Wycombe keeper’s comical time-wasting error gifts Barnsley 91st minute winner

A Wycombe keeper’s comical time-wasting error gifts Barnsley a 91st minute winner in what was rather bizarre scenes at Oakwell on Tuesday.

As the game reached added time, the Chairboys were awarded a drop-ball in their own area, with Max Stryjek collecting the ball.

Wycombe report that Sam Cosgrove then barged into him and the ball broke free, with Cosgrove tucking home, the goal stood, giving Barnsley a last-minute winner, and all three points.

The winner… ⚽️ pic.twitter.com/8oqG9t6kPM

— Barnsley FC (@BarnsleyFC) November 28, 2023

Barnsley have just scored this goal in the 91st minute against Wycombe…

What is the keeper thinking?? 🤣 pic.twitter.com/MmzXrM3MLB

— The92Bible (@The92Bible) November 28, 2023

All the angles 📐

😎 Sam Cosgrove is off the mark! pic.twitter.com/tJ8txo463n

— Barnsley FC (@BarnsleyFC) November 29, 2023

Barnsley enjoyed their first opportunity eight minutes in when Nicky Cadden skipped his way into the box from the left, but fired wide of the near post.

Jordan Williams should have got Barnsley ahead after 70 minutes when John McAtee found him at the far post, but Stryjek managed to put it behind to keep it level.

But then came the blunder, with Barnsley reporting that a drop-ball inside his own six-yard box was collected by Stryjek, who then picked the ball up, with Cosgrove then giving him a nudge.

The goalkeeper fell to the ground, but referee, Darren Drysdale saw no infringement and as the ball dropped back out onto the pitch, allowing the Cosgrove to tap home into an empty net.

The result means Barnsley sit 7th in League One, with 31 points from 18 games played, with two points behind Derby who sit in the last playoff place.

Wycombe meanwhile sit 15th with 22 points from 18 games.

Barnsley: Killip; Williams, De Gevigney, McCart; Cotter (O’Keefe 84), Kane, Connell (A Phillips 74), Cadden, Styles (Cosgrove 61); McAtee, Cole (Jalo 84). Unused substitutes: Flavell, Russell, Lopata.

Wycombe Wanderers: Stryjek; Forino, Low, Tafazolli; Pattenden, Scowen, Breckin, Boyes; D Taylor (Sadlier 68), K Phillips (McCleary 68); Wheeler (L Taylor 58). Unused substitutes: Ravioli, Jacobson, Keogh, de Barr.

Referee: D Drysdale.

On whether he had seen anything quite like Cosgrove’s goal – Barnsley head coahc Neill Collins said, as per Yorkshire Post: “Yes. We were 2-0 up at Bramall Lane – Sheffield United against Bournemouth and Steve Simonsen has got the ball and I am running up the pitch and he goes to throw it to someone and the guy bumps into him and he drops it and it goes into goal and he turns around and its given it as a goal.

“It is very bizarre and I have been part of that before. I have just watched it back there, make of it what you want.

“For me, the contact is nowhere near enough to go down. The keeper drops onto the ball, if he holds Onto the ball, we are not even talking about that he drops the ball.

“He certainly does not drop the ball because of Sam’s contact, he drops the ball because he falls to the floor and Sam finishes it off as a good striker should.

“It was the keeper’s decision to drop to the floor and then he dropped it.

“But I said to the players, I don’t want the bizarre circumstances of the goal to take away from the fact that we deservedly won three points.

“We did everything but put the ball into the net in the second half and eventually got our rewards.”

🗣️ “It’s a bizarre one but ultimately when you look at the contact, was it enough for the keeper to go down?”

📹 Barnsley boss Neill Collins on Sam Cosgrove’s controversial late winner against Wycombe.

🎧👉 https://t.co/jS2f8xswqd#BarnsleyFC | @BBCSheffield pic.twitter.com/1Sz0xsZBuI

— Football Heaven (@footballheaven) November 28, 2023

Wycombe boss Matt Bloomfield said: “To lose in that manner is extremely disappointing.

“I couldn’t get to speak to him (referee) at the full-time whistle, I thought the important thing at that point was to applaud our supporters who had made their way all the way up here on a Tuesday night and to get back in the middle of the night and spend their money supporting us…

“We put that much effort into it and to be robbed of a point to take home with them.

“My take on it is that we have seen it a multitude of times where strikers run into goalkeepers and it is usually given as a foul.”

Fans gave their reaction to Wycombe keeper’s comical time-wasting error as it gifts Barnsley a 91st minute winner…

@bfcvesti: if that’s how the keepers fall when he gets tapped god help him in a gust of wind 😭

@debuche_e: With all the protection keepers get, is that not the most obvious foul on the keeper you’ll ever see 😭

@Haza_lovett: Keeper dived after a corner and stayed down till ref came over. Deserves him right

@_agmackay: The Wycombe keeper needs investigated for betting on his team to lose after seeing that mind! @AndrewBaillie4

@TheFMHatter1986: Looks like a goal on FM

@Coventrian7: Tried to cheat and cost his team a point. Can tell by the keepers reaction!

@Caitlin_no63: It gets better the more you watch it 😭😭😭😭

@dwcskyblue: Love this from Cosgrove! 😆

@TheRealALM: goal probably shouldn’t stand but can’t say the keeper didn’t deserve that lol

@JamesRileyDJ: Fucking shithouse that keeper. Fuck around find out, son.

@jackdixon24: After all their years of shithousing other clubs, I’m struggling to have sympathy

@OhWhenTheTown: Wycombe timewasting in the 91st min? 😂 Water is wet..

@mh_bfc: It’s hilarious how he thinks he’s got the decision then starts mouthing off when he realised he hadn’t 😂

@Georgiemaydell: Why even now do I find it so satisfying seeing Wycombe’s timewasting antics at 0-0 biting them in the ass. Been a long time coming. #ITFC

@dcomiskey90: Fair play Ref not giving this as foul. Imagine some of these players in real life situations if they were to play act the way they did on the pitch

@jimbopowers91: I would defend the goalkeeper here but then I realised it’s Wycombe so they deserve it.

@aboxer11: What is most beautiful part here by the way. The striker having a go anyway? The ref giving nothing? The keeper exasperated that his behaviour wasn’t somehow rewarded with a nonsense free kick? Lots to enjoy.

@katej1984: Imagine travelling from Wycombe to Barnsley (not a short journey by any stretch) and you concede this… the only goal of the game… in added on time

@Harri_Burton: This is exactly the kind of stuff ‘keepers try to get away with when they’re so overly protected. Pathetic attempt to con the referee and waste time, serves him right – goal should stand.

@connor_mh: Just wish all refs were consistent with protecting goalkeepers, im a Wycombe fan n i don’t think this is a foul but all refs need to start being like this, i don’t want to praise him as it’s gone against my team but fair play to the ref for not giving this as a foul 🤷🏼‍♂️

@Browny_90: Never touch the sweet sweet lower leagues.

@DanLewis1999: Couldn’t have happened to a better team.

@hackabusi: If that keeper doesn’t get found out for match fixing then I don’t know!