Barnsley 1-1 Aston Villa: Sam Winnall strikes late for home side

Sam Winnall scored a dramatic late equaliser to earn Barnsley a 1-1 draw against Aston Villa at Oakwell in the Sky Bet Championship.

Villa's Jordan Ayew opened the scoring with his first goal of the campaign in the 61st minute before Winnall, a second-half substitute, headed home in the 89th minute.

It means Villa have now drawn their last five league games while the Tykes ended a run of two successive defeats.

Barnsley had the first chance to go ahead but Marc Roberts headed over Conor Hourihane's corner from inside the six-yard box.

Jonathan Kodjia was the first Villa player to get a shot on target when his powerful drive from range was parried away by Barnsley keeper Adam Davies.

Mile Jedinak then gifted the home side a chance when he lost the ball to Hourihane. The Barnsley captain reacted quickly to release Tom Bradshaw on the edge of the box but the striker fell over at the pivotal moment and scuffed his shot high and wide.

Villa keeper Pierluigi Gollini then had to be at full-stretch to stop Hourihane's free-kick, which was driven low and into the bottom corner.

Kodjia had a moment to forget after Jack Grealish rolled him in down the side of the Barnsley defence but to the home crowd's delight, he slipped before he could get a shot away.

Aly Cissokho sent in a teasing low cross just after the break but Kodjia failed to get a touch and Davies came out to smother any danger.

The visitors continued to press and when Kodjia broke into the penalty area, he selflessly laid the ball to Grealish but his touch let him down and Barnsley cleared.

Leandro Bacuna then received his fifth booking of the season and will miss Villa's trip to Preston on Saturday.

Villa went ahead when Kodjia forced a good save from Davies but Ayew was alert to pick up the rebound and ran at the near post before smashing the ball in between the keeper and his left post.

Barnsley boss Paul Heckingbottom made three changes in the next 10 minutes and one of those, Adam Hammill, nearly made the perfect entrance but he sent a low shot just wide of a post.

But after Villa failed to clear a corner, Winnall leapt the highest to head home the equaliser in front of the home supporters.

Kodjia tested Davies moments later with a powerful effort sent across goal but he stood firm and held on to the shot to keep the scores even.

Villa remain 17th in the table with 10 points from 10 games, with Barnsley six points better off in 10th.