BARNSLEY 0
PRESTON NORTH END 3 (Parry 11, Mellor 33, Parkin 73)

BARNSLEY were handed a lesson in clinical finishing as North End made their clear chances count to beat the Reds at Oakwell.

There was a major shock when the teams were announced an hour before kick off and Iain Hume was named in the starting eleven. It was a big moment for the striker, who almost died last November following an elbow by Sheffield United's Chris Morgan. Hume partnered Kayode Odejayi in a new-look Barnsley attack while Luke Potter replaces suspended full back Rob Kozluk in defence.

North End had former Reds youngster Jon Parkin in attack as they looked to build on two successive draws in their opening league fixtures. Parkin made an instant impact on proceedings inside the first minute as he tumbled over Anderson's outstretched leg to earn his side a free kick on the edge of the box. Ross Wallace curled the free kick into the area but Bobby Hassell was in the right place to clear.

Barnsley set the early tempo and had Oakwell rocking on six minutes as Hassell's fine cross gave Odejayi something to attack in the air and the big striker powered a header goalward that Andy Lonergan did wonderfully well to parry away. From Hume's corner Stephen Foster then went close again with a header from 12 yards that fizzed over the top.

Jacob Butterfield's early over exuberance earned the youngster a booking on nine minutes as he clattered through Darren Carter in the middle of the park. It was probably a little harsh. Velice Shumulikoski crashed one into Darren Moore a minute later as Barnsley struggled to clear the free kick.

Barnsley's bright start was abruptly ended on eleven minutes when Potter's slip gave Paul Parry the chance to race through on goal down the right and the Welshman found an outstanding finish to bury the ball past Luke Steele and into the far top corner.

Barnsley responded with Odejayi sending Hume away down the right channel on 14 minutes. The striker did very well to dig out a fine cross but Lonergan dove full-length to claw the ball away with Adam Hammill waiting to pounce at the back stick.

Jamal Campbell-Ryce then had Preston scrambling just moments later as his cross from the right made its way to Butterfield at the back post but the youngster was denied a goal by Billy Jones' fine block.

Hammill had North End at sixes and sevens defensively again on 21 minutes a she whipped the ball in from the left flank to give Hume a chance but Liam Chilvers managed to scramble clear at the near post. Hume curled the corner into the danger area to give Moore a chance but the veteran could only head over the bar under pressure.

A double-team by Callum Davidson and Chilvers on Odejayi gave the Reds another chance to put North End under pressure on 24 minutes. Hume's free kick was dangerous but Odejayi could not put his header on target.

North End could have easily been reduced to ten men moments later when Odejayi nicked the ball around Chilvers and through on goal only for the Preston defender to stick out a hand and punch the it away. The referee brandished a yellow card when it could have been more.

At the other end Moore slammed the door shut on Neil Mellor on 26 minutes with an great sliding tackle to stop the striker going clean through on Steele.

Lonergan infuriated the home crowed with more timewasting in a first half than had been seen at Oakwell in a long time. The North End keeper was seemingly on a go-slow every time he had the chance to restart play.

North End had the chance to put the Reds goal under pressure again on 33 minutes after Carter had won a very soft free kick on half way by running into and tripping over Moore. There was controversy in the Reds area moments later when Jones' header fell to Mellor, who looked an absolute mile offside, and the striker finished well from 12 yards.

North End got away with it in their own area on 35 minutes when Chilvers dragged Odejayi to the ground as the striker went for Butterfield's pass. The referee gave North End the free kick after Odejayi had fell on the ball.

Lonergan was finally booked for his repeated timewasting on 36 minutes after taking an age to clear a free kick deep in his own area. Odejayi also picked up a caution deep in stoppage time after North End had the benefit of another soft free kick decision.

Barnsley started the second half with purpose and could have been right back in the game on 48 minutes when Shumulikoski upended Odejayi right on the edge of the box. Hume's free kick was a peach and Moore was in the right place to get his header goalward but Lonergan did magnificently well to save. Davidson managed to hack the ball clear as the Reds looked to pounce inside the six yard box.

