Barnsley were on top for most of the game but were held to a 2-2 draw against fellow top seven side Reading.

Davis Keillor-Dunn opened the scoring near the start of a first half the Reds dominated.

Sam Smith’s second half double put the visitors ahead but Josh Earl levelled with his first Barnsley goal.

The Reds were the better side and dominated the majority of the match but missed a series of opportunities while Reading scored from their only real chances.

They have now taken two points from their last three games and stay sixth, ahead of Reading on goal difference.

Darrell Clarke did not make any changes from the team that lost 1-0 at home to Wigan Athletic on Saturday, a result which ended a five-game unbeaten league run.

The Reds started well and took the lead on eight minutes. After goalkeeper Ben Killip’s long pass was headed on by Stephen Humphrys, Reading defender Michael Craig – whose twin Matty was on Barnsley’s bench – missed a clearance and gifted the ball to Keillor-Dunn who went clean through to find the bottom right corner. It was his fifth goal of the season.

It was very nearly 2-0 on 20 minutes when, after Marc Roberts’ long throw was headed out, Adam Phillips’ 20-yard shot deflected off Jeriel Dorsett and was well-saved by the legs of goalkeeper Joel Pereira who then gathered after the ball hit defender Tyler Bindon.

Reading’s Chem Campbell sent an ambitious volley well wide from the right of the box then, after Humphrys won another header and Jon Russell touched the ball on, Keillor-Dunn curled just wide of the top left corner from outside the box.

Roberts was then free at the back post from a left-wing Corey O’Keeffe corner but his header was touched onto the post and wide by Pereira.

Charlie Savage volleyed wide of the bottom left corner from 20 yards after a good run by Chem Campbell.

Reading began the second half well and levelled on 50 minutes. Substitute Andre Garcia, who is 16, started a move which finished with Campbell cutting in from the right wing and shooting with Sam Smith deflecting it in.

Humphrys almost replied immediately but his shot from the edge of the box was pushed away by Pereira. Humphrys then took a heavy touch in the box after O’Keeffe squared to him from the right.

Barnsley were back on top as Mael de Gevigney headed over from a Connell corner and Humphrys did the same from a Georgie Gent cross.

The Reds missed a huge chance on 65 minutes. After Connell brilliantly beat a man and played a fine throughball to open up the Reading defence, Phillips squared to Humphrys who should have scored but was denied one-on-one by Pereira.

The visitors took the lead seconds later. Savage’s corner from the right was headed on by Harvey Knibbs then Campbell and Killip pushed the ball up into the air and onto the bar, only for Smith to kick in the rebound.

The Reds responded well again and Earl levelled when the latest in a series of crosses, by Roberts, was headed down by Humphrys to the defender to fire in a low shot from about eight yards.

Earl almost netted a second minutes later as he met an O’Keeffe corner a few yards out but headed over.

Substitute Sam Cosgrove then headed well wide from a Gent cross before a Connell corner hit Humphrys and bounced off the left post.

Knibbs shot well wide just inside the box on a rare attack for Reading.

Barnsley (3-5-2): Killip; de Gevigney, Roberts, Earl; O’Keeffe (Lofthouse 87mins) Phillips, Connell, Russell, Gent (Pines 88); Humphrys, Keillor-Dunn (Cosgrove 77).

Unused: Smith, Jalo, Nwakali, Craig.

Yellow cards: Phillips.

Goals: Keillor-Dunn 8, Earl 73.

Reading (4-3-3): Pereira; Craig (Ahmed 80mins), Bindon, Holzman, Dorsett (Garcia HT); Savage (Camara 80), Elliott, Wing; Knibbs, Smith, Campbell.

Unused: Button, Wareham, Kanu, Akande.

Goals: Smith 50, 67.