The Reds had to wait until the 91st minute, but eventually ensured a share of the spoils at the Croud Meadow tonight.
With time running out, Herbie Kane's spot-kick secured Barnsley what could prove to be a huge point away at Shrewsbury Town this evening.
Head Coach, Neill Collins had to make at least one change from the side who saw off Leyton Orient at the weekend, with Luca Connell suspended. In his place came Jon Russell, and Corey O'Keeffe was preferred to Barry Cotter at right wing-back.
As has been the case recently, Barnsley went behind early on. Just seven minutes on the clock when the Shrews cut through the right side of our defence and Dan Udoh squared for Tom Bloxham to side-foot the hosts in front. Again, the Reds had it all to do.
From that moment on, the home side showed little impetus in terms of adding to their tally and asked Barnsley to break them down. Unfortunately, for the majority of the contest, we found that more than difficult.
But on 16 minutes we saw some positive signs as John McAtee forced Shrews 'keeper Marko Marosi into a great save to his left, parrying the 20-yard effort wide.
Nicky Cadden ran onto Devante Cole's low cross but drove his eventual strike a few yards wide before Jon Russell's header flew a yard wide following Corey O'Keeffe's free-kick.
It was all Barnsley and Russell had another chance before the break - not that he knew much about it - as Adam Phillips' low ball in ricocheted off a defender, then Russell before Marosi gathered low down.
We did have the ball in the back of the net right on the stroke of half time when Cole turned the ball home on the goal-line after Phillips had headed the ball back across goal having been picked out by O'Keeffe. But the linesman flagged, with Cole apparently offside as the original ball had been stuck to the back post.
HALF TIME: Shrewsbury Town 1-0 Barnsley
The opening stages of the second 45 saw McAtee run in on goal from an angle but his subsequent strike went well wide before Marosi - a few minutes later - dropped a cross and had to thank his captain, Chey Dunkley who thwarted the onrushing Cole from forcing the ball home on the goal-line.
With 73 minutes played, Cadden took aim from the edge of the box, slightly to the left and as the ball rocketed towards the top corner, Marosi flung himself across to get a finger to the strike to deny the Reds once more.
With subs introduced, one of those in Conor Grant nearly made an immediate impact when after a corner wasnt adequately dealt with the Irishman rattled a half-volley a yard over the bar when well-placed 10 yards out.
Five minutes left to go and Cadden put in an inviting cross from the left that substitiute Sam Cosgrove got a touch to but his effort flew a yard wide also, as the frustration continued.
Grant provided another near-miss in the final minute of normal time as his shot took a nick off a defender to fall inches wide of goal, with it looking increasingly like 'one of those nights'. And immediately from the next set-play, Josh Earl powered a header goalwards only for Marosi to again parry the ball away.
However, we kept pushing and into the first minute of injury time, Maël de Gevigney was upended inside the box and referee, Tom Parsons awarded us a last-gasp penalty kick. Up stepped Kane who made no mistake, sending the ball into the top right corner and grabbing a point that Barnsley will feel they more than deserved.
FULL TIME: Shrewsbury Town 1-1 Barnsley
Roberts, O'Keeffe (Cotter), Williams, de Gevigney, Earl, Cadden, Kane, Russell (Cosgrove), Phillips, McAtee (Grant), Cole.
Unused: Killip, McCart, Yoganathan, Marsh.
