Poor goals cost Reds in 3-1 home play-off loss

Barnsley conceded two disastrous second half goals as they lost 3-1 at home to Bolton Wanderers in the first leg of their League One play-off semi-final.

The visitors took the lead halfway through the first half then added another from the penalty spot early in the second half after a huge error by home captain Jordan Willliams.

Substitute Sam Cosgrove pulled one back but then the hosts were on top for the final 20 minutes having offered little in attack before that, before they conceded directly from a corner deep in injury-time.

They now need a miraculous comeback in Bolton on Tuesday evening to claim a place in the Wembley final.

Interim boss Martin Devaney kept the same starting 11 which started the final league game against Northampton the previous Saturday. Jon Russell returned from injury to replace Aiden Marsh on the bench. Jordan Williams made his 200th appearance

Barnsley made a fairly bright start but there were no real chances until the visitors took the lead midway through the first half when a good move down the right finished with Paris Maghoma’s low cross being turned in from close range by Dion Charles. A clever flick by Josh Dacres-Cogley on halfway was followed by a slick one, two between Maghoma and Aaron Collins which cut open the left side of Barnsley’s defence. There were some claims that Maghoma was offside initially.

Maghoma then shot just wide of the top left corner from the right of the box after Mael de Gevigney gave the ball away.

Although the game was fairly even overall, all Barnsley offered in attack in the first half were two long-range Adam Phillips shots that were well off-target and a John McAtee effort from the right touchline which the goalkeeper easily gathered.

The visitors netted a second eight minutes after the break when Williams’ terrible back header was intercepted by Josh Sheehan who was then taken out by goalkeeper Liam Roberts. Charles’ penalty found the right side of the net via a hand from Roberts.

It was almost 3-0 but Nicky Cadden turned over a shot by Maghoma after Randell Williams easily beat Corey O’Keeffe on the left and pulled the ball back.

Ricardo Santos headed in the resulting corner via a touch from Josh Earl but it was ruled out apparently for an attacker making contact with Roberts.

Cosgrove pulled one back with the Reds’ first shot on target on 75 minutes. After a free-kick was headed out to Conor Grant, he played a pass through the out-of-position visiting defence to his fellow substitute to beat the goalkeeper from close range. It was his first goal in 11 games.

Phillips then saw a powerful 25-yard shot blocked after Cadden played a corner to him from the right.

Phillips also saw a header from Cadden’s left-wing corner brilliantly clawed out of the bottom right corner by goalkeeper Nathan Baxter.

Phillips came close again when his volleyed shot on the right of the box from another fine Cadden cross was pushed out of the bottom left corner by Baxter.

Roberts made a superb one-on-one save from substitute Kyle Dempsey who had been played clean through by ex-Red Victor Adeboyejo. But the resulting corner from the right by Williams went straight in past Roberts who was under pressure from Cameron Jerome.

Barnsley (3-5-2): Roberts; Williams, de Gevigney, Earl; O’Keeffe, Phillips, Connell, Kane (Grant 66mins), Cadden; Cole (Cosgrove 66), McAtee (Jalo 89).

Unused: Killip, Russell, Cotter, McCart.

Yellow cards: Phillips.

Goals: Cosgrove 75.

Bolton (3-5-2): Baxter; Jones, Santos, Toal; Dacres-Cogley, Thomason, Sheehan, Maghoma, Williams; Collins (Adeboyejo 88), Charles (Jerome 88).

Unused: Coleman, Iredale, Ogbeta, Morley, Dempsey,.

Yellow cards: Maghoma, Dacres-Cogley, Collins.

Goals: Charles 23, 53 (pen), Williams 90+6.