BRISTOL CITY 3 (Showunmi 35, 44; Byfield 90)
BARNSLEY 2 (Macken 33, Souza 41)

TEN man Barnsley battled tremendously hard but their inability to defend from set pieces cost them dearly again at Ashton Gate as the home side stole a stoppage time $winner.

Simon Davey kept faith with the side that performed so well at Sheffield United last week meaning Dutchman Marciano Van Homoet kept his place at left back. Bobby Hassell was included in the squad for the first time this season after shaking off a knee injury. Midfielder Anderson De Silva made his final appearance on loan at the Club. De Silva will return to Everton tomorrow after a successful spell at Oakwell. City included former Red Michael McIndoe in an unchanged starting eleven.

City started strongly and Bradley Orr was only a couple of yards away from giving Heinz Muller a real problem on three minutes as he smashed a shot into the ground and wide of the post. A minute later Lee Trundle managed to get in behind Lewin Nyatanga and lobbed the ball over Muller but Van Homoet was in the right place to head the ball away before Enoch Showunmi could pounce.

Trundle then showed great strength to hold off a couple of challenges and burst into the area on ten minutes but found Muller in fine form. The loose ball broke to McIndoe, who put his shot wide of an open goal under pressure.

Muller again had to be at his best on 13 minutes when Louis Carey met Lee Johnson's cross 12 yards from goal but his header was straight at the Reds number keeper.

Trundle again had the better of the Reds defence on 25 minutes as he turned well onto Liam Fontaine's pass but Jamal Campbell-Ryce was able to stick out an important leg to divert the ball away from goal.

Istvan Ferenczi picked up a caution on 27 minutes after the Reds striker let his - and his teams - early frustrations get the better of him with a foul on Carey. At the other end Trundle forced Muller into a decent save a minute later after again turning well in the area.

Trundle then got away with a barge on Dennis Souza on the half hour which allowed Ivan Sproule the chance to break and the winger fired in a decent effort from 18 yards but Muller was in the right place to parry his effort wide.

Barnsley offered nothing going forward until Martin Devaney picked out Jon Macken on 33 minutes. The striker took a touch and smashed a low shot past Adriano Basso from 25 yards and into the bottom corner.

Showunmi managed to shake off Lewin Nyatanga a minute later and threw himself to the ground under the lightest of challenges but the referee rightly gave nothing.

City were level just seconds later when McIndoe's corner caused problems and in the scramble Showunmi was on hand to put the ball past Muller from close range.

Campbell-Ryce then had the City defence scrambling on 37 minutes as he broke through the middle. The ball eventually fell to Macken but Basso was in the right place to make a decent stop. Devaney then fired just wide of the far post a minute later after finding a yard of space on the edge of the area.

Barnsley were back in front on 40 minutes as Brian Howard swung over a fine corner from the right that caught out Basso. Souza came flying in and planted a fine header into the back of the net from six yards out.

City were level on 44 minutes as Devaney was caught ball watching on the edge of the area and allowed McIndoe to nip in and put Johnson's corner back across goal. Showunmi reacted quickest in the area and planted his header past Muller from eight yards.

Barnsley started the second half quickly and Devaney flashed a shot high over the bar on 48 minutes after good play in the area by Howard. At the other end Jamie McCombe put a header a yard over the top a minute later after stooping to meet Johnson's corner.

Devaney had the Robins' defence chasing shadows on 52 minutes as he raced 40 yards into the area but found his path to goal blocked at the last minute. De Silva smashed the loose ball straight at Basso.

The game turned on its head a minute later as Campbell-Ryce tricked his way into the area before being tripped by Fontaine's outstretched leg. The referee controversially decided the winger had dove despite what appeared to be obvious contact and wasted no time brandishing a second yellow card and sending the Jamaican for an early shower.

Devaney again had the City defence backing off on 62 minutes as he broke infield from the right flank but the winger could not control his shot and blazed high over the bar.

Substitute Kayode Odejayi had an instant impact on the game on 66 minutes as he raced past Fontaine before firing the ball across goal but Devaney just could not get his foot to the ball inside the six-yard box. Odejayi then hammered his way past the City defence two minutes later to break into the area but opted to pass to Howard when he could have finished himself.

Macken then showed great determination to shrug off Marvin Elliott on 71 minutes and find Howard but the Reds skipper could only fire an inch wide of the post from 30 yards.

The game erupted again on 74 minutes after Muller had done well to parry the ball under pressure from Trundle's cross. In the melee that followed both teams were guilty of a moment of madness but the referee rightly kept his cards in his pocket.

Things finally calmed down - somewhat - on 81 minutes when Carey hauled back Odejayi on the edge of the area. Howard took the free kick but wasted his opportunity and smashed his shot into the wall.

Odejayi again had the City defence worried on 85 minutes as he cur in from the left to find Macken but the on loan star put his shot wide of the target.

City's first real sight of goal in the second half came a minute later as Showunmi found himself free 12 yards out but lashed his shot wide of the target.

Barnsley were caught out deep into stoppage time when McIndoe's free kick from the right bounced dangerously in the six-yard box. The Reds failed to deal with the loose ball and Darren Byfield swept it home from five yards out.

The Reds should have had a stonewall penalty minutes later when Johnson blatantly handled in the area as he went to clear a loose ball but again the referee gave nothing and waved away the visitors protests.

BRISTOL CITY: Basso, Orr, Fontaine, McCombe (McAllister 70), Carey, McIndoe, Showunmi, Trundle (Skuse 90), Elliott, Sproule (Byfield 85), Johnson.
Subs: Noble, Weale.

BARNSLEY: Muller, Foster, Souza, Nyatanga, Van Homoet, Campbell-Ryce (OFF 53), Howard, De Silva, Devaney (Togwell 74), Macken, Ferenczi (Odejayi 65).
Subs: Hassell, Mostto, McCann.