Barnsley 1 Burnley 1: Win eludes Barnsley but spirit earns point

It looked like being another evening to forget for the hosts after Charlie Austin’s fourth-minute header threatened the Tykes with a fourth successive home defeat.

But, despite a poor first-half showing, Keith Hill’s men somehow went in at half-time on level terms after Marcus Tudgay headed home from 12 yards shortly before the break.

However, the draw made it eight games without a win and unless something changes quickly a relegation battle seems a certainty.

For Burnley, their goal signalled the end of a three-game scoring drought for Austin, who took his tally to 21 for season, and they could have been celebrating all three points but Danny Ings’s early second-half effort hit a post. As it was, the game ended all square and they remain in mid-table.

Hill made three changes to his side with Stephen Foster, Akos Buzskay and Reuben Noble-Lazarus handed starts.

Burnley were fresh from an impressive 1-0 win at Hull on Saturday, but were unable to call on banned match-winner Dean Marney and Sean Dyche made a further two changes, recalling Kieran Trippier and Marvyn Bartley.

Austin’s goal came when he stole in front of his marker at a corner and powered a header home.

Barnsley hauled themselves level in the 37th minute. The ball fell to Scott Golbourne on the left and he whipped in a delicious cross for Tudgay to head home.

Barnsley: Steele, Cranie, Foster, McNulty, Golbourne, Noble-Lazarus, Greening, Buzsaky, Mellis (O’Brien 81), Davies (Sinclair 79), Tudgay. Unused subsitutes: Alnwick, Dawson, Wiseman, Cywka, Stones.

Burnley: Grant, Trippier, Duff, Shackell, Mee, Bartley (Ings 46), McCann, Stock (Edgar 81), Wallace (Vokes 83), Austin, Paterson. Unused subsitutes: Jensen, Lafferty, Stanislas, Stewart.

Referee: P Gibbs (West Midlands).