Barnsley 1-1 Birmingham

Mifsud, who scored for Barnsley, is on loan from Coventry

Martin Taylor went from villain to hero in the space of a few minutes for second-placed Birmingham as they secured a draw at struggling Barnsley.

The defender misjudged a headed clearance that allowed Barnsley's Michael Mifsud to collect a goal.

But minutes later he was on hand to head home a Sebastian Larsson free-kick to make amends.

City's Damien Johnson should have scored earlier but could only to-poke Carlos Costly's cross wide.

Barnsley boss Simon Davey:

"When you are winning with five or six minutes to go we are disappointed we didn't come away with he points.

"It feels as if it is a defeat.

"We are also disappointed to give away a free-kick like we did and it should never have got through to Heinz. I'll have to look at the video later and see who the culprits are."

Birmingham boss Alex McLeish on Martin Taylor:
"Martin held his hands up after the game (over the opener). He's played well in the last few games. You could see he was distraught, but as soon as we got the free-kick he was up and on the end of it.

"You look for a bit of character in a player and that was a good response from Martin.

"It was a great relief for him, but for all of us as well. It saved them from getting strangled in the end."

Barnsley: Muller, Van Homoet (El Haimour 83), Moore, Guedes, Kozluk, Campbell-Ryce, Colace, Hassell, Mifsud, Bogdanovic, Macken (Hammill 76).
Subs Not Used: Steele, Devaney, Rigters.

Booked: Hassell.

Goals: Mifsud 82.

Birmingham: Maik Taylor, Carr, Martin Taylor, Jaidi, Queudrue, Larsson, Carsley, Johnson (Sinclair 61), Fahey, Jerome, Costly (Bouazza 74).
Subs Not Used: Doyle, O'Connor, De la Cruz.

Booked: Carr, Johnson.

Goals: Martin Taylor 85.

Att: 11,299

Ref: Graham Horwood (Bedfordshire).