In his programme notes, chairman Julian Rhodes admitted he was cheesed off that Sky chose Brentford's replay with Oldham over the Yorkshire derby.

I would imagine the television bosses will be feeling just as sick today after passing up on this belter for a dour tussle with seven goals less.

Having missed out on the Sky cash, Rhodes must have been equally alarmed at the size

of last night's gate. Just 4,738 souls bothered to pay on the turnstiles - and half of those takings will be making their way to Oakwell.

But the fans who did turn up were treated to grandstand entertainment from the first minute right through to the 120th, with the action see-sawing from one end to the other at a relentless pace.

It has been a common gripe among supporters that home games have become a chore. This one made up for Colchester, Gillingham and Hartlepool combined.

City and Barnsley had served up two feisty courses already in the last month but this was a banquet.

Striker Andy Cooke began the goal feast and said: "It must have been exciting for a neutral to watch but a sad night for Bradford City at the end."

It was all go from the moment Danny Cadamarteri left two blue shirts for dead to tee up a shooting chance for Marc Bridge-Wilkinson.

Colin Todd had moved Cadamarteri to the left flank with Owen Morrison's place taken by Cooke, who began an impressive night's work by trying his luck with an overhead kick.

Barnsley, though, are as dangerous a counter-attacking side as you will find in League One and livewire Chris Shuker had the ball in the net after 13 minutes. Luckily for City, assistant Mo Matadar had his flag up for offside.

Left winger Martin Devaney had dictated matters on their league visit but Richard Edghill marshalled him well at Oakwell and soon clamped down on him again. Devaney's early frustration showed when he threw

himself to the ground looking for a foul from an unimpressed referee.

It was the man on City's left flank who was providing all the thrills and Cadamarteri hoovered up a loose ball on the halfway line and sped away from two back-tracking opponents. But Devaney had the last laugh as the City striker shaped to shoot, sliding in with a superb challenge just inside the penalty area.

David Wetherall was like a magnet in the City back four as every cross or shot seemed to flounder against the imperious skipper.

Brian Howard smashed a fierce drive into Wetherall's head but the groggy defender still had the piece of mind to recover enough and block the follow-up centre by Shuker.

Then Russell Howarth, deputising for the banned Donovan Ricketts, did well to parry a powerful effort by Shuker on the half hour after Mark Bower was undone by the bounce.

But it was City who broke through just after the half-hour mark. Ben Muirhead's shot was deflected behind by Antony Kay and the home side conjured up a corner move from the past to strike.

Muirhead's short kick was met on the volley by Dean Windass - a tactic frequently employed by Nicky Summerbee last season - and zoomed goalwards. Cadamarteri could not get out of the way in time but Cooke was on hand to run the loose ball home.

The match suddenly threatened to boil up as Windass clashed with Neil Austin in front of the dug-outs. The City striker can count himself slightly fortunate not to be punished for the raised challenge.

Jacob Burns certainly wasn't happy and after a midfield set-to, where Wetherall and Bridge-Wilkinson had to pull Windass away, the Australian tried his own retribution when the pair went for a high ball the following minute.

But the focus swiftly returned to football as half-time approached and Howarth had to be alert to tip over a dipping drive from the

former Leeds man.

Cooke drove wide soon after the restart but within six minutes Barnsley were level.

City were caught napping as Devaney's low cross found its way to Paul Hayes. His first touch was not great but he still found the room to force the ball beyond Howarth.

Barnsley now looked like a team on top of their game. Having netted 11 goals in their previous four outings, they went hunting another - and didn't have to wait long.

Eight minutes after levelling, the Tykes were ahead. Bobby Hassell returned a corner into the City danger zone, Hayes nudged it goalwards and centre half Paul Reid finished from a few yards.

City were stunned but far from finished. Back they roared and Cooke twice went close, one shot finding the side-netting and the next palmed away by keeper Scott Flinders.

An equaliser was surely coming and arrived midway through the half. Muirhead's corner was intelligently nodded back across goal by Wetherall and Bower stretched out to direct it inside the near post.

This ding-dong affair was up for grabs - until the captain intervened once again.

City won another corner after 72 minutes, Muirhead's delivery was precise and Weth-erall twisted in the air to thump a header into the roof of the net.

All three goals had come from sloppy

marking at corners, so no wonder the Barnsley bench were steaming.

But their expressions changed instantly six minutes later as Hayes collected Austin's long pass, took it past Bower and glided the ball wide of the keeper for the fifth goal in a madcap 27-minute burst.

Nobody could take their eyes off the action and City could still have nicked it in normal time. Bridge-Wilkinson volleyed straight at Windass and then Muirhead went for glory right on the whistle, driving straight into

the keeper's arms with three team-mates screaming for a cross.

So Valley Parade went into an extra 30

minutes for the first time since Accrington in last year's LDV Vans Trophy. Ironically, Nigel Miller was also the referee that night 15 months ago.

City lost out on that occasion and the omens were not good when Barnsley made it 4-3 in the 96th minute with a soft goal.

Hayes crossed deep from the right and Howarth was caught hesitating in no-man's land. The ball sailed over him as Devaney got in front of Edghill to nod into the unguarded net.

Steve Claridge and Morrison were thrown into the fray, with Windass subbed for the first time this season. But City were starting to droop and Richards could have sealed it after Lewis Emanuel had lost out to Nicky Wroe.

The tired home legs maybe betrayed the tremendous second-half effort with ten men at Southend - and Barnsley cashed in with the killer fifth goal 12 minutes from the end as Devaney burst away to finish his second with style as the flag stayed down.

Howarth prevented Wroe and Dale Tonge from adding further salt to City's wounds but Barnsley had booked their ticket to round three after a thrilling contest.