Substitute Jon Lewis scored an injury-time leveller as Conor Hourihane’s debut in the Oakwell dugout ended in a 1-1 draw with lowly Cambridge United.

The visitors, who arrived second-bottom, took an early lead then withstood pressure in the second half until the American netted his first for the Reds.

Barnsley have taken 11 points from their last 13 games and slipped down a place to 11th in the table.

Interim boss Conor Hourihane made three changes from last week’s loss at Mansfield Town. Kieren Flavell made his first EFL start in goal in place of the injured Jackson Smith. Donovan Pines replaced Marc Roberts, who is out with concussion, and Kelechi Nwakali came in for Jon Russell. Fabio Jalo was back the bench after injury.

Barnsley made a reasonably bright start but fell behind in the ninth minute when Pines headed a simple clearance straight to Dom Ballard who played James Brophy through to beat Flavell one-on-one.

Barnsley responded well and Max Watters shot straight at the goalkeeper in the box after a good move.

Cambridge nearly made it 2-0 when, after a scramble in the box amid calls for offside, the eventual shot was skewed wide of the gaping net.

Hourihane was then forced into an early change as Josh Benson picked up an injury and was replaced by league debutant Jonathan Bland.

Davis Keillor-Dunn missed a huge chance to level on 37 minutes when, after a cross from the right was headed into his path by Watters, he somehow shot wide of the bottom left corner from eight yards out.

In the second half, Adam Phillips shot wide in a good position just outside the box after another clever Watters header this time from a Mael de Gevigney ball.

Phillips then saw a deflected effort from just inside the box go narrowly wide of the bottom left corner, following a pass by substitute Jalo who, seconds later, brilliantly beat a defender in the box before shooting over from 15 yards.

Barnsley thought they should have had a penalty when the impressive Jalo’s cross hit ex-Red Paul Digby’s arm in the box but it was not given.

After good passes by Bland and Corey O’Keeffe, Nwakali's 25-yard shot was caught by the goalkeeper diving to his right.

It was nearly 2-0 when Elias Kachunga was played through on the left of the penalty box but Flavell pushed the shot out of the top left corner.

Keillor-Dunn then hit the crossbar with an impressive 20-yard strike in the 90th minute.

Lewis levelled in the 92nd minute when he turned in at the back post from Jalo’s right-wing cross.

Barnsley (3-5-2): Flavell; de Gevigney, Pines (Russell 62mins), McCarthy; Benson (Bland 19), Connell (Jalo 62), Nwakali, Phillips (Lewis 77), O’Keeffe; Keillor-Dunn, Watters (Humphrys 62).

Unused: Hayton, Rodrigues.

Yellow cards: de Gevigney, Nwakali, Russell.

Goals: Lewis 90+2.

Cambridge (4-3-2-1): Bishop; Gibbons, Morrison, Watts, Malone; Digby, Brophy, Stevenson; Kachunga, Stokes (Nlundulu 79); Ballard (Kaikai 66).

Unused: Stevens, Bennett, Okedina, Loft, Hoddle.

Yellow cards: Malone, Gibbons, Morrison.

Goals: Brophy 9.