Barnsley qualified for the knock-out rounds of the EFL Trophy despite a 2-0 loss their final group game at home to Lincoln City on Tuesday.
The Reds knew only a seven-goal loss would put them out while a two-goal win would see them overtake Lincoln and win the group. They have finished second and will play away in the last 32, with the draw on Thursday afternoon.
The visitors led at the break then ahead a second ???
Barnsley made five changes from their win at Doncaster in the league on Saturday. Patrick Kelly and Jono Bland were on international duty while Marc Roberts and Reyes Cleary dropped to the bench. Coming in were Caylan Vickers, Nathanael Ogbeta, Davis Keillor-Dunn, Neil Farrugia and Kieren Flavell.
Barnsley began well with Keillor-Dunn and Farrugia both shooting off target from the edge of the box and Vimal Yoganathan heading over from a Vickers cross. After a Farrugia run, Vickers saw a shot blocked by a defender and another saved by the goalkeeper.
After being dominated for 15 minutes, Lincoln came back into the game and should have taken the lead when James Collins put Dom Jefferies clean through on the left and Flavell made a fine save. From the resulting corner, Finley Barbrook’s clever flick was cleared off the line by Jack Shepherd then Francis Okoronkwo blazed over from close range.
The opener goal arrived on 29 minutes when a pass out of Lincoln’s defence went through Jake Rooney and totally exposed the Reds’ high line, leaving two visiting players clean through. Erik Ring squared to Okoronkwo to net.
Connell saw a shot from the edge of the box tipped out of the bottom right corner by the Lincoln goalkeeper. But Connell then nearly gifted the visitors a second as his terrible backpass put Ring clean through and he inexplicably blazed over.
Two minutes into the second half, Okoronkwo came close again as his volley from a right-wing cross was saved by the legs of Flavell.
Cleary came on for Keillor-Dunn on 50 minutes and soon robbed a defender then found McGoldrick whose shot from the edge of the box was easily saved when he could have played in Farrugia.
James Collins’ long-range shot deflected off Rooney and onto the crossbar.
Collins scored seconds later as, after Barnsley’s offside trap was again beaten by a long ball, ex-Red Adam Jackson headed to the veteran striker to volley into the bottom right corner.
Oscar Thorn shot straight at Flavell from the edge of the box after a poor pass by Tennai Watson.
Barnsley (3-5-2): Flavell; Watson, Rooney (Graham 62mins), Shepherd (Roberts 62 mins), Ogbeta; Yoganathan, Connell (Alker 83); Farrugia, McGoldrick, Vickers; Keillor-Dunn (Cleary 50).
Unused: Cooper, Woodcock, Alker.
Yellow cards: Graham.
Lincoln (4-4-2): Jeacock; Darikwa (Bradley 75mins), Jackson, Gallagher (Bayliss 64), Towler; Ring, Jefferies (Obikwu HT), Barbrook, Okoronkwo (Street 75); Thorn, Collins (Moylan 64).
Unused: Pardington, Draper.
Goals: Okoronkwo 29, Collins 61.
