MORECAMBE 2 (Curtis 7, Newby 75))
BARNSLEY 1 (Odejayi 63)

KAYODE Odejayi grabbed a goal on his debut as the Reds had a decent first work out in the sunshine at Morecambe but slipped to defeat against the League Two new boys.

Barnsley manager Simon Davey sprang a surprise at Christie Park when winger Rohan Ricketts lined up for the Reds. Ricketts started his career at Arsenal and had spells with Spurs and Coventry before joining Wolves in 2005. He was released by the Molineux club in the summer after spending the last two months of the season with QPR.

Marciano Bruma, Rob Kozluk and Andy Johnson also started the game with fellow new boys Dominik Werling and Kayode Odejayi on the bench.

The Reds got off to the worst possible start on seven minutes when David McNiven's long ball caught out the Barnsley defence to give Wayne Curtis the chance to finish low from 12 yards.

Jamie Burns almost got in again on 17 minutes as he raced onto another McNiven pass before forcing Nick Colgan into a smart low save.

Barnsley should have been on level terms on 24 minutes as Ricketts sent a great free kick into the danger area and the ball just evaded Istvan Ferenczi although Paul Reid really ought to have done better when he swung and missed at the back post.

Ricketts was in the thick of the action again on 28 minutes as he smashed a free kick into the wall from 20 yards after Ferenczi had hit the ground under pressure.

Martin Devaney was next to break quickly through the heart of the Shrimps defence on 31 minutes as he managed to find Michael Coulson in space but the youngster could only shoot straight at a defender from 18 yards.

Morecambe almost caught the Reds napping on 39 minutes as livewire winger Carl Baker stood a fine cross up to the back post to give skipper Jim Bentley a free header but Colgan was quickly across to make a decent save.

Morecambe keeper Craig Wright had his heart in his mouth on the stroke of half time as he could only half clear Devaney's cross and the ball fell to Johnson but the midfielder could only smash his volley high over the bar.

Davey rang the changes at half time to give virtually all his squad half a game. Only Bruma, Coulson and Ricketts stayed on the field after the opening 45 minutes.

The changes almost paid dividends on 46 minutes as Ricketts found Brian Howard in a yard of space on the edge of the area and the midfielder chipped the ball above Wright but his effort dropped a yard over the bar.

Ricketts then found the right pass into the danger area on 48 minutes but Dwayne Mattis just could not turn the ball into the net. A minute later Ricketts brought a decent stop from Wright a minute later as he let fly from the edge of the area.

Simon Helsop almost levelled things on 51 minutes as he fired a yard wide of the target before Robert Atkinson had to be at his very, very best at the other end three minutes later to block Jon Newby's goalbound effort.

Ricketts had the Morecambe defence at sixes and sevens a on 55 minutes as he found Coulson in space but the young striker opted to play the ball across goal rather than get a shot away with only Wright to beat.

Howard almost found a way through the Morecambe defence on 58 minutes as he broke into the area but dragged his shot an inch wide of the far post with Wright unsighted.

Barnsley got it right on 63 minutes and again it came through good play down the left by Ricketts after the winger took on the Morecambe defence before sending Dominik Werling in to the byline. The German managed to dig out a fine cross to give fellow new-boy Kayode Odejayi a simple header from six yards.

It was Werling's last action of the game as he limped off just a minute later with a groin problem.

Odejayi got in again on 69 minutes as he raced down the left before bringing a fine parry from Wright with a well-struck shot from 12 yards. Ricketts then went close five minutes later with a low drive that just flew wide of the post.

Morecambe were back in front on 75 minutes as Jon Newby let fly from the edge of the area and saw his shot cannon back off the post and off keeper Letheren before creeping across the line.

Odejayi managed to race away down the left once again on 79 minutes but inexplicably decided to try and pick out a team mate with the goal gaping and a great chance went begging.

Odejayi managed to knock the ball down well on 80 minutes to give Heslop a great chance and the youngster beat Tynan but saw his effort kicked off the line by Adams. Odejayi then almost grabbed a second on 86 minutes as he managed to get his foot to Ricketts' cross but could only direct the ball into the sidenetting.

MORECAMBE: Wright (Tynan 76), Yates (Lloyd 77), M. Howard (Yates 60), McLachlan (Sorvel 45), Bentley (Stanley 45), Adams, Baker, Hunter (Walmsley 45), Curtis (Newby 45), McNiven, Burns (Hughes 63).

BARNSLEY: Colgan (Letheren 45), Bruma, Kozluk (Werling 45 (Meynell 65)), Reid (Atkinson 45), Meynell (Potter 45), Johnson (Mattis 45), Devaney (Heslop 45), Togwell (Howard 45), Ferenczi (Odejayi 45), Coulson (McGrory 75), Ricketts.

Att: 1,248