GOLDEN BROWN
Bosh! It’s Josh who keeps alive City play-off hopes
A LAST-DITCH Josh Brownhill goal on his return to Oakwell kept alive Bristol City’s hopes of a play-off place.
Brownhill, who helped Barnsley to their Championship promotion when he was on loan from Preston, grabbed his chance to level matters with a looping header from a Joe Bryan set-up bang on 90 minutes.
And no one was more relieved than Robins boss Lee Johnson, who watched his side twice fall behind to a Barnsley side fighting for their lives in the Championship.
Johnson admitted: “Before the game I would have been disappointed with a point but after that I’m happy with it.
“We have to go for the playoffs and give it a real shot. There will be twists and turns but the team spirit is there.”
And Johnson paid tribute to Barnsley’s fighting spirit.
“Before the game there was talk that Barnsley were not together as a team but we saw today in the way they played that they are together. “I think they will stay up.” Barnsley boss Jose Morais also believes his side can beat the drop.
“We deserved a lot more today but I’m happy with what we got,” he said.
“I believe we have the quality to stay in this league. We are getting better and better as a team.”
It looked bleak for the Robins when Barnsley went 2-1ahead through Brad Potts, from a Kieffer Moore pullback, with just 12 minutes on the clock remaining.
Moore had given Barnsley the ideal start with his third goal for the club but after 31 minutes Bristol City’s Senegal international Famara Diedhiou pulled his side back into contention with a cracking strike from distance, leaving keeper Adam Davies clutching fresh air.
Then came the late Brownhill drama – and a share of the spoils for City.