Barnsley FC's Sam Cosgrove happy to get off the mark for Reds with memorable bizarre goal

It also provided a moment which is likely to be replayed on 'football funnies' shows in the years ahead after he opened his Reds account in thoroughly bizarre fashion.

With the clock ticking down on an eminently forgettable game against Wycombe Wanderers at a cold and subdued Oakwell, the big East Yorkshireman decided to do something about it, heading into stoppage time.

Wycombe keeper Max Stryjek, in attempting to waste a bit of time with his struggling side not far away from a precious point, tried to run down the clock with the ball at his feet after a drop-ball.

Cosgrove, chasing something which was not even a lost cause, sprinted towards him and challenged the Polish custodian just as he gathered the ball.

Under pressure from the striker who knocked him back ever so slightly, Stryjek inexplicably fell and spilled the ball and Cosgrove obligingly tucked it into the net, for the only goal of the game.

In truth, he was not sure whether to celebrate or not. But his team-mates did it for him, with wild scenes not in keeping with an otherwise non-descript night ending in high drama and a touch of farce.

Despite vehement protests from Wycombe players – Harry Boyes would receive his second booking for taking his remonstrations a little too far – referee Darren Drysdale awarded the goal.

Speaking afterwards, Cosgrove said: "There's not much to say, is there. It's one of the best goals that I have scored.

"It was a strange one really. It's not often that you come across goals like that in football. But we take it and move on, job done.

"From my point of view, Wycombe were trying to slow the game down all game and the boy (Stryjek) has gone down under minimal/no contact from the (initial) corner and he was trying to waste time again when he got the ball back.

"It's tough to see when you are trying to push for the goal as the other team.

"Maybe there was a little bit of contact, but there's absolutely nowhere near enough for him to drop the ball like that.

"I will hold my hands up, there was contact. But there is absolutely no reason for the boy (keeper) – with the size of him – to go down like that and especially to drop the ball.

"I have been desperate to get my first goal for Barnsley. I think I have contributed on the pitch in other ways, but as a striker, you want to score goals and there's absolutely no way I was not putting the ball in the back of the net when it fell to me."

The goal was priceless both for Cosgrove, who joined the club from Birmingham City at the end of the summer window, and Barnsley, who finished off a forgettable November with a moment to savour.

It also provided the frontman with an early birthday present, he turns 27 on Saturday.

He continued: "It's been tough psychologically. I feel as if my start here has been stop-start anyway with a couple of injuries and niggles.

"I have not quite managed to get going myself, but hopefully this is that little psychological boost that has got me off the mark and put me in good stead going forward.

"Hopefully, it's the first of many and for sure, I will definitely remember it.

"I'll take that. I'd have taken one if we were playing on Saturday as well and that will do me."