‘The perfect result for Portsmouth’: Bolton Wanderers stun Barnsley in fightback as promotion rivals collide

Bolton left Barnsley shell-shocked with a 98th-minute leveller in a result Pompey fans are hailing as the perfect outcome after their promotion rivals battled it out.

Randell Williams smashed in the loose ball, after Josh Sheehan’s stoppage-time penalty was saved in a dramatic 2-2 draw at Oakwell last night.

In-form Barnsley were in control and looking likely to extend their winning streak of three games amid one loss in 16, as they went 2-0 up through goals from John McAtee and Donovan Pines.

Former Tykes man reduced the arrears from Aaron Collins’ cross with 28 minutes, however, but it looked like Bolton’s late onslaught was going to come up short, as Ian Evatt’s side missed a series of chances.

The game swung in stoppage time, however, as Cameron Jerome was fouled in the box and Williams converted as Sheehan’s effort was saved by Liam Roberts.

The result means Pompey are six points clear at the top and Bolton have now played their games in hand, which at one point could have put them seven points ahead in the race for the Championship. Barnsley are nine points behind with a game in hand.

Barnsley boss Neill Collins admitted the outcome was a blow, but was keeping the result in context.

He told the Yorkshire Post: ‘We’ve got to be careful using words like gutting and devastating.

‘It’s disappointing because you’re 2-0 up and you’ve had a fantastic performance, probably to the 85th minute.

‘And then really they came on top. We’re all really disappointed because we wanted to be celebrating three points and for large parts of the game, we probably deserved three points.

‘We were up against a really good side. One they get the goal to go 2-1, you’re going to be under pressure. I think we could have handled it a little better.

‘We’ve got to be really careful that we don’t feel disappointed too long because we’ve got 11 games left and we’re a point closer to where we need to be.

‘I think we’ve got to take the positives as always and learn some harsh lessons as well. If we continue to improve, we’ll be there or thereabouts.’

Bolton now have won once in the past four games, but boss Ian Evatt feels the nature of the result gives his team impetus.

He told the Bolton News: ‘It feels like we now have momentum to go into the next one.

‘When you create all those chances at a place like this, and they are a really good team who have lost one in 17, take those two moments where we have caused our own problems out of it and we have dominated. That is a frustration.

‘We are constantly working hard on their mentality and mindset to believe in themselves. As I said, when they do, we are a hard team to stop.’

Meanwhile, most Pompey fans are happy with how things unfolded. 

‘The perfect result for Portsmouth’, said @mbunn2023 on X (formerly Twitter).

‘Perfecto. They both lose points’, added @trevor78611241, while @Roydini25 stated: ‘Best result for Pompey in the end.’