Burnley 1 Barnsley 1: Point still not enough to prevent Tykes’ return to the drop zone

Word is, there was a game of similar importance across the city where he plies his trade.

Had he made the journey to East Lancashire to spy on Barnsley, there would have been plenty to concern him about the underdogs who will head to the Etihad on Saturday.

Barnsley battled doggedly and were full value for the point they earned through Tomasz Cywka’s curling shot six minutes from time.

They may not have played with the fluidity that yielded eight wins in nine games not so long ago, but they showed enough character to suggest a blip of two straight defeats is a temporary one and not an ongoing issue.

Despite the point, in the relentless clamour for survival in the Championship, wins are priceless, and Barnsley actually dropped a place last night into the bottom three because Wolves won at Millwall.

For so long it looked as though Charlie Austin, a striker Reds manager David Flitcroft called ‘the ghost’ in the build-up to this vital Championship fixture, had sealed all three points for Burnley.

There was an element of the paranormal about his goal on nine minutes, by the way he spirited his way into the heart of the penalty area, between defenders who were spooked by his presence.

Although there was an element of luck about his 26th goal of the season, his prowess in front of goal highlights why Burnley are still harbouring faint hopes of the play-offs, and why Barnsley, whose top scorer Craig Davies was sold two months ago, are fighting relegation.

The point for the Clarets leaves them eight points adrift of the top six, with games running out fast. They could feel aggrieved at refereeing decisions last night that deprived them of a clear penalty midway through the second half, when Austin was clipped by Martin Cranie.

But Barnsley played with more purpose, though they could not generate the width they had enjoyed just a few weeks ago, when John Stones down the right and Scott Golbourne down the left were wreaking havoc.

With Stones now at Everton and Golbourne out for the season with a knee injury, Flitcroft has been forced to make tactical changes.

He played with a back four last night, and, boldly, three strikers in Chris Dagnall, Marlon Harewood and Chris O’Grady. But any game plan they had to take the fight to Burnley was ripped up on nine minutes when Lafferty sneaked down the left and whipped in a cross to the front post.

Marvin Bartley missed it at the front stick but there was Austin, going somehow unnoticed six yards from the goal, to prod the ball home.

It was an untidy goal, deflecting in off David Perkins, and a soft one to concede from Barnsley’s point of view, that exposed the type of defensive frailty that will have had Flitcroft tearing his hair out.

The manager’s blood was boiling 10 minutes later when Harewood’s close-range shot was blocked at point-blank range by Lafferty.

An incensed Harewood tore off in pursuit of referee Carl Boyeson to protest for a handball but he was waved away.

Perkins was at the heart of that move and most other visiting attacks alongside the busy Jacob Mellis. Harewood was causing a nuisance for the defenders as well, the burly veteran using his power to create a chance for O’Grady that the loan striker half-volleyed wide.

As the half drew to a close, Perkins stood up a free-kick that O’Grady headed into the path of the charging Kelvin Etuhu, who drew a smart reaction save from former Sheffield Wednesday goalkeeper Lee Grant.

Barnsley continued to press in the second half, Dagnall firing just off target with a lob as Grant came out to pressure him.

Stephen Foster was then fortunate that Boyeson missed a tug of the shirt on Martin Paterson as he chased a long ball behind the defence.

Burnley fans were outraged 17 minutes from time when Austin was played through by Sam Vokes and seemingly brought down in the area by Cranie, but Boyeson was again unmoved.

O’Grady narrowly headed over Scott Wiseman’s cross from the right.

Wiseman was then required to get his body in the way of a goalbound downward header from Austin, who had once again deceived the Barnsley defence with his movement in the box.

When all seemed lost Cwyka rescued Barnsley, collecting a pass on the edge of the area and curling his shot beyond the reach of Grant.

Mellis could have won it at the death with a long-range effort that Grant tipped over.

Burnley: Grant; Lafferty, Shackell, Long, Trippier; Edgar (McCann 53), Bartley, Stanislas (Ings 53), Paterson (Vokes 66); Kacaniklic, Austin. Unused substitutes: Jensen, Mills, Treacy, Stock.

Barnsley: Steele; Wiseman, Foster, Cranie, Kennedy; Mellis, Perkins, Etuhu; O’Grady, Harewood (Cywka 45), Dagnall (Scotland 57). Unused substitutes: Lidakevicius, Delap, O’Brien, Hassell, Tunnicliffe.

Referee: C Boyeson (East Yorkshire).