Oxford United 2-2 Barnsley

Barnsley gave their promotion hopes a boost by battling back from 2-0 down to earn a spirited 2-2 draw at Oxford.

It extended their unbeaten league run to eight games, but they were given a shock by struggling Oxford.

Josh Ruffels headed the U's into a 25th-minute lead at a corner, and Jamie Mackie forced goalkeeper Adam Davies into an error before knocking in a second goal early in the second half.

Mamadou Thiam pulled one back for the Tykes with 20 minutes to go.

And substitute Kieffer Moore then slickly turned in Jacob Brown's pass in the 79th minute with his 17th goal of the season.

Karl Robinson's team were unlucky not to win, though, because they struck the crossbar three times.

Gavin Whyte's effort when he lobbed the keeper from 30 yards was especially unlucky as the ball bounced down onto the goal-line.

Ruffels opened the scoring when he nodded in from three yards after Rob Dickie won a header at the back post following a corner.

Striker Mackie slotted home in the 48th minute after challenging Davies from Jamie Hanson's long ball forward, but Thiam and Moore ensured that Barnsley returned to South Yorkshire with a valuable point.

Report supplied by the Press Association.

• Line-ups
• Match Stats
• Live Text

Line-ups

Oxford Utd

• 1Eastwood
• 6Hanson
• 4DickieBooked at 90mins
• 5NelsonBooked at 36mins
• 14Ruffels
• 8Brannagan
• 15Mousinho
• 16Whyte
• 17HenrySubstituted forKashiat 85'minutes
• 18GrahamSubstituted forGarbuttat 81'minutes
• 19Mackie

Substitutes

• 3Garbutt
• 11Carruthers
• 23Long
• 24Sykes
• 27Stevens
• 40Kashi
• 42James

Barnsley

• 1Davies
• 12Cavaré
• 5Pinnock
• 6LindsayBooked at 66mins
• 28WilliamsBooked at 73mins
• 33Brown
• 8McGeehan
• 4DougallBooked at 39minsSubstituted forMooreat 45'minutes
• 27MowattBooked at 87mins
• 26ThiamBooked at 37minsSubstituted forBähreat 71'minutes
• 9WoodrowSubstituted forGreenat 61'minutes

Substitutes

• 15Green
• 18Jackson
• 19Moore
• 21Bähre
• 23Pinillos
• 29Adeboyejo
• 35Greatorex

Referee:

Kevin Johnson

Attendance:

5,794

Match Stats

Home TeamOxford UtdAway TeamBarnsley

Possession

Home43%

Away57%

Shots

Home14

Away10

Shots on Target

Home7

Away4

Corners

Home9

Away3

Fouls

Home6

Away11

Live Text

Posted at

Match ends, Oxford United 2, Barnsley 2.

Full Time

Posted at 90'+7'

Second Half ends, Oxford United 2, Barnsley 2.

Posted at 90'+7'

Robert Dickie (Oxford United) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

Posted at 90'+7'

Foul by Mike-Steven Bähre (Barnsley).

Posted at 90'+5'

Foul by Josh Ruffels (Oxford United).

Posted at 90'+5'

Jordan Green (Barnsley) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 90'+3'

Attempt missed. Kieffer Moore (Barnsley) header from the centre of the box is just a bit too high following a set piece situation.

Booking

Posted at 90'+2'

Robert Dickie (Oxford United) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

Posted at 90'+2'

Foul by Robert Dickie (Oxford United).

Posted at 90'+2'

Jacob Brown (Barnsley) wins a free kick on the left wing.

Posted at 90'+1'

Attempt saved. Jacob Brown (Barnsley) right footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the centre of the goal.

Posted at 90'

Gavin Whyte (Oxford United) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

Posted at 90'

Foul by Mike-Steven Bähre (Barnsley).

Booking

Posted at 87'

Alex Mowatt (Barnsley) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

Posted at 87'

Cameron Brannagan (Oxford United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 87'

Foul by Cameron McGeehan (Barnsley).

Substitution

Posted at 85'

Substitution, Oxford United. Ahmed Kashi replaces James Henry.

Posted at 84'

Attempt blocked. Ben Williams (Barnsley) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.

Posted at 83'

Attempt blocked. Josh Ruffels (Oxford United) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked.

Substitution

Posted at 81'

Substitution, Oxford United. Luke Garbutt replaces Jordan Graham.

Posted at 81'

Foul by Dimitri Kevin Cavaré (Barnsley).

Posted at 81'

Jordan Graham (Oxford United) wins a free kick on the right wing.

Goal!

Posted at 79'

Goal! Oxford United 2, Barnsley 2. Kieffer Moore (Barnsley) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Jacob Brown with a cross.

Posted at 78'

Corner, Barnsley. Conceded by Robert Dickie.

Posted at 75'

Attempt missed. Jamie Mackie (Oxford United) header from the centre of the box misses to the right following a corner.

Posted at 74'

Corner, Oxford United. Conceded by Dimitri Kevin Cavaré.

Booking

Posted at 73'

Ben Williams (Barnsley) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

Posted at 72'

Gavin Whyte (Oxford United) wins a free kick on the right wing.

Posted at 72'

Foul by Ben Williams (Barnsley).

Substitution

Posted at 71'

Substitution, Barnsley. Mike-Steven Bähre replaces Mamadou Thiam.

Goal!

Posted at 70'

Goal! Oxford United 2, Barnsley 1. Mamadou Thiam (Barnsley) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the centre of the goal. Assisted by Jacob Brown with a cross.

Booking

Posted at 66'

Liam Lindsay (Barnsley) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

Posted at 65'

Gavin Whyte (Oxford United) wins a free kick on the left wing.

Posted at 65'

Foul by Liam Lindsay (Barnsley).

Posted at 63'

Foul by Jamie Mackie (Oxford United).

Posted at 63'

Ben Williams (Barnsley) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Substitution

Posted at 61'

Substitution, Barnsley. Jordan Green replaces Cauley Woodrow.

Posted at 59'

James Henry (Oxford United) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

Posted at 59'

Foul by Cameron McGeehan (Barnsley).

Posted at 58'

Corner, Oxford United. Conceded by Adam Davies.

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