90), Vaulks (c), Ralls, Hoilett (Murphy, 50), Bacuna (Morrison, 58), Moore.
Not used: Phillips (GK), Glatzel, Pack, Wilson, Harris, Sang, Davies.