Top six goes to last day after another loss

Barnsley’s fight to stay in the League One play-off places will go to the final day after a very disappointing performance for the first hour in a 3-2 loss at fellow promotion hopefuls Blackpool.

The hosts led 2-0 at the break then added another just after half-time. John McAtee pulled one back midway through the second half then Adam Phillips netted in injury-time.

Barnsley remain fifth but they are now just a point clear in the play-off places so need a win at home to Northampton Town next Saturday to guarantee a top six place. A draw or loss could see them overtaken by Oxford, Lincoln and Blackpool. The Reds have collected nine points from 11 games and one from the last five.

Neill Collins kept the same team which lost at Portsmouth on Tuesday, with midfielders Luca Connell and Jon Russell still out injured.

The game had a frantic start as, after Devante Cole could not control a Conor Grant pass in the home box after 25 seconds, Liam Roberts endured a couple of nervous moments. The goalkeeper rushed to the left side of his box and was rounded by Jake Beesley whose cross was cleared. Seconds later, Roberts dropped the ball in his box and Beesley saw a shot blocked wide after appearing to make contact with the striker.

Blackpool had six corners in the first ten minutes as Barnsley struggled to get going.

The opener arrived on 12 minutes when, after Karaoke Dembele cut in from the right and went down under a tackle, the ball rolled to Sonny Carey to find the bottom right corner from 20 yards.

Barnsley thought they should have had a penalty seconds later when James Husband clashed with Barry Cotter on the right of the box but the referee gave nothing.

The hosts had a goal ruled out after 17 minutes when Hayden Coulson’s cross was volleyed in by Beesley but the flag was up for offside.

Dembele’s free-kick from the right wing was then deflected onto the crossbar.

The game settled down slightly but the hosts always looked the more likely to score again and did so on the stroke of half-time. Dembele was fouled by Nicky Cadden on the right and floated in a free-kick which was by James Husband into the bottom right corner from close range.

It was 3-0 two minutes after the break when CJ Hamilton’s low cross from the right fell to Coulson to smash past Roberts.

It was almost four soon after but de Gevigney blocked George Byers’ effort.

Roberts then impressively kept Dembele’s low 20-yard effort out of his bottom right corner.

McAtee pulled one back when he ran into the box and found the bottom left corner from 15 yards.

It was almost 4-1 when Shayne Lavery was put clean through but fired over under pressure from substitute Corey O’Keeffe.

Byers then blazed over from 15 yards out after collecting a Dembele pass following a fine move.

Substitute Fabio Jalo thought he had pulled another goal back on 78 minutes but it was ruled out. Sam Cosgrove’s header from Aiden Marsh’s excellent cross was brilliantly clawed out by Daniel Grimshaw but he could not stop Jalo’s header crossing the line. The referee appeared to give a goal but then awarded a free-kick.

Phillips then fired into the bottom right corner from close range after a left-wing cross dropped to him. The Reds claimed for a penalty for a foul on Jalo but it was not given.

Barnsley (3-5-2): Roberts; Williams, de Gevigney, Earl; Cotter (Jalo 58mins), Phillips, Kane, Grant (Cosgrove HT), Cadden (O’Keeffe 58); McAtee, Cole (Marsh 75).

Unused: Killip, McCart, Chapman.

Yellow cards: Kane.

Goals: McAtee 67, Phillips 90+5.

Blackpool (3-5-2): Grimshaw; Pennington, Ekpiteta, Husband; Hamilton, Carey, Dembele (Kouassi 90), Byers (Virtue 82), Coulson (Gabriel 82); Beesley (Joseph 90), Lavery (Norburn 72).

Unused: O’Donnell, Casey.

Yellow cards: Coulson, Dembele.

Goals: Carey 12, Husband 45+3, Coulson 47.