Barnsley win promotion to Championship

Barnsley 2 Swansea 2 (after extra time: Barnsley win 4-3 on penalties)

Nick Colgan went from villain to hero as his penalty save ended Barnsley’s four-year exile from the second tier of English football.

The Tykes goalkeeper was on the brink of being remembered for one of the worst play-off final blunders but redeemed himself in the shootout against Swansea.

A pulsating Coca-Cola League One play-off final ended 2-2 and it Barnsley who held their nerve in the shootout, converting all four of their spot-kicks.

Substitute Adebayo Akinfenwa blazed over for the Swans before Colgan saved from Alan Tate to earn his side promotion to the Championship.

Daniel Nardiello’s second-half free-kick ultimately sent the game into extra-time, after Colgan had spilled Andy Robinson’s harmless-looking shot into his own net to give Swansea a 2-1 lead.

Hayes opened the scoring for Barnsley before former Tykes trainee Rory Fallon levelled with a sensational bicycle kick.

It was all in stark contrast to a cagey opening, in which Swansea – looking to end a 22-year absence from the top two divisions – played the better football but Barnsley fashioned the better openings.

Swans midfielder Owain Tudur-Jones volleyed a loose Tykes clearance a yard wide and Sam Ricketts almost found Fallon with an inswinging cross.

However, Barnsley were agonisingly close to taking the lead when Brian Howard robbed Robinson in midfield before sending a low strike across Willy Gueret, who only just tipped the ball round the post.

But Gueret was soon picking it out of his net as Martin Devaney curled in a right-wing cross, with Kevin Austin’s attempted clearance proving the perfect flick-on for Hayes, whose volley beat the goalkeeper at his near post.

Ricketts twice tried to catch Colgan napping from distance either side of Leon Knight being put through by Fallon, the diminutive forward hitting the post but seeing his blushes spared somewhat by the offside flag.

It was quickly forgotten as Swansea levelled in spectacular fashion, skipper Gary Monk pumping a free-kick into the box and Tudur-Jones flicking the ball forward to Fallon, who smashed home the overhead.

Poor goalkeeping was not just limited to the Barnsley end. Gueret flapped at a cross which found the head of Stephen McPhail but Ricketts cleared off the line.

It was frantic stuff and there was no surprise to see the players take drinks when McPhail received treatment towards the end of the half.

No sooner had play resumed when Robinson cut inside off the left wing and fired in a shot he had already given up on before it reached the goalkeeper.

But the break must have affected Colgan’s concentration as he took his eye off the ball and let it slip through his grasp and into the net.

He was almost beaten by the same player’s half-volley on the stroke of half-time before looking equally nervous dropping a harmless Leon Britton shot immediately after the interval.

The outstanding Robinson then volleyed over, moments before whipping in a far-post cross to Fallon, whose knockdown almost set up Knight.

On the back foot since the restart, Barnsley were then awarded a dubious free-kick on the edge of the box.

Semi-final hero Nardiello took full advantage of a poorly positioned Gueret to sidefoot the ball around the wall and past the static goalkeeper.

Swansea responded by introducing Lee Trundle for Knight, but it was Fallon who could have stolen the glory had a contentious offside flag not thwarted him.

Both sides could have snatched it before the end of normal time, Barnsley first when Devaney’s far-post cross found skipper Paul Reid, who had charged forwards unmarked from the back, only to nod wide.

Then, in stoppage-time, Fallon sprayed a ball wide to Tate, whose heavy touch actually worked in his favour before a flawed finish saw the ball go wide.

Trundle was the first to threaten in extra-time, his low strike palmed around the post by Colgan.

The Swans’ top scorer was soon joined in attack by Akinfenwa, Fallon withdrawn to a standing ovation.

The substitute’s impact was almost immediate, his fierce drive beating the stranded Colgan but going the wrong side of the goalkeeper’s right post.

Half-time in extra-time arrived with Barnsley looking spent and Swansea sensing the kill.

Trundle was at the heart of everything, setting off on a typical jinking run for which he could not provide an accurate finish, winning a free-kick with some sensational skill, and blazing over the bar from just inside the box.

But it was not enough to prevent penalties, and Swansea were to pay a heavy price for their misses.