League One strugglers Cambridge held firm to secure a 1-1 home draw against high-flying Barnsley.

The hosts made a flying start with a goal inside four minutes. Dan Nlundulu was allowed to cut inside from the byline and get a shot away, and his effort deflected past Barnsley goalkeeper Ben Killip at his near post.

However, they were only ahead until the 17th minute as Barnsley drew level through Stephen Humphrys, who broke from a Cambridge corner and blasted beyond Jack Stevens.

Michael Morrison almost put the U’s back ahead but headed Danny Andrew’s corner onto a post.

An ambitious long-range effort from Kelechi Nwakali needed tipping over on the hour by Stevens, who made a fine save from Humphrys from the resulting corner. Marc Russell netted the rebound but was denied by the offside flag.

Barnsley continued to push and, 20 minutes from the end, Adam Phillips was played through but fired across Stevens and wide.

Five minutes after that Stevens again did well to touch a Humphrys shot onto the bar after it had taken a wicked deflection, before Phillips and Davis Keillor-Dunn both headed off target from close range as Cambridge held on for a point.