A bad start and poor finishing cost Barnsley as they were held to a 1-1 draw at lowly Cambridge United on Saturday.

The hosts took the lead early on but Stephen Humphrys levelled with an excellent individual goal on 17 minutes.

After a disappointing first half, the Reds were on top after the break but missed a series of good chances.

They are unbeaten in five but slipped down a place to fifth in the League One table.

Humphrys came into the side for the suspended Luca Connell, in the only change from the home win over Rotherham. The Reds changed to 3-4-3 with Adam Phillips and Jon Russell in central midfield while Humphrys and Davis Keillor-Dunn either side of Max Watters.

The Reds began slowly and conceded after four minutes. Marc Roberts half cleared a long throw then Mael de Gevigney gave Dan Nlundulu too much space on the left of the box to round him and hit a shot which appeared to deflect in off Jon Russell.

Darrell Clarke made a change on seven minutes, taking Watters off for Kelechi Nwakali and reverting to a 3-5-2.

Russell saw a long-range shot tipped over the bar then Marc Roberts dragged a shot wide after a set piece.

Cambridge had another good spell with a series of set pieces, and Nlundulu headed over, but the Reds scored an excellent counter-attack goal.

After a corner was cleared by Russell, Phillips challenged for a header and the ball bounced to Humphrys on the halfway line who powered down the left wing and fired into the bottom left corner from the edge of box.

Cambridge almost retook the lead when Michael Morrison’s header from a set piece bounced off the left post.

In the second half, ex-Red Korey Smith saw a weak shot easily saved.

Nwakali saw a 25-yard dipping effort tipped over by the goalkeeper then, from the resulting corner which was played cleverly short, Russell turned in from close range after Humphrys shot was saved but the linesman put his flag up for offside.

Phillips looked set to score on 70 minutes when he was put through by Humphrys with a fine pass but he shot wide of the bottom right corner.

Humphrys’ long-range deflected shot looped into the air then was fumbled onto the crossbar by the goalkeeper.

Seconds later, Phillips headed wide from close range with a difficult chance from a Corey O’Keeffe cross.

Another O’Keeffe cross was headed over by Keillor-Dunn who was five yards out and unmarked.

Barnsley (3-4-3): Killip; de Gevigney, Roberts, Earl; O’Keeffe, Phillips, Russell, Gent; Keillor-Dunn, Watters (Nwakali 7), Humphrys.

Unused: Smith, Cotter, Lofthouse, Pines, Jalo, Craig.

Yellow cards: Humphrys, Gent, Russell.

Goals: Humphrys 17.

Cambridge (3-4-1-2): Stevens; Okedina, Morrison, Andrew; Cousins, Bennett, Smith, Brophy (Watts 88); Kachunga; Njoku (Loft 65), Nulundulu (Lavery 77). Unused: Chadwick,, Ibsen Rossi, O’Riordan, Kaunda.

Yellow cards: Bennett, Njoku, Loft.

• GAME UNDERWAY
• 3:01pm
  First minute all Cambridge but Barnsley clear a few crosses
• 3:02pm
  Reds getting on the ball a bit more now. Still no chances
• 3:04pm
  GOAL!

  Dan Nlundulu scores
• 3:06pm
  Long throw half cleared by Roberts then Dan Nlundulu beats de Gevigney in the box and fires in
• 3:08pm
  Nwakali on for Watters after seven minutes
• 3:08pm
  Watters didn't look injured
• 3:10pm
  Long range Russell shot tipped behind by goalkeeper
• 3:11pm
  11 O'Keeffe corner short to O'Keeffe headed out to Roberts who drags a shot wide from about 12 yards
• 3:11pm
  Watters didn't look injured to me. Will obviously ask afterwards. I was surprised 3-5-2 was abandoned for this game so possible tactical. Look a lot better since the change
• 3:13pm
  Watters didn't look injured to me. Will obviously ask afterwards. I was surprised 3-5-2 was abandoned for this game so possible tactical. Look a lot better since the change
• 3:14pm
  Cambridge into the box and the Red Korey Smith lofts the ball up high from the left and the goalkeeper catches
• 3:15pm
  YELLOW CARD

  Stephen Humphrys booked after losing ball to Kachunga then pulling
• 3:16pm
  Dan Nlundulu heads over from cross on the right.
• 3:17pm
  GOAL!

