Peterborough United 3-3 Barnsley (7-6 on penalties): Ormerod's late equaliser forces a shootout

Peterborough United needed every minute of a breathless Carabao Cup third-round tie at London Road. Barnsley scored inside the first minute, led again after 74 minutes, and still could not put the tie away: Danny Ormerod headed in an 88th-minute equaliser, the match finished 3-3, and Peterborough won the shootout 7-6.

Cameron McGeehan scored the opener for Barnsley with a header from very close range in the first minute. Harry Leonard levelled in the 19th minute, and eight minutes later Ormerod headed Peterborough in front from a set-piece cross by Harley Mills. The lead lasted until the 40th minute, when Reyes Cleary finished from the centre of the box after a fast break started by Arley Kay.

Goal by goal

1. 1' — Cameron McGeehan, header (Barnsley) 0-1
2. 19' — Harry Leonard (Peterborough United) 1-1
3. 27' — Danny Ormerod, header, assisted by Harley Mills (Peterborough United) 2-1
4. 40' — Reyes Cleary, assisted by Arley Kay (Barnsley) 2-2
5. 74' — Reyes Cleary, assisted by Clayton Taylor (Barnsley) 2-3
6. 88' — Danny Ormerod, header, assisted by Harley Mills (Peterborough United) 3-3

Cleary's brace, then Ormerod's answer

Cleary looked like the match-winner. His second goal came in the 74th minute, again from the centre of the box and again on the break, this time set up by Clayton Taylor, who had come on as a substitute 14 minutes earlier. Barnsley then spent the last quarter of an hour trying to protect a one-goal lead.

They could not. Mills, who had already supplied Ormerod's first, crossed again and Ormerod rose to head into the bottom-left corner in the 88th minute. Both goals were headers, both from Mills deliveries, and the second sent the tie to penalties. Peterborough then won the shootout 7-6 after a 3-3 finish over 90 minutes.

Line-ups

The numbers

Barnsley's three yellow cards went to O'Riordan (26'), Richards (51') and McGeehan (61'). Peterborough's went to Edwards (68'), Leonard (76') and Mendonça, who was booked in the fourth minute of stoppage time. Thomas Parsons refereed in front of a crowd of 3,105. Peterborough also won seven corners to Barnsley's one, a gap that fits a home side that kept sending set pieces into the box.

Two clubs who had already come through penalties or goals

Neither side arrived fresh. In the first round Barnsley beat Wigan Athletic 6-5 on penalties after a 1-1 draw, then won 3-2 against Crewe Alexandra in the second. Peterborough went through with a 1-0 win away at Bristol Rovers and a 5-1 win at Watford. Barnsley had won on penalties in round one; this time Peterborough took the shootout 7-6.

What's next

Peterborough United advanced to the Carabao Cup fourth round, where the draw sent them to Bradford City on 27 October 2026. Bradford City won that tie 2-0. Barnsley's cup run ended at London Road, a single penalty short.