Sheff Wed 2-1 Barnsley

Gerald Sibon: Scored Wednesday's equaliser

Sheffield Wednesday moved to within a point of securing their First Division status with an amazing fightback against Barnsley.

The Owls had looked dead and buried as their South Yorkshire rivals led through a first-half Neil Shipperley strike.

But with 11 minutes of the game remaining the Owls came alive as Gerald Sibon's free kick levelled the scores and then Simon Donnelly scored the winner five minutes later.

It was Wednesday's eighth win in 13 games under caretaker boss Peter Shreeves.

The result was hard on a Barnsley side that had enjoyed a lot of the play.

Disallowed Wednesday goal

Their first chance came after just nine minutes when Martin Bullock found Shipperley with a right wing cross, but Owls keeper Kevin Pressman was equal to Shipperley's first-time effort.

Barnsley then moved into the lead on 18 minutes. Darren Barnard's cross was met by Shipperley, who nipped in behind Leigh Bromby before side-footing the ball into Pressman's bottom left hand corner from six yards.

Wednesday thought they had levelled the scores five minutes later, but Gilles de Bilde's strike was disallowed for handball.

Wednesday went close a minute later when Efan Ekoku was played through by Stuart Ripley.

However Miller deflected Ekoku's shot wide of target with his foot.

After the break, Wednesday again struggled to find second gear and gifted possession away too easily.

Donnelly late show

Their only dangerman was the enigmatic Sibon, who volleyed wide on 69 minutes.

At the other end Shipperley created space to fire a low drive forcing Pressman into a fine save.

But on 79 minutes, the home side brought the scores level, with Sibon's brilliant 25 yard free-kick curling into the Barnsley's top left- hand corner.

The Owls grew in confidence and snatched a dramatic winner through Donnelly.

The Scottish international had only been on the field a matter of minutes in his first Owls appearance of the season when he received an Ekoku flick and turned his marker before driving past Kevin Miller.

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Sheff Wed: Pressman, Harkness, Walker, Bromby, Hendon, Soltvedt, Sibon, Lescott, Ripley, Ekoku, De Bilde. Subs: Stringer, Di Piedi, Donnelly, Geary, Morrison.

Barnsley: Miller, Regan, Morgan, Barker, Barnard, Parkin, Bullock, Appleby, Neil, Shipperley, Dyer. Subs: Marriott, Sheron, Kay, Barrowclough, Brown.

Referee: P Durkin (Dorset).