Defender Haydon Roberts gave Reading a 32nd-minute lead on his debut only for veteran Barnsley striker David McGoldrick to cancel it out six minutes later.

The Tykes went ahead through skipper Adam Phillips in the 67th minute but Marriott levelled six minutes from time with his 11th goal of the season.

Neither side impressed in the scrappy opening exchanges before Reading went ahead just past the half-hour mark.

Paddy Lane’s low cross caused chaos in the Barnsley area and Roberts, signed during the week from Bristol City, squeezed his shot home from an acute angle at the far post.

The Royals’ lead lasted only six minutes, however, with Reyes Cleary crossing from the left and the unmarked McGoldrick tapping in his eighth goal of the season from close range.

Barnsley weathered a Reading storm at the start of the second half before going ahead when Phillips’ 20-yard shot took a wicked deflection to beat wrongfooted home goalkeeper Joel Pereira.

But Reading upped the pressure and, after substitute Will Keane had missed from close in, Marriott pounced with a well-struck effort that glanced in off a post.