Stoke City held on for a draw with 10 men against winless Barnsley.
Both teams could’ve won it in the dying seconds of the match with Jacob Brown going close for Stoke and multiple efforts from Barnsley who are still without a win this season and will get no greater opportunity than this.
Stoke defended heroically after Nathan Collins saw red for an off the ball incident with the score already at two apiece.
A slow start by both teams saw little action in the early stages of the first half. The game leaped into life with Elliot Simoes sliding effort putting Barnsley in front. Credit to Alex Mowatt for carrying the ball forward and playing a delightful cross.
Stoke gathered steam and pushed for an equaliser. Steven Fletcher having a tame effort saved by Jack Walton.
The Potters looked to have sealed an equal score-line as Tyrese Campbell stroked home after a beautiful through ball by Harry Souttar, but Barnsley took the lead moments later after Dominic Frieser acrobatically toe-poked the ball in on the brink of half time.
A goalkeeping howler by Jack Walton gifted Stoke their second equaliser of the night and both pushed for the all-important third that could’ve won the game.
It was Barnsley who seemed to get the luck after Stoke went down to 10 men, but couldn’t capitalise on the man advantage and had to settle for a draw in a game that was there for the taking by the Tykes.
Teams:
Stoke City: (Davies, Chester, Souttar, Collins, Smith, Mikel (C), Thompson, Powell(Oakley-Boothe 77′), Tymon, Fletcher(Brown 67′), Campbell(Ince 77′) )
(Subs not used: Gunn, Batth, Vokes, Gregory)
Barnsley: (Walton, Brittain (Schmidt 83), J Williams, Helik, Anderson, Oduor, Mowatt, Palmer (Kane 45′), Simoes (Thomas 77′), Woodrow, Frieser)
(Subs not used: Addai, Halme, James, Chaplin)
Goals: (Simoes 17′), Campbell 43′, (Frieser 45′), Smith 48′
Referee: Michael Salisbury
The Wandering Yorkshireman 