Barnsley’s miserable away form continued when they let slip a 2-1 second-half lead to draw 2-2 at League One play-off chasers Reading.
The Reds, now with only one win on their league travels in ten outings, began sluggishly in Berkshire and went 1-0 down just past the half-hour mark when home debutant Haydon Roberts scored at the far post.
Veteran Barnsley striker David McGoldrick levelled six minutes later from close range and Adam Phillips made it 2-1 in the 67th minute.
But with a rare away victory in sight, Barnsley allowed Jack Marriott space in the area and Reading’s top-scorer slid home the equaliser.
Barnsley head coach Conor Hourihane kept the same starting XI from their last outing – a much-needed 2-1 victory at home to Blackpool after a winless run of five games in all competitions.
Hourihane will have been particularly pleased to welcome back 14-goal top scorer Davis Keillor-Dunn, who missed the triumph over the Tangerines due to illness.
However, the Reds boss surprisingly decided to name Keillor-Dunn only on the substitutes’ bench – along with defender Marc Roberts on his return from injury.
Barnsley skipper Luca Connell was again missing as he served the third and final game of a three-match ban for his sending-off in the 1-1 draw at Wigan Athletic on New Year’s Day.
McGoldrick retained his place up front, after his brace of goals against Blackpool, and was quickly into the action at a chilly SCL Stadium.
The 38-year-old escaped along the right flank and delivered a promising cross into the home area but the Reading defence eventually managed to clear the danger, albeit unconvincingly.
Tykes keeper Owen Goodman then had to move smartly after a slight misunderstanding with centre back Jack Shepherd, which led to the latter falling over on the edge of the box.
Kamari Doyle threatened to latch on to the loose ball only for Goodman to finally gather it safely to snuff out the possible opening.
Shepherd’s fortunes did not get any better. He was booked for a clumsy foul on Doyle and, having been limping since his earlier tumble, was forced off with an injury in the 22nd minute.
Mael De Gevigney replaced him at the back as the home side began to apply increasing pressure of the Barnsley rearguard.
That pressure told in the 32nd minute, when the Tykes failed to deal with Paddy Lane’s driven cross from the right and debutant Roberts, signed from Bristol City during the week, squeezed home his effort at the far post.
Six minutes later, though, Barnsley were back level – and the in-form McGoldrick again took the plaudits.
Reyes Cleary did all the hard work on the left flank, his low cross leaving McGoldrick with a simple tap-in for his eighth goal of the season.
Barnsley were pushed back in the early stages of the second half, with the Royals winning a series of corners as they pushed hard to regain their lead.
But Goodman and co held firm with several hurried clearances allied to a number of last-ditch blocks.
The Tykes weathered the storm and gradually began to fashion a few attacks of their own, much to the delight of the 581 excellently vocal fans in the away section.
And it paid off in the 67th minute, albeit with a tinge of fortune.
Stand-in skipper Phillips picked the ball up 20 yards out and at an angle but he still let fly and, with the aid of a wicked deflection, the ball flew past a wrong-footed and motionless home keeper Joel Pereira.
But just when the 581 were starting to celebrate a victory, Marriott swivelled in the area and drove past Goodman via the inside of a post for his 11th goal of the season.
