Barnsley ended a six-game winless run with a 2-1 victory at Exeter City, which was also the first time they had come from behind to win this season.

The Reds trailed at the break following a poor performance but full debutant Kelechi Nwakali scored a superb leveller early in the second half then Davis Keillor-Dunn put the Reds in front before the hour-mark.

They cut the gap to the top six from four points to just one.

Darrell Clarke made two enforced changes from the side which lost at home to Birmingham a week earlier. Nwakali – who made his first league start – came in for the suspended Adam Phillips and Conor McCarthy started a league game for the first time since September 2022 as he replaced the injured Marc Roberts. Max Watters was back on the bench after injury.

Former Barnsley player Jack Aitchison shot just wide of the bottom left corner from 20 yards after 13 seconds. Stephen Humphrys then missed a Davis Keillor-Dunn cross from close range.

The opener arrived on 13 minutes when, after the referee judged that Luca Connell fouled Caleb Watts just outside the box, Josh Magennis’ free-kick took a big deflection and trickled in past a wrong-footed Ben Killip.

Magennis then beat Donovan Pines and Mael de Gevigney in the air to win a header and nearly went through on goal but Killip just beat him to it.

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Killip dived to his right to keep out a Millenic Alli 20-yard shot after Barnsley were easily opened up with Magennis finding his strike partner.

Keillor-Dunn missed a big chance against the run of play when Jon Russell put him clean through but he was denied one-on-one by goalkeeper Joe Whitworth.

Watts fired a good chance over from 15 yards after Aitchison was released on the left wing by one of several long balls over the Reds defence which caused real problems.

Nwakali levelled five minutes into the second half when he smashed a brilliant 25-yard effort into the bottom left corner after a Georgie Gent cross was half-cleared.

Eight minutes later, after a fine de Gevigney pass, Humphrys whipped a low cross in from the right of the box and Keillor-Dunn turned in from a few yards out.

The Reds dominated the first half of the second half then Exeter made a quadruple change which allowed them to control possession but they did not create many chances (?). The lively Vince Harper headed a good chance well wide on 87 minutes from Ilmari Niskanen’s right-wing cross.

Jay Bird should have levelled on 94 minutes when a cross from the right was headed down but his tame volley was easily caught by Killip.

Barnsley (3-5-2) : Killip; de Gevigney, Pines, McCarthy; O’Keeffe, Russell (Watters 79mins), Nwakali, Connell, Gent; Keillor-Dunn (Yoganathan 90+1), Humphrys (Lofthouse 79).

Unused: Smith, Cotter, Cosgrove, Craig.

Yellow cards: McCarthy, Gent, Lofthouse.

Goals: Nwakali 50, Keillor-Dunn 58.

Exeter (3-4-3): Whitworth; Sweeney, Crama, Francis; Niskanen, Woods (Richards 67mins), Watts (Cole HT), McMillan; Alli (Mitchell 67), Magennis (Bird 67), Aitchison (Harper 67).

Unused: MacDonald, Fitzwater.

Goals: Magennis 13.

