Former Premiership referee Paul Danson was at the centre of controversy as Barnsley held play-off hopefuls Tranmere at Oakwell.
The home side, desperate for three points to take them further away from the relegation dogfight, were leading 1-0 thanks to Bruce Dyer's 16th goal of the season when Danson took a decisive hand.
Three minutes into the second half he adjudged that Barnsley's best defender Neil Austin had committed a foul inside the box.
He awarded a spot kick and when Shane Nicholson's effort was brilliantly saved by rookie keeper Matthew Ghent, Danson, on the advice of his assistant, ordered the penalty to be retaken.
Ghent had been adjudged to have moved too early and this time Nicholson made no mistake from 12 yards.
Barnsley's best spell of the match came in the opening ten minutes.
They took the lead on seven minutes when Mike Sheron, who otherwise could not put a foot right, found strike partner Dyer and he muscled his way past Ian Sharps before driving the ball under the body of Tranmere keeper John Achterberg.
But from that point on it was the visitors who looked the likelier side to score next.
Nicholson saw one far post effort rebound off the keeper when it looked as if the ball was going to cross the line.
Barnsley, who had skipper Mitch Ward stretchered off, struggled to make an impact in the second half and they will be relatively pleased to have escaped with a point.