On This Day: Reds Seal Play-Off Place

In 2006 on this date, Barnsley travelled to the Bescot Stadium to play Walsall.

The Reds were looking for one last win to seal their place in the League One Play-Offs ahead of chasers Nottingham Forest.

The Reds got off to a great start by taking the lead after half an hour through top scorer Marc Richards who headed home a Brian Howard free-kick to capitalise on all the early pressure Barnsley had put the Saddlers under.

The Reds held the lead until the hour mark when Dean Keates despatched a penalty kick after Paul Heckingbottom had fouled Daryl Taylor in the Barnsley box.

With the score locked at 1-1 Barnsley were desperate for a winner just to be sure of a play-off place even though Nottingham Forest were losing 1-0 at Valley Parade.

Ian Roper saw red on 78 minutes for the hosts after a tangle with Barnsley's Tommy Wright earned him a second booking and five minutes later the Reds made the extra man count by breaking into the Walsall box only for Nardiello to be tripped by Daryl Taylor.

Nardiello dusted himself down to score the spotkick in front of the Barnsley fans and seal the win.

Team:

Colgan, Tonge, Hassell, Kay, Heckingbottom, Shuker (McParland), Howard (Williams, R), McPhail, Devaney, Richards (Wright), Nardiello.

Subs not used: Conlon, Flinders.

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