AS IT HAPPENED
  • GAME UNDERWAY
  • 3:00pm
    Early attack from the hosts and ex Red Jack Aitchison shoots just wide of the bottom left corner after 14 seconds
  • 3:01pm
    McCarthy on left of back three, Connell on left of midfield three with Russell on right
  • 3:03pm
    Exeter have started well but Barnsley are having their first spell of possession so far
  • 3:05pm
    First real attack for Barnsley. Connell finds Humphrys outside box and he shoots but it's blocked then cleared
  • 3:07pm
    It's gone a bit scrappy in the last few minutes with both sides easing their way into the game
  • 3:07pm
    Good ball by Woods out to Alli on left wing and his cross is caught by Killip
  • 3:08pm
    Chance for the Reds. DKD cross from the right drops for Humphrys in the box but it might have been just behind him because he misses it a few yards out
  • 3:09pm
    Then Russell beats a couple of players charging into the box on the left before the ball runs out of play for a goal kick. Russell then argues with a couple of home players and the referee has a word
  • 3:10pm
    YELLOW CARD
    Conor McCarthy booked for a foul on Watts on right wing. Decent free-kick area next to box
  • 3:11pm
    Francis' free-kick headed out by Humphrys then Watts knees it up into air and Killip collects
  • 3:11pm
    Now Exeter win a free-kick inches outside the box for a foul on Watts
  • 3:13pm
    GOAL!
    Josh Magennis' free-kick deflects in
  • 3:14pm
    Not sure who that came off but it hit the wall and wrong-footed Killip then trickled in.
  • 3:15pm
    Obviously a disastrous start for the Reds who haven't come from behind to win this season
  • 3:17pm
    Barnsley weren't happy with the award of that free-kick. Connell didn't think he had fouled Caleb Watts
  • 3:18pm
    Exeter are playing a lot of diagonal balls behind the Reds back line and they are picking the ball up in good areas
  • 3:19pm
    Magennis causing problems again. He gets away from both MDG and Pines to go through but Killip gets their first and smothers the ball
  • 3:21pm
    21 Barnsley win a corner on the left. O'Keeffe to take
  • 3:21pm
    22 O'Keeffe's left wing corner is headed out
  • 3:24pm
    Russell brings down a long ball well and finds Connell who shoots well over from about 25 yards
  • 3:27pm
    Not a good performance at all so far by the Reds. Exeter look the more threatening side with a clearer game plan
  • 3:29pm
    A better period of possession for the visitors ends when MDG cross chested back to goalkeeper
  • 3:30pm
    Niskanen is clean through behind back line but does not have pace to beat McCarthy before checking back and his pass is intercepted. Seconds later he's in on right of box but Pines cleared low cross
  • 3:31pm
    Again Exeter's diagonal balls behind the visiting defence are accurate and dangerous. It's clear what they are trying to do but you can't really say that about the visitors
  • 3:33pm
    Millenic Alli shot from just outside box saved by Killip diving to left. It came from simple passing through the Barnsley defence who are struggling
  • 3:34pm
    Big chance for the visitors. Russell plays DKD clean through but he's denied one on one by the goalkeeper
  • 3:34pm
    Reds win corner on right
  • 3:35pm
    36 Gent corner from right. Over everyone
  • 3:39pm
    Big chance for Exeter. Aitchison played in down left. pulls it back to Watts who shoots over 15 yards out
  • 3:43pm
    Pines makes a total mess of a low cross into the box, trying to do a stooping header but getting it all wrong. It nearly plays Magennis through but again Killip gets there just in time
  • 3:43pm
    Barnsley win a corner on the left
  • 3:44pm
    45 O'Keeffe's right-wing corner is just over Pines' head and out
  • 3:45pm
    One added minute this half
  • 3:46pm
    HALF-TIME: Exeter 1, Barnsley 0.
  • 4:01pm
    Exeter bring on Reece Cole for Caleb Watts
  • 4:02pm
    SECOND HALF UNDERWAY
  • 4:04pm
    Pines clearance blocked by Alli but it goes out for goal kick
  • 4:05pm
    49 O'Keeffe throw to DKD after all the big lads go up but they can't get a cross in
  • 4:06pm
    GOAL!
    Kelechi Nwakali with a superb equaliser
  • 4:08pm
    What a first goal for the club on his full league debut. He absolutely smashes a 25 yard strike into the bottom right corner after a Gent cross was half cleared.
  • 4:08pm
    What a first goal for the club on his full league debut. He absolutely smashes a 25 yard strike into the bottom right corner after a Gent cross was half cleared.
  • 4:08pm
    Barnsley barely celebrated and just went back to the kick off
  • 4:08pm
    Nwakali has since made a crucial clearance in his box
  • 4:11pm
    Reds suddenly on top. A few crosses cleared
  • 4:12pm
    Barnsley win a corner on the left
  • 4:12pm
    56 O'Keeffe corner from the right. Pines heads down then also stabs it towards goal but it's cleared
  • 4:14pm
    GOAL!
    Davis Keillor-Dunn puts the Reds in front
  • 4:15pm
    Humphrys on the right of the box, whips in a low cross and Keillor Dunn finishes from a few yards out
  • 4:17pm
    It's been an excellent second half for the Reds
  • 4:17pm
    They look so much better than before the break
  • 4:18pm
    Nwakali has another shot after another Gent cross is cleared but he drags it well wide
  • 4:21pm
    Barnsley have massively upped their intensity this half, dominating on the ball and closing Exeter down much quicker when they have it
  • 4:22pm
    Exeter making a quadruple change
  • 4:23pm
    Jay Bird on for Magennis, Demetri Mitchell for Aitchison, Jake Richards for Ryan Woods and Vince Harper for Millenic Alli
  • 4:25pm
    So Exeter have made all their changes now. Looks like they have gone with a bit more pace up front
  • 4:26pm
    A few cries for handball by Russell in the Reds box but from the fans not the players
  • 4:26pm
    The game has calmed down a bit now after Barnsley had a spell of dominance.
  • 4:27pm
    We're into the last 20 minutes
  • 4:27pm
    YELLOW CARD
    Home manager Gary Caldwell has been booked
  • 4:28pm
    Harper beats MDG to long ball on left and passes to Cole who takes a poor touch and it's cleafreds
  • 4:29pm
    Those subs have made a big difference. Harper beats MDG again on left of box and his cross is caught by Killip
  • 4:30pm
    Cole plays Harper in on the left but he shoots wide and he's given offside anyway
  • 4:34pm
    McCarthy tackles Niskanen and concedes corner on right
  • 4:35pm
    78 Francis corner from the right for Exeter. Too hard but recycled then they win another on the right
  • 4:35pm
    Lofthouse about to come on
  • 4:35pm
    79 Francis corner played short then Cole dinks the ball into the box but the goalkeeper gathers
  • 4:35pm
    Lofthouse on for Humphrys
  • 4:36pm
    And Watters for Russell
  • 4:38pm
    Harper, who has been good off the bench, whips in a dangerous cross from the left but no one is on the end of it
  • 4:39pm
    83 Reds counter attack through Watters who finds DKD but his long range shot is blocked
  • 4:40pm
    Harper easily beats O'Keeffe on left and crosses. Gent appears to push an attacker but no penalty given
  • 4:42pm
    Exeter have had a lot of the ball since going behind and got in a few good positions but no chances
  • 4:43pm
    86 Chance for a leveller. Niskanen's cross from the right is headed well off target
  • 4:47pm
    Four added minutes
  • 4:48pm
    YELLOW CARD
    Georgie Gent booked for clearly pulling back Niskanen. Free-kick on right wing
  • 4:48pm
    DKD off for Vimal Yoganathan
  • 4:49pm
    90+2 Yoganathan misses Mitchell's free-kick but it is scrambled out
  • 4:49pm
    YELLOW CARD
    Kyran Lofthouse booked for taking out Cole
  • 4:50pm
    90+3 Sweeney free-kick cleared
  • 4:50pm
    Big chance. Cross headed down to Bird who controls it then shoots too close to Killip who saves quite easily. Huge chance
  • 4:51pm
    FULL-TIME: Exeter 1, Barnsley 2

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