DAVID McGoldrick's late equaliser - his 15th League One goal of the season - saved the Reds from a disappointing defeat but the 1-1 draw at Burton will do very little to get frustrated fans back on side.

Trailing to Charlie Webster’s strike on the hour mark it was left to Barnsley’s leading marksman to secure a fourth draw in five games as their winless run continues.

The Tykes made four changes to the side that lost at Oakwell against Doncaster last time out.

With Owen Goodman unavailable after international duty there was a first league start of the season for Kieren Flavell with Mael De Gevigney also coming back into defence.

Vimal Yoganathan came in for Adam Phillips whilst Tom Bradshaw returned to spearhead the attack.

Conor Hourihane was forced into an early defensive change, Eoghan O’Connell coming off second best in an aerial challenge with Jake Beesley and having to be replaced by Jonathan Bland.

Albion’s second half pressure eventually told on the hour mark as Lofthouse capitalised on a kind bounce to burst into the box before squaring for Webster to sweep home.

Hourihane rang the changes with the introduction of Reyes Cleary and Adam Phillips for Scott Banks and Patrick Kelly before a bloodied De Gevigney was forced off, replaced by Marc Roberts. Leo Farrell also replacing Tennai Watson in a last throw of the dice for Barnsley.

But as the game ticked into the ninetieth minute up popped McGoldrick to convert after Roberts had headed a free kick back into the danger area.

STILL NO CLEAN SHEET

Barnsley have not kept a clean sheet since December 6 in all competitions and not in the league since November.

It's a terrible statistic and is undoubtedly one of the main reasons the Reds find themselves languishing in mid-table this year.

They are now 24 games without a clean sheet in the league and, should they concede against Plymouth on Monday, they will equal a 25-game run set back in the 1950s.

The goal from Webster was assisted by former Red Kyran Lofthouse, making it a bitter pill to swallow.

Hourihane has said on numerous occasions that he and his coaching staff have been working hard on the defensive side of play.

And they have looked better at the back, albeit their clean sheet record is only getting worse.

No one has kept fewer clean sheets in the football league than Barnsley this season.

But at least earlier in the season they were scoring plenty of goals to counter that.

Their attacking play is no longer as spectacular and should the record continue they'll be heading into next season with very little momentum and a frustrated fan base.

REDS NOW WINLESS IN FIVE

Hourihane said before this game that the aim was to win as many games as possible until the end of the season - and this wasn't the ideal start.

They have not won since they beat strugglers Exeter at home last month.

You would imagine they would be safe and are heading towards another mid table finish but the players and coaching staff need to bring back some feel-good factor to the club.

Not winning games - especially matches that Barnsley usually would in the third tier - is only going to frustrate fans more.

With eight games remaining, they need to pick up as many points as possible otherwise the atmosphere will not improve.

MCGOLDRICK SCORES AGAIN AND LEO FARRELL OF BENCH

The young striker returned from an impressive loan spell at National League Scunthorpe last week and came off the bench in this defeat.

Admittedly, he did not have any real sight of Collins' goal but to have him back around the squad is a big plus.

He battled well and it was positive to see a striker on the bench for Barnsley, with Hourihane often having very little to choose from - especially since the departure of Davis Keillor-Dunn.

If he can make an impact in the reaming eight games of the season then it will at least give the Reds something to work with - considering Tom Bradshaw will return from his loan and McGoldrick is 38.

But McGoldrick's 15th goal of the season proves he is not showing any signs of slowing down just yet.

The fact he is still able to play 90 minutes week-in week-out is incredible and he has been a shining light in what has been a very poor season.

The Reds looked much better after the goal and a long-range strike from Connell almost gave Barnsley all three points.

COACH FLINDERS NAMED ON BENCH

With Owen Goodman not named in the match day squad after an international break which saw him fly over to Canada to not play, young 'keeper Kieren Flavell made his first League One appearance of the season.

The 22-year-old had only featured in the Vertu Trophy so far this campaign and looked reasonably solid in this game.

But it meant that goalkeeping coach Scott Flinders found a place on the bench.

Flinders came through the Reds academy and made 19 first team appearances before being sold to Crystal Palace in 2006.

He returned this summer as goalkeeper coach, having been working part-time in the Reds academy for the previous three seasons while a player at Mansfield Town.

In a season where David McGoldrick has shown that age is not important, it might not have seemed possible the Reds would have a player older than the 38-year-old.