Barnsley 1 Northampton Town 1: Reds book place in League One play-offs with home draw

Interim head coach Martin Devaney oversaw the draw, having picked up the baton following the sacking of Neill Collins. The performance was not particularly glamorous but it was effective, ensuring a season of work was not squandered on the final day of the regular season.

Herbie Kane notched the opener with a stylish strike from distance, giving Barnsley a lead that was eventually surrendered late on. Louis Appere levelled deep into stoppage time but results elsewhere ensured it did not prove costly for the hosts.

The opening stages were cagey, as is to be expected when there are such high stakes. There were flickers of attacking intent from Barnsley but no clear-cut opportunities for either side.

Luca Connell had fans on their feet with a long pass that caught Northampton’s defenders flat-footed, but Lee Burge mopped up swiftly to deny Adam Phillips.

The hosts appeared most likely to break the deadlock, even if their feet did not appear to be firmly pressed on the gas. However, they were nearly caught out when Josh Earl misjudged a pass in behind for Kieron Bowie. Fortunately for the Reds, the Cobblers loanee was unable to test Liam Roberts.

Barnsley gained the advantage they craved on the 18-minute mark, sending the Oakwell faithful into rapture. Phillips cushioned an Earl pass into the path of Kane, who picked his spot and fired into the bottom corner from outside the box with stylish precision.

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Seemingly awoken from their slumber by the opener, Northampton started to apply some pressure of their own in an attempt to draw level. Consecutive deliveries into the box needed turning behind but the visitors could not make Barnsley pay with the resulting set-pieces.

Northampton’s resurgence continued as Barnsley’s grip on the game weakened with the half-time whistle approaching. Appere managed to race in behind the Reds backline but a last-ditch tackle from Jordan Williams on the recovery put an end to the threat.

Barnsley attacks continued to break down as they approached the final third and Cadden repeatedly appeared perplexed as the hosts sought to force their way through the middle rather than switch play.

The start to the second half was a stodgy one, with little for fans to enjoy. It was Northampton who eventually carved out the first opportunity, catching the Reds cold on the counter-attack. Mitchell Pinnock cut in from the right and unleashed a powerful effort that took a deflection and looped over the crossbar.

Northampton then almost gifted Barnsley a second, surrendering possession in their own box. McAtee stabbed towards goal with the Cobblers defence in disarray but saw his effort blocked.

The Cobblers once again gave the Reds possession in a dangerous area barely a minute later, but Kane could not emulate his earlier feat by finding the back of the net from distance.

Northampton did their utmost to spark a comeback but Barnsley wrestled back control of the game, keeping the Cobblers at bay and limiting them to speculative shots from distance for the most part. Appere came close to spoiling the party when his header whistled past the post.

Having threatened to do so, Appere then did spoil the party with a volley in the sixth minute of stoppage time. Fortunately for the Reds, it merely pushed them down to sixth and not out of the play-offs entirely.

Barnsley will now face Bolton Wanderers over two legs, with a place in the play-off final at Wembley up for grabs.