REPORT: Barnsley 1 Wigan Athletic 1 - Smith stunner rescues a point Latics fully deserved at Oakwell

Latics enjoyed the better of much of the afternoon at Oakwell, but for long periods looked like paying a high price for their profligacy in front of goal.

Martial Godo - back in the starting XI for the first time in a month - almost played in Jordan Jones in the opening exchanges, before Barnsley showed for the first time.

Adam Phillips' cross from the right was headed powerfully goalwards by Devante Cole, only for Sam Tickle to tip the ball over the top.

Cole was then played in through the left channel, only for Tickle to race off his line and make a good block.

But the rest of the half was mostly played at the other end, with Godo teeing up Jones successfully this time, only for the Northern Ireland winger to blaze his effort from 12 yards over the top.

Josh Magennis also failed to make the most of a couple of decent-looking heading opportunities as Latics looked by far the more likely to open the scoring.

However, in stoppage-time at the end of the first half, Barnsley took the lead when another Phillips cross was finished off by an unmarked Cole at the far post.

Latics will have felt aggrieved to go in behind, and unfortunately the second half continued in the same vein.

A horrible mistake at the back by a Barnsley defender presented a gilt-edged opportunity for Magennis, 12 yards from goal, bang in front.

Sadly for Latics, his shot sliced wide of the right-hand post - much to Magennis' disbelief.

Magennis tried to make amends by teeing up Liam Shaw, whose shot was blocked, before Godo couldn't make the most of a decent opening created by Jones.

Shaun Maloney then made a raft of changes, introducing Thelo Aasgaard, Charlie Wyke, Luke Robinson, Callum McManaman and Jonny Smith for the final quarter.

Smith thought he'd found an equaliser almost immediately, with his deep corner from the right finding its way in at the far post, only for the referee to award a free-kick for a non-existent foul on the goalkeeper.

It would have been an utter travesty had Latics come away with nothing, and the leveller finally arrived with three minutes remaining.

Again it was Smith, who took delivery of a short free-kick before rifling a stunning strike into the top corner of the net from fully 25 yards.