READING FC's winless Championship streak stretched to five matches after late heartache at Barnsley.

Yann Kermorgant scored his first goal of the season to give Royals a 68th minute lead at Oakwell.

But Jaap Stam's men failed to get the job done and Tykes defender Ethan Pinnock snatched a 90th minute equaliser to deny Reading at the death.

The draw at least brought a welcome end to Royals' three-match losing run following defeats to Bristol City, Burton Albion and Ipswich Town over the festive period.

But the result against the struggling Tykes will have felt more like another loss for Stam's out-of-form side.

Barnsley, now without a win in 10 matches, had not scored at home in their previous four games and their confidence would have been rock-bottom after going behind again today.

However, Royals are lacking a ruthless edge themselves and let the hosts back in when they should have closed the game out.

Stam made four change from the side that lost 2-0 at Bristol City on Boxing Day including returns for John Swift and Garath McCleary to the starting line-up.

Tyler Blackett also got the nod in defence, as did Kermorgant up front in place of Jon Dadi Bodvarsson.

Kermorgant was involved in creating the first chance when he knocked the ball into the path of the advancing Chris Gunter whose shot from a tight angle was pushed behind by Adam Davies.

Sadly, Barnsley were let off the hook when Mo Barrow's corner failed to beat the first man.

There were a few bright moments from the Tykes as they looked to hit Stam's men on the counter, one of which needed a smart Liam Moore interception to deny Mamadou Thiam a clear run at goal.

But Royals also put together some threatening moves, with McCleary's dangerous cross in the 18th minute reaching Kermorgant before Barnsley eventually cleared.

Yet the hosts should have taken the lead in the 22nd minute when Gary Garnder's pass put Thiam one-one-one with Vito Mannone.

But the Italian keeper made himself big and blocked the striker's shot to preserve parity.

Then six minutes later Harvey Barnes headed wide for the home side from a Joe Williams cross.

However, Reading almost broke the deadlock with a slice of luck when Barrow's cross deflected onto the roof of the net with Davies beaten after a neat move involving McCleary, Kermorgant and Swift.

Tykes, though, shifted up a gear and had two decent chances just after the half-hour mark.

Andy Yiadom's cross from the right found Thiam, but the striker's half-volley from close range hit the side netting.

Then Barnes appeared odds-on to score as he met Adam Hammill's centre, but Gunter did just enough to put him off.

Swift replied for the visitors nine minutes before the break, his low drive from the edge of the box failing to trouble Davies.

And the Tykes keeper was alert to McCleary's stinging effort after Swift's free-kick had fallen to him a long way out.

There may have ben a lack of quality in the first period, but there were chances at both ends at the start of the second half.

As he had earlier in the game, Gunter bombed forward and tested Davies on the angle from a decent Barrow cross.

But Barnsley went down the other end and saw Tom Bradshaw unleash a stinging effort which Moore superbly blocked.

Then moments later Thiam's left-footed drive from 20 yards brought the best out of Mannone.

Bradshaw kept Mannone on his toes with a curling shot in the 57th minute and another three minutes later after Thiam's initial shot had been blocked.

And Stam's men breathed a sigh of relief when a goalmouth scramble was eventually cleared by Kermorgant as Barnsley pressed for an opener.

There were cries for a penalty in the home team's area when McCleary's cross appeared to strike an opposition arm, but referee Simon Hooper did not want to know.

But it didn't matter as Reading finally broke the deadlock in the 68th minute with a sensational team goal.

It started with Mannone who found Barrow on the half-way line and ex-Swansea man played in Blackett on the overlap.

Blackett's curling ball from out wide fell perfectly for Kermorgant who headed the ball into the ground and past Davies without breaking stride.

Barnsley boss Paul Heckingbottom reacted with a triple change - and Tykes almost drew level in the 80th minute.

Mannone pulled off another vital save to tip a powerful shot from Ezekiel Fryers over the crossbar.

Then Fryers picked up the pieces from that corner and crossed to Bradshaw who could only head wide from close range with Reading's defence all at sea.

Royals survived that spell - only to concede a 90th minute equaliser.

Pinnock had been thrown up front for the closing stages, but the central-defender produced a clinical finish by sending a thumping header past Mannone from a Lloyd Isgrove cross.

Stam will have been furious as seconds earlier Reading had won a corner of their own, but instead of keeping possession, Aluko had a speculative shot from which the Tykes broke up the field.

And Reading could have gone home empty handed but for Gunter's clever intervention as he headed the ball over his own bar to avert a Barnsley winner.

Reading remain in 17th place in the table and host rock-bottom Birmingham City on Tuesday, the Blues having beaten Leeds United 1-0 today.

Barnsley: Davies, Yiadom (McCarthy 69), Pinnock, Lindsay, Fryers, Hammill, Williams, Gardner, Barnes (Isgrove 70), Bradshaw, Thiam (Ugbo 70). Subs not used: Townsend, Mallan, Potts, Bird.

Reading: Mannone, Gunter, Blackett, McShane (c), Moore, Van den Berg (Evans 62), Swift (Aluko 59), Edwards, McCleary (Bodvarsson 81), Barrow, Kermorgant. Subs not used: Jaakkola, Richards, Ilori, Clement. Booked: Aluko 85.

Referee: Simon Hooper.

Attendance: 11,945.