Potter followed Butterfield into the book on 53 minutes as he was judged to have handled as Parry looked to break clear down the right wing.

North End got away with it again just moments later when Hassell's free kick was nodded on by Moore and Foster found his path to a free header impeded by Sean St Ledger. Again the referee gave nothing. At the other end Parry should have been booked on 56 minutes for a dive over Potter's challenge in the area.

Anderson almost lit up Oakwell on 57 minutes as he checked inside his marker on the edge of the box to shoot but Lonergan was in fine form to tip the ball around the post.

The tempo and urgency was there from the Reds but the home side were lacking one moment of real quality in the final third to unlock Preston and get a deserved foothold back in the game. Butterfield's wild drive from 30 yards on 59 minutes summed up Barnsley's evening.

Barnsley went close again on 63 minutes when Hammill's great cross beat the North End defence to give Odejayi a chance but the striker was denied by Lonergan's save. From Hume's corner substitute Daniel Bogdanovic almost made an immediate impact when he cracked one in from 12 yards but Davidson was in the right place to block the ball away.

The chances just kept on coming from Barnsley and Hume's free kick on 65 minutes gave Moore another free header on 12 yards but the defender glanced his effort off a defender and away for a corner.

Barnsley were almost caught out seconds later as Preston broke their shackles quickly and Wallace found himself clean through on Steele. The winger took way too much time and Hassell was able to nip in and clear.

Hume again found the right delivery on 69 minutes first from a corner that North End only just managed to clear and then with his resulting centre that both Odejayi and Moore had a snap at before the visitors hacked it away.

Preston made the game safe on 72 minutes when Jones' cross found Oakwell old boy Parkin lurking at the back post and the big striker saw his shot take a wicked deflection before looping past Steele.

Lonergan was forced into action two minutes later as Bogdanovic looked to pull one back for the Reds before Odejayi broke through North End on 76 minutes but was denied a clear strike by Davidson's sliding challenge.

Substitute Chris Sedgwick could have made it four on 77 minutes as he raced past Potter and into the area but the ex-Rotherham man was denied by Steele's low save.

The Reds just could not make their clear chances count. Jon Macken finally beat Lonergan on 78 minutes with a low drive that fizzed across goal but Odejayi could not reach far enough to prod home as he slid in. Macken combined with Odejayi again a minute later but this time the striker could only loop his header into Lonergan's arms.

Macken put Odejayi clean through on 80 minutes although his pass always left the Nigerian with a lot to do. Odejayi did manage to beat Lonergan to the ball but his effort looped wide of the mark.

Barnsley's frustrations boiled over again on 87 minutes when Anderson picked up a booking for clattering Wallace after losing his cool when Davidson's foul had gone unpunished. North End almost had a fourth seconds later as Stephen Elliott's shot cannoned off Foster and looped just wide of the post.

Another clear opportunity came and went on 89 minutes when Anderson found a yard of space to get a free header onto Bogdanovic's corner but the Brazilian put his effort high over from eight yards. North End again almost had a fourth on the counter deep into stoppage time when sub Chris Brown let fly but Steele was able to turn the ball around the post.

BARNSLEY: Steele, Hassell, Foster, Moore, Potter, Campbell-Ryce, Anderson, Butterfield (Devaney 80), Hammill (Bogdanovic 63), Odejayi, Hume (Macken 70).
Subs: Preece, Sodje, El Haimour, Noble-Lazarus.

PRESTON NORTH END: Lonergan, Davidson, Shumulikoski, Carter, St Ledger, Parry (Sedgwick 73), Jones, Wallace, Parkin (Brown 80), Mellor (Elliott 83).
Subs: Nicholson, Trotman, Henderson.

REFEREE
Dean Whitestone (Northamptonshire)
ASSISTANT REFEREES
Scott Duncan (Tyne & Weir) and Danny Roberts (Manchester)
FOURTH OFFICIAL
Chris Kavanagh (Lancashire)

Attendance - 11,850
Away Attendance - 951

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