Howe said: "It tells us we have some unbelievable professionals in there and we still have a spirit that we will never give up. It is a game we will never forget, it was a pleasure to be a part of it and I can't praise the players enough."
On injuries, he said: "It's been the story of our season. Unfortunately we were getting hit left right and centre today. We were 1-0 up and then Jamaal goes off. Miggy goes off, Anthony is sent off, Tino goes off. It is a catalogue one after another but the players we brought on made a positive impact and that's the beauty of our squad."
On Barnes he added: "He is an incredible player. We have missed him this season and he would have given us quality wherever he played. He is a goalscorer and they are so valuable and his two finishes today were of the highest quality. Of course, the last one was memorable and will always be remembered and what a finish it was. That's the quality he has."