Barnsley FC 1 Leicester City 1: Reyes Cleary rocket secures point for 10-man Reds in League One

10-man Barnsley valiantly battled their way to a 1-1 draw with Leicester City - despite seeing less than 25 per cent of the ball.

Russell Martin’s Foxes dominated possession at Oakwell and took the lead via Liam Cullen after just seven minutes.

A red card shown to Luca Connell on the 24-minute mark threatened to unravel the Reds completely, but Daniel Stendel’s men dug deep.

Reyes Cleary fired the hosts level shortly after the hour mark and Leicester’s late attacks did not yield a winner.

First half

Barnsley managed to get their primary attacking outlet - Cleary - up and running at Leicester early on. He was released down the left by Cameron McGeehan and saw his drilled shot towards the near post kept out by Alex McCarthy.

It was a brief flame of excitement for the Oakwell faithful that was quickly extinguished, as the visitors took an early lead. Luke Thomas advanced on the left flank and cut across for Liam Cullen, who faced little pressure as he slooted coolly past Rogan Ravenhill with a first-time finish.

Leicester again found their flow down the left and a Will Alves cross could only be cleared as far as Sammy Braybrooke Fortunately for the hosts, a crowd of bodies ensured the forward’s shot posed no danger.

Braybrooke then turned provider, floating in a cross from deep on the right that caught out Barnsley’s sleeping backline. Alves met the delivery, but could not adjust his body quickly enough and skewed wide.

Regular service then resumed as the Foxes went back to mounting assaults down the left-hand side. Alves raced beyond Sam Gale and delivered for Emil Riis, who could only muster a tame prod in the direction of a grateful Ravenhill.

In typical fashion, Leicester continued to dominate possession. Barnsley’s press was repeatedly circumvented and Leicester looked dangerous once the first lines of defence were passed. A slick passing move enabled Riis to float over a cross for Braybrooke to attack, but Ravenhill got down to save the header.

It soon went from bad to worse for the hosts, who lost Connell to a red card after just 24 minutes. The midfielder was judged to have gone in heavily on Thomas and the referee did not hesitate to order an early bath.

Barnsley’s numerical disadvantage only made them look more scattered, and most pertinently made it harder for them to press in the numbers they like to. Even when Leicester’s foot came off the gas, Barnsley struggled to threaten.

There was, however, a left-off for the dominant visitors when a wayward Olabade Aluko throw went straight to a red shirt in the final third. Barnsley looked set to create an opportunity, only for the referee to seemingly pull it back for a foul throw.

Stendel’s men huffed and puffed in the closing stages of the first half but there was a growing sense they were becoming increasingly easy to play around.

Second half

Leicester gifted an opportunity to the hosts immediately after the restart when Braybrooke surrendered possession in a dangerous area. Cleary collected but was judged to have handled the ball, to the relief of the Foxes.

Connor O’Riordan was then the relieved one, as he miscued a headed clearance and was fortunate to see it blocked before it found his own net.

Barnsley offered glimpses of life as they settled back into the game and Patrick Kelly headed over from a teasing Tyrese Noslin cross. Cleary then jinked his way in from the left only to blast wildly over the crossbar.

Leicester then broke away at pace and Alves rolled into the path of Liam Cullen, who was denied by a strong Ravenhill save.

Barnsley refused to relinquish their foothold in the game and made the most of it in stylish fashion, drawing level shortly after the hour mark. Cleary peeled away down the left and rifled a thunderous effort McCarthy was never going to get near into the roof of the net.

Barnsley were still a man down yet their equaliser had seemed to light a fire under them. They pressed with a renewed sense of purpose and challenges were celebrated like goals by Stendel.

The hosts may have perked up yet the wind soon gathered behind Leicester sails again. Thomas fizzed a shot in that Ravenhill had to be alert to and Wes Burns saw a long-range strike blocked.

Waves of Leicester attacks continued, interrupted briefly by a swift Barnsley counter-attack that resulted in a miscued Clayton Taylor shot.

Martin’s men continued to probe, yet could not make the most of their numerical advantage and had to settle for a point.

There was even an opportunity for Barnsley to steal a winner late on, but McCarthy was equal to Patrick Kelly’s rasping shot.