Conor Hourihane’s first game as permanent Barnsley head coach ended in a 1-1 draw with Peterborough United on Easter Monday.

The Reds fell behind early but levelled on the stroke of half-time through an excellent Jon Russell goal.

Both teams had chances to win as the Reds played fairly well overall.

The Reds remain 12 in League One and have won just one of their last ten games.

Conor Hourihane made four changes from the side that lost at Leyton Orient on Friday.

Joe Gauci replaced Kieren Flavell in goal, Mael de Gevigney returned from suspension in place of Conor McCarthy, Barry Cotter replaced Jonathan Bland and Dexter Lembikisa made his full debut in place of the injured Stephen Humphrys. Lembikisa played at right-back in a 4-3-3 with Cotter on the left of the front three and Fabio Jalo on the right.

Hector Kyprianou had a shot easily saved by Gauci in the third minute then, at the other end, Adam Phillips’ 25-yard shot struck the base of the left post after good work by Davis Keillor-Dunn.

The visitors took the lead in the 17th minute as Barnsley were totally opened up down their right. Harley Mills won the ball with a forceful tackle on Jalo in his box then passed to Malik Mothersille who cleverly nudged it on to Abraham Odoh who beat Luca Connell’s risky challenge and was in space to run into the home half and feed Ricky-Jade Jones to place a shot from just inside the box into the bottom right corner.

Keillor-Dunn shot over from just inside the box seconds later, after Phillips headed down a Marc Roberts ball. He also saw a free-kick easily saved.

Roberts headed a Keillor-Dunn corner onto the post but the referee had blown his whistle for a foul that was not obvious on the replay.

The Reds levelled in first half injury-time when Earl dispossessed Mothersille and found Keillor-Dunn who slipped in Russell on the left of the box to curl a fine shot into the top right corner for his ninth of the season.

Posh half-time substitute Gustav Lindgren came close within a few minutes but dragged wide a few yards out at the front post from a low right-wing cross by Mothersille who was found by Kyprianou.

Jalo then had to be stretchered off with what looked like a serious injury to his left knee, with Max Watters coming on.

Posh should have gone 2-1 up but Mothersille headed straight at Gauci unmarked in the box after Carl Johnston intercepted a Roberts pass then motored up the right wing and crossed.

Russell almost scored another fine goal but, after being picked out just outside the box by a clever Phillips pass, he curled just wide of the left post.

Barnsley then had two chances within a minute. The goalkeeper dropped a Keillor-Dunn corner and Roberts’ shot was deflected just wide of the bottom right corner then, seconds later, Connell’s right-wing corner cleverly found Keillor-Dunn but he sliced over 12 yards out.

Keillor-Dunn should have won it in injury-time but volleyed wide about eight yards out from a cross by substitute Jonathan Bland.

Barnsley (4-3-3): Gauci; Lembikisa, de Gevigney, Roberts, Earl; Phillips, Connell, Russell; Jalo (Watters 57), Keillor-Dunn, Cotter (Bland 81)

Unused: Flavell, Benson, Lewis, McCarthy, Nwakali, Watters.

Yellow cards: Connell, Bland.

Goals: Russell 45+2.

Peterborough (4-2-3-1): Steer; Johnston (Dornelly 90+8mins), Wallin, Hughes, Mills; De Havilland, Kyprianou; Poku (Conn-Clarke 73), Mothersille (O’Brien-Brady 90+5), Odoh,; Jones (Lindgren HT).

Unused: Bilokapic, Nevett, Ihionvien.

Yellow cards: Hughes

Goals: Jones 17.