Reds 0
Middlesbrough 4 (Kike 47, 74, Adomah 49, 66)
Barnsley faced a really strong Middlesbrough side hopeful of making the Premier League this coming season and were on the wrong end of a 4-0 scoreline.
The Reds did have a couple of good chance to register themselves on the scoresheet but were found wanting in the final third the clinical visitors made sure in front of goal.
The home fans saw a brief glimpse of first-year Academy scholar Louis Wardle as he enjoyed a three-minute cameo on the right-wing.
The opening few minutes saw Bree tested for pace on the Barnsley right as Yanic Wildschut showed his blistering speed to drive in behind. Thankfully, the Boro man's cross whipped across the face of goal and out for a throw.
On five minutes, Fabbrini dragged a low effort wide of Dibble's left-hand upright as the away side enjoyed some neat, one-touch play.
Joe Rothwell showed great close control in the middle of the park as he carried the ball forward but his shot was lacking direction.
Thankfully for Christian Dibble the offside flag was quick to rise and deny Albert Adomah's goal on 14 minutes after the Barnsley's 'keeper spilled Wildschut's long-range drive.
Barnsley's first sight of goal came from a free-kick on the edge of box after Wilkinson was upended on 20 minutes. Alfie Mawson blasted the set-piece at goal but his strike was blocked by the wall before it could trouble Mejias.
There was a break in play after Josh Scowen was left in a heap in the middle of the park on 32 minutes but, thankfully, the midfielder got back to his feet after some treatment from the Physio, Craig Sedgwick.
Second half
The Reds made two changes at the break with Marc Roberts and Mason Holgate coming on for Lewin Nyatanga and James Bree.
Less than two minutes into the second period saw Boro take the lead. Kike was slid into the box down the right and the striker slipped the ball under the advancing Dibble.
The visitors doubled their lead with the next effort of the match but it was unfortunate for goalkeeper Christian Dibble. Kike turned Mawson in the box and his shot at goal was saved well by Dibble but Albert Adomah was on hand to tap into an empty net.
Barnsley responded through Conor Wilkinson on 56 minutes after Josh Scowen burst forward on the counter. After feeding Wilkinson on the left, he cut inside onto his right boot and saw his shot well saved by Mejias.
The Reds' best move of the match came on 59 minutes and it probably should have ended in a goal. Josh Scowen got in on Marley Watkins' through-ball but was denied by Mejias' smart stop when one-on-one.
It could have been three on 65 minutes as Adam Clayton took aim from 25 yards only to be denied by Dibble's stop. It was three on 66 minutes, however, as Albert Adomah registered his second of the game with a well-drilled shot from 22 yards that found the bottom corner of Dibble's goal.
Trialist Simeon Jackson replaced Conor Wilkinson in attack seconds after Boro's third.
Adomah was after his hat-trick as he latched onto a short corner from the left - Dibble was able to comfortably collect the wide-man's strike on 70 minutes.
It was a double double on 74 minutes as Kike notched his second of the night with another fine finish. The forward was sent in on goal and made no mistake by slotting into the corner.
Moments later Adomah should have had his hat-trick after taking Reach's delivery in his stride before hammering at goal only for Dibble to block.
The Reds could have pulled a goal back when Scowen's low cross eventually fell for Rothwell at the far stick but he scuffed his shot straight at Mejias from six yards.
In the dying seconds both Rothwell and Maris was denied by blocks in the Boro box as they desperately searched for a goal.
Teams
Reds: Dibble, Bree (Roberts 46), Mawson (Wardle 87), Nyatanga (Holgate 46), Smith, Scowen, Pearson, Rothwell, Watkins, Wilkinson (Jackson 67), Phenix (Maris 57).
Subs: Walton, Jackson, Maris.
Middlesbrough: Mejias, Husband, Fry, Gibson (Jackson 27) , Clayton (Carayol 76), Adomah, Maloney, Nsue, Wildschut, Kike (Forshaw 76), Fabbrini (Reach 61).
Subs: Konstantopoulos, Ripley, Ayala, Leadbitter, Tomlin, Kalas.
Referee: Darren England
Attendance: 2,082
