Barnsley conceded a 98th-minute leveller, from a rebound after a saved penalty, in a 2-2 draw at home to promotion rivals Bolton Wanderers on Tuesday night.

John McAtee opened the scoring midway through the first half then Donovan Pines added another just after half-time.

Bolton pulled one back just after the hour then looked to be denied by a heroic defensive effort before Liam Roberts saved the last-gasp penalty only for the rebound to go in.

Bolton moved up into second, three points clear of the fourth-placed Reds who have a game in hand and are unbeaten in seven.

McAtee and Nicky Cadden both returned to the starting line-up after injury and illness respectively, with Sam Cosgrove and Corey O’Keeffe dropping to the bench despite scoring in the win at Wycombe on Saturday. Aiden Marsh and Josh Benson dropped off the bench.

Luca Connell’s powerful 25-yard strike from a free-kick was easily held by the goalkeeper. Devante Cole then ran onto a fine Josh Earl pass down the left behind the defence and squared to McAtee who missed the ball from close range under pressure from a defender.

Bolton almost opened the scoring midway through the first half when a good move down the right led to ex-Red Gethin Jones shooting from a tight angle in the box and, after Liam Roberts’ save lofted the ball into the air, Jordan Williams brilliantly cleared off the line.

The opener arrived on 25 minutes when Mael de Gevigney, who had been pressing high up the pitch all game despite being a centre-back, charged down George Thomason’s attempted clearance. The ball fell to McAtee to fire into an almost empty net from 15 yards and end a 12-game goalless run.

Adam Phillips then flashed a cross across goal which Cole was close to turning in. McAtee shot wide from 25 yards after Connell found him when Donovan Pines had won the ball.

The lead was doubled two minutes after the break when, after a Connell corner led to a scramble in the box and Pines smashed a very powerful shot into the top right corner for his second goal in as many games.

Bolton almost pulled one back on 58 minutes when Thomason was put through on the left but Roberts made a fine block then Cadden blocked the follow-up shot from Jones.

The visitors did pull one back five minutes later when Aaron Collins’ low cross from the right was turned in from close range by former Barnsley striker Victor Adeboyejo.

Collins nearly levelled when he got in on the right of the box but his shot from tight angle was blocked by Roberts.

Barnsley brought on O’Keeffe and Conor Grant, switching to a 3-4-3 with Williams moving from the right to left.

Collins saw another shot from just inside the box easily gathered by Roberts.

Bolton substitute Cameron Jerome saw a close range headed deflected just wide by a defender on 85 minutes.

Bolton looked certain to level in the 90th minute when a left-wing cross was turned onto the post by Jon Dadi Bodvarsson, then Paris Maghoma saw a shot blocked by Earl then another superbly saved by Roberts.

Maghoma then burst through the defence in injury-time to go one-on-one with Roberts who made a crucial block.

But the visitors were awarded a late penalty for a foul by Earl on Jerome. Josh Sheehan’s spot-kick was saved by Roberts but Randell Williams scored the rebound.

Barnsley (3-5-2): Roberts; de Gevigney, Pines, Earl; Williams, Phillips (Cotter 84mins), Connell, Kane, Cadden (O’Keeffe 68); McAtee (Grant. 68), Cole (Cosgrove 90+4).

Unused: Killip, Russell, McCart.

Yellow cards: McAtee.

Goals: McAtee 25, Pines 47.

Bolton (3-5-2): Coleman; Jones, Santos, Toal; Dacres-Cogley (Iredale 52mins), Dempsey (Maghoma 71), Sheehan, Thomason, Ogbeta (Williams 71); Collins (Bodvarsson 79), Adeboyejo (Jerome 79).

Unused: Forrester, Morley.

Yellow cards: Thomason.

Goals: Adeboyejo 63, Williams 90+8.