AS one cult figure prepared to depart to Bramall Lane, another stepped back on to the Oakwell stage with a mission – to save Barnsley from the drop.

German goalkeeper Heinz Muller made his first appearance on home turf since late January and showed that he had lost none of his sharpness with a top-class save which denied former Premier League striker Antoine Sibierski.

It ensured a match which Barnsley should have won at least finished with them taking a point which was enough to lift them off the foot of the Championship.

And they did it without talisman captain and driving force Brian Howard, who joins Sheffield United this morning, even though Reds manager Simon Davey refused point blank to confirm his exit or explain why he had been axed.

Davey's stonewalling was a poor way to keep the fans, whom he labelled as 'fantastic', informed but Barnsley clearly needed to cash in on last season's top scorer who is in the final year of his contract – see facing page for full story.

Howard's departure can be likened to that of Dean Windass from Bradford City in January, 2007 when they capitalised on their top scorer as he moved to Hull only for the Bantams to be relegated.

Davey, however, clearly believes he has enough cover in midfield to compensate for Howard – Anderson de Silva also making his first home bow since suffering cruciate trouble at Norwich in February – but where are the goals going to come from?

Had he been on the pitch, Howard would have taken the 13th-minute penalty unluckily conceded by Matty Pattison for inadvertently handling a downward header from Jamal Campbell-Ryce.

Instead, new captain Jon Macken, who otherwise had a fine match leading the line before suffering a calf problem, stepped up to the mark. Macken's sidefoot attempt was weak and David Marshall went down to his left to beat the ball away and it was cleared for a corner which was knocked back to the taker and Howard's replacement, Diego Leon, who thundered a shot against the foot of the post.

That, and a second-minute 'Beckhamesque' long-range effort from Leon which Marshall tipped over, was as close as the Reds came despite playing some attractive, attacking football.

They could well have been sent into despair had not flying Frankfurter Muller gone full-length to keep out Sibierski's powerful first-half header before pulling off a couple of smart second-half stops from right-winger Lee Croft.

Muller had been in such form that the likes of Arsenal had been watching him before he endured a career-threatening cruciate ligament injury but the 6ft 4in goalkeeper now feels fully recovered.

"I am very happy, having played two games now and don't have any problems with my knee so I'm very pleased, having kept two clean sheets," said Muller, who made his comeback in the goalless draw at Southampton and who revealed the players did not know about Howard until the lunchtime team meeting.

"It was very frustrating being out so long but I had the belief in me that I would have a successful comeback. I had the operation and rehab in Germany and I worked very hard for five months and so far everything is fine.

"I always think positive and I was kept motivated during my rehab and my target was always to get back between the sticks and play like I did last season. You need a target to aim for and that was to play as Barnsley's
No 1 again. I have always said that goalkeepers need game after game, it's the most important thing.

"But any player who played today will benefit from that performance. The boys have done everything right apart from
scoring – that's the problem at the moment. All that was missing today was a goal but so long as I keep clean sheets we can't lose."

Canaries chief Glenn Roeder was pleased that his side had taken a point from a game in which they were under the cosh for lengthy spells.

"From what we have seen, Barnsley have not played anywhere near as well as they did today and if they continue to play like that they will escape any trouble so it was good for us to grind out a point."

Barnsley: Muller, Foster, Moore, Souza, Kozluk; Campbell-Ryce, De silva, Colace (Devaney 65), Leon; Macken (Odejayi 73), Hume. Unused substitutes: Steele, Hassell, Mostto.

Norwich City: Marshall, Ostemobor, Omozusi, Stefanovic, Grounds; Croft (Hoolahan 75), Fotheringham, Pattison (Cureton 61), Bertrand; Sibierski, Russell. Unused substitutes: Drury, Koroma, Nelson.

Referee: N Miller (Co Durham).