Report and free match highlights from the Sky Bet Championship clash between Barnsley and Fulham at Oakwell as a stunning goal from Harry Wilson helps Marco Silva's Cottagers salvage a point against the relegation-threatened Tykes
Saturday 12 March 2022 16:26, UK
A glorious late equaliser from Harry Wilson spared Fulham's blushes as they managed to salvage a 1-1 draw against Barnsley.
Carlton Morris fired in a penalty he had won in controversial circumstances to set the Tykes on their way to what looked like a shock victory at Oakwell (44), before the Welshman received a square ball from Fabio Carvalho and curled in a stunning late equaliser (86).
The Cottagers remain top of the Sky Bet Championship table with 10 games left to play, with Barnsley up to 22nd and four points from safety ahead of the remainder of Saturday's action.
With Fulham 13 points clear at the top of the league, the onus was on Barnsley to try and strengthen their survival bid on home soil. But there was no early onslaught from the hosts and, instead, five minutes in, Michal Helik was called into action to clear Carvalho's shot off the line as the visitors eased their way into their sleek rhythm.
Barnsley never looked out of the game and perhaps could have had more chances to test their opponents had Amine Bassi's set-piece delivery been better, but it was from the penalty spot that they took a surprise lead.
Tracked all the way down the left wing by Tosin Adarabioyo, Morris went down in the area after appearing to try and change direction; referee Tim Robinson pointed to the spot and the Tykes frontman smashed the opening goal straight down the middle.
With the bit between his teeth after his first goal in four games, Morris almost had a second with the final kick of the first half, but his effort from the tightest of angles was bravely hooked clear by Tim Ream.
Fulham were in control after the break, but found chances hard to come by - until the 86th minute, when Wilson drifted into space, received Carvalho's pass into foot and found the top left corner with his wand of a left foot.
He could have snatched all three points for Fulham deep into second half stoppage time, too, but inexplicably headed a cross from the left beyond the right-hand post.
Barnsley's Poya Asbaghi: "If somebody told us before the game that you get a 1-1 draw with Fulham, it's one of the only games this season where we would feel happy drawing at home. But we are leading the game and we are giving a really good performance - controlling the lead. They had the ball in the second half, of course they would have, but we were controlling exactly where they were allowed to have the ball.
"It really frustrates me the way we concede the goal because we are defending really well but there is a situation in the second ball where we are not determined enough to take the initiative and just kick the ball. It's the second time in a row that this has happened, so it takes away a lot of joy from a really good performance. I'm really proud of the performance the players gave, but it has a bitter taste right now."
Fulham's Marco Silva: "As always when we don't win a football match, it will be a frustrating afternoon and more so when it happens like this. We have created enough chances to win this game. It wasn't a fantastic match to see for sure - from both sides.
"It is difficult conditions to play good football on that pitch also. Too long and too dry. It is no excuse for us of course because we have enough chances to score. At the end of the first half they score, and it is a clear mistake from the referee. I can't see one moment where there is contact with a player inside the box. Second half, we were fighting until the end. It wasn't our best level, but we equalised. It is one more point for us."
Both teams are back in action on Tuesday, March 15. Barnsley host Bristol City at Oakwell at 7.45pm, while Fulham travel to The Hawthorns to face West Brom at 8pm. Both matches will be available to watch live across Sky Sports.
