Barnsley conceded in injury-time as they lost 1-0 at home to Stevenage after a very poor performance.

The Reds created very little, only having a shot on target in the 83rd minute, and the visitors looked the more threatening before scoring on 92 minutes.

Barnsley, who were booed off, slipped down a place to sixth and are still a point clear in the League One play-offs. Stevenage had scored three away goals all season and none in 97 days.

Darrell Clarke made three changes from the side that lost 3-1 at Bristol Rovers a week prior. Defender Mael de Gevigney was not in the squad due to injury, ending a 63-match run of playing every minute of Barnsley’s league fixtures since September 2023. He was replaced by Conor McCarthy, while Kelechi Nwakali and full debutant Neil Farrugia came in for Jon Russell and Georgie Gent who dropped to the bench.

Stevenage were the better and more creative side in a generally dull first half, with the Reds not creating any real chances.

Barnsley started sloppily and, after a McCarthy throw gifted the ball to Stevenage, Jordan Roberts’ deflected shot almost lobbed Ben Killip but he tipped it over.

The Reds settled down and had plenty of the ball but could not create any chances in the first half an hour. It was Stevenage who came close again on 31 minutes when Jake Young wriggled into the box from the left and was denied by Killip from close-range at a tight angle. Stevenage were on top for the remainder of the half but could not carve out another clear chance.

After the interval, Charlie Goode’s weak 18-yard volley was easily saved by Killip after Carl Piergianni beat McCarthy in the air then, at the other end, Davis Keillor-Dunn shot well wide from 25 yards.

Barnsley then had a lot of the ball and tried to attack but badly struggled to carve out chances, with Keillor-Dunn dragging another long-range effort well wide.

But Stevenage then had a good spell as Daniel Phillips’ shot was easily saved by Killip after a corner then Dan Kemp shot over from distance after substitute Gent lost the ball.

The visitors should have scored on 81 minutes when, after fine passes by Daniel Phillips and Kemp, Jamie Reid was clean through but shot badly wide of the top right corner.

Barnsley finally had a shot on target on 83 minutes when Gent’s effort from a tight angle on the left was beaten away by Murphy Cooper.

Killip then tipped over a powerful long-range effort by Eli King.

The winner saw a right-wing cross by Luther James-Wildin drift over Killip and be headed in nearly on the line by Kemp.

McCarthy then gifted Reid the ball but he was denied one-on-one by Killip. Elliot List went clean through on the left and shot wide.

Barnsley (3-5-2): Killip; McCarthy, Roberts, Earl; O’Keeffe, Phillips (Humphrys 71mins), Connell (Russell 80), Nwakali, Farrugia (Gent 67); Keillor-Dunn, Watters.

Unused: Smith, Pines, Cosgrove, Lofthouse.

Yellow cards: McCarthy.

Stevenage (4-3-3): Cooper; James-Wildin, Piergianni, Goode, Freestone; White (King 67), Phillips, Kemp; Roberts (Appere), Reid, Young (List 67).

Unused: Ashby-Hammond, Sweeney, Freeman, Smith.

Yellow cards: Phillips, Goode.

Goals: Kemp 90+2.