Adam Hammill and Paul Heckingbottom were both sent off as Barnsley lost 2-0 at local rivals Sheffield Wednesday.

Angus MacDonald's own goal in the 37th minute put the hosts ahead then Sam Hutchinson doubled the lead with ten minutes to play.

Substitute Hammill was then sent off for a tackle on Hutchinson – although the referee first appeared to dismiss the home player – followed by his head coach Heckingbottom who had clashed on the sidelines with Owls coach Lee Bullen.

Barnsley remain in 11th, eight points clear of the relegation zone and six adrift of the play-off places.

Heckingbottom kept the same team which won 2-1 at home to Norwich City three days earlier as he took on his second former club in a week. The first quarter of the match was extremely quiet with the only real action being long-range shots from Daniel Pudil and Conor Hourihane which went well over the bar.

But the Reds had an ideal chance to take the lead on 23 minutes when Barry Bannan lost the ball and a good Barnsley move ended in Tom Bradshaw exchanging passes with Sam Winnall to go clean through but Kieren Westwood made the one-on-one save.

Wednesday's Lucas Joao then headed an Adam Reach corner just wide of the bottom left corner before Andy Yiadom and Bannan each fired long-range efforts well over the bar.

The goal was a horrendous one from a Barnsley perspective as MacDonald tried to volley Joao's header away from his goal but instead flicked it past his goalkeeper into the bottom right corner.

Josh Scowen almost levelled as he headed a Hourihane free-kick just over and also nodded into Westwood's arms after Winnall had met a long throw by Marc Roberts.

Bradshaw headed over a Ryan Kent free-kick early in the second half then Adam Reach and Bannan drew comfortable saves from Davies. Another Bradshaw header, after he redirected a Winnall miskick from close range, brought a good save from Westwood who sprang low to his right.

Bradshaw then produced a vital interception at the other end when Steven Fletcher looked certain to tap in on the line before Glenn Loovens fired over when he should have scored from a Ross Wallace corner.

Heckingbottom made a double change and his replacements almost combined to forge the equaliser as Stefan Payne's cheeky flick was well saved by Westwood following a good run and cross from Hammill.

But Barnsley were made to pay for their misses when Hutchinson found the bottom corner with a deflected shot from the edge of the box following a Reach corner. Hammill and Heckingbottom were then both dismissed in a chaotic final ten minutes.