  Stephen Humphrys equalisers with a great goal
• 3:19pm
  Picks it up on halfway on the counter from a corner. He sprints into the box on the left and produces a superb finish
• 3:21pm
  Barnsley have finally scored in the pink kit
• 3:26pm
  Halfway through the half. Barnsley have settled into this quite well
• 3:27pm
  Ex-Red Korey Smith shoots well over from distance
• 3:28pm
  O'Keeffe loses ball just outside his box. Cross headed out by Mael then Gent concedes corner
• 3:29pm
  Corner on right. headed onto post by Michael Morrison
• 3:30pm
  Barnsley just really haven't settled defensively. They are losing the ball a lot at the back and poor from set pieces
• 3:32pm
  Cambridge on the front foot, setting the tempo and first to loose balls
• 3:36pm
  Decent move ends with a Gent cross being caught. Better spell for the Reds
• 3:38pm
  Not long now until half-time. Barnsley will probably take 1-1 and try to sort out their performance at the break
• 3:41pm
  Decent move ends with throw on right for Reds
• 3:41pm
  Roberts long throw easily cleared then his cross is cleared as is O'Keeffe's
• 3:42pm
  Another throw on right
• 3:42pm
  Better throw but Dan Nlundulu wins header and loops up for goalkeeper to catch
• 3:45pm
  Some real nice touches by Kelechi. He's been good since he came on
• 3:46pm
  Barnsley have had a lot of the ball in the last ten minutes or so and look a bit more comfortable
• 3:47pm
  HALF-TIME: Cambridge 1, Barnsley 1
• 4:02pm
  SECOND HALF UNDERWAY
• 4:03pm
  Cambridge attack early in second half and Korey Smith's shot from a tight angle is easily saved
• 4:03pm
  Roberts concedes a corner. Cambridge have started brightly again
• 4:04pm
  Corner headed out by Roberts then scrambled out. Next cross headed up by Jubril Okedina and caught by Killip
• 4:05pm
  YELLOW CARD

  Brandon Njoku carded for pulling down MDG
• 4:06pm
  O'Keeffe low free-kick cleared for corner. Good low cross
• 4:06pm
  O'Keeffe corner headed by Roberts then cleared .
• 4:10pm
  Chance for Roberts to throw in from left
• 4:11pm
  Throw cleared and Nwakali shoots well wide from distance
• 4:12pm
  Nwakali nearly puts Humphrys clean through but very good last second tackle by Morrison
• 4:12pm
  Now Earl concedes corner on right
• 4:12pm
  56 Cambridge corner on right. Andrew takes. Killip catches
• 4:14pm
  Roberts throw headed out
• 4:16pm
  Barnsley having a lot of the ball now but not finding the killer pass or cross
• 4:17pm
  Gent beats a man and wins a corner
• 4:18pm
  O'Keeffe corner cleared then Nwakali's 25 yard tipped over
• 4:19pm
  Russell scores but offside
• 4:21pm
  Barnsley win free-kick on right
• 4:22pm
  That offside goal was good move with Humphrys shot saved then turned in with flag up
• 4:22pm
  O'Keeffe free-kick headed by Roberts then cleared
• 4:22pm
  Cambridge bring on Ryan Loft for Brandon Njoku
• 4:25pm
  Barnsley have had more control in this second half but yet to create a really big chance
• 4:27pm
  Big chance for Phillips. Put clean through by Humphrys but shoots just wide of the bottom left corner
• 4:28pm
  YELLOW CARD

  Liam Bennett booked for foul about 40 yards out
• 4:28pm
  Nice free-kick routine leads to Phillips trying to head to Humphrys who would have had a tap in but the goalkeeper intercepts
• 4:30pm
  Cambridge free-kick easily caught by Killip
• 4:31pm
  YELLOW CARD

  Ryan Loft booked for taking out MDG. Wild tackle
• 4:33pm
  So close Humphrys. His long-range strike takes a big deflection and the goalkeeper fumbled it onto the bar.
• 4:34pm
  Now another Phillips chance. He heads wide from a right wing O'Keeffe cross
• 4:36pm
  Barnsley definitely the better side this half but can they make it count
• 4:38pm
  Big chance. O'Keeffe cross from right headed over by DKD about five yards out with the goal gaping
• 4:40pm
  A couple of scrambles in the Reds box with clearances by Roberts and Gent
• 4:41pm
  Into the last five minutes of the 90 now
• 4:42pm
  Earl wins the ball and then a free-kick about 35 yards from goal
• 4:42pm
  Gent free-kick cleared
• 4:43pm
  Barnsley's set pieces haven't been as dangerous as normal with no Connell
• 4:44pm
  The game is a little bit more flat an even now after a long spell of Barnsley pressure
• 4:46pm
  Humphrys almost gets onto long ball over top but the goalkeeper runs out of his box to clear
• 4:46pm
  O'Keeffe good run down the right and wins a throw on the right
• 4:47pm
  Nwakali cross turned well wide at the back post by Earl
• 4:48pm
  Two added minutes
• 4:48pm
  Cambridge long throw on left., Andrew takes. Headed out then DKD smashes high and out
• 4:49pm
  FULL-TIME: Cambridge 1, Barnsley 1.