Jamal Campbell-Ryce's second-half penalty miss spoiled what should have been a perfect afternoon for Barnsley as Robert Earnshaw struck to hand Nottingham Forest a priceless point.

Tykes winger Campbell-Ryce headed his side into the lead just seconds after the restart with his eighth goal of the season to send a bumper Oakwell crowd of almost 20,000 into raptures.

In the 57th minute he had the opportunity to double his tally from the penalty spot but his weak effort was well saved by Forest goalkeeper Iain Turner and the opportunity was lost.

Campbell-Ryce and Barnsley were ruthlessly punished 11 minutes later when Earnshaw rifled home a low shot to breathe new life into Forest's survival prospects.

Neither side could fashion a winning goal in a tense and hard-fought encounter which was never high on quality and only really ignited after the break.

Forest looked more dangerous in attack with the pace of Earnshaw and Dexter Blackstock suggesting they could stretch the Barnsley back line.

In the seventh minute Chris Cohen found Isaiah Osbourne down the left flank but his cross was awful and the opportunity spurned.

That set the tone for a familiar pattern with the visitors' attack and moments later Nathan Tyson showed impressive pace to break clear down the left flank but the cross was horribly overcooked.

Barnsley offered a fleeting threat in the 11th minute when Campbell-Ryce engineered the space to crack a low right-foot shot into Turner's arms from 25 yards.

Yet Forest should have opened the scoring in the 19th minute when Blackstock's neat touch set Tyson free down the left wing and his low whipped cross was fired over by Earnshaw.

Barnsley striker Jon Macken was booked midway through the half for a late lunge on Forest left-back Joel Lynch and he blotted his copybook further two minutes before half-time.

A deep cross from the right was hooked into his path by Barnsley left-back Rob Kozluk but Macken's left-foot shot flew high over the crossbar from the edge of the six-yard box.

Seconds after the restart Campbell-Ryce belied his 5ft 7in frame to rise highest and head home from the edge of the six-yard box.

He celebrated by whipping off his shirt and receiving a booking for his indiscretion before risking a second yellow by hugging referee Lee Probert.

The goal should have filled Campbell-Ryce with confidence but he was anything but when Wes Morgan fouled Andranik Teymourian to give Barnsley a penalty in the 57th minute.

The outstanding Andranik was keen to take the kick but Campbell-Ryce begged him for the ball and perhaps wished he had not as his weak right-foot shot was repelled by Turner to his left.

Earnshaw, who fired against the bar in the 51st minute, then showed outstanding finishing skills with a low right-foot shot from 10 yards after connecting with Osbourne's cross to ensure the honours ended even.

Teams:

Barnsley Muller, Hassell, Moore, Foster, Kozluk, Teymourian, Colace, De Silva, Campbell-Ryce (Devaney 87), Macken, Mifsud (Bogdanovic 82).

Subs Not Used: Steele, El Haimour, Guedes.

Booked: Macken, Colace, Moore, Campbell-Ryce.

Goals: Campbell-Ryce 46.

Nottm Forest Turner, Gunter, Wilson, Morgan, Lynch, Tyson (Chambers 89), McGugan (McCleary 61), Osbourne, Cohen, Earnshaw, Blackstock.

Subs Not Used: Smith, Breckin, Garner.

Booked: Cohen.

Goals: Earnshaw 68.

Att: 19,681

Ref: Lee Probert (Wiltshire).