BARNSLEY RESERVES 0
SCUNTHORPE UNITED RESERVES 2 (Winn 14, McBreen 36)

BARNSLEY'S reserves crashed to defeat against Scunthorpe United despite hammering the woodwork three times on a disappointing evening at Oakwell.

Barnsley went into the game in search of their first league win of the season and lined up a very experienced side against Scunthorpe. Nick Colgan, Marciano Van Homoet, Rob Atkinson, Rohan Ricketts, Dwayne Mattis, Kim Christensen and Miguel Mostto were all looking to impress and force their way into Simon Davey's first team at the earliest opportunity.

Mostto had his first chance with just two minutes on the clock when he stole a yard to shoot just wide from Christensen's pass.

A minute later Mostto got in again as he found space to meet Ricketts' cross but saw his header rattle the underside of the bar. Ricketts again did well on four minutes when he stood up another fine delivery but Atkinson could not get his header on target. Jacob Butterfield was next to try his luck on six minutes as he cut in from the right before testing Josh Lillis with a low drive.

Scunthorpe went close from a corner on eight minutes when Niall Canavan rose highest to meet Peter Winn's cross but his header was always rising and never troubled Colgan.

Atkinson went close again a minute later with a looping header from Butterfield's corner but again the Reds struggled to find a breakthrough.

Cleveland Taylor brought the very best from Colgan on 12 minutes when he burst through midfield before shooting low but the Irish international was quickly down to make a fine save.

Barnsley were behind on 14 minutes when Winn found a yard of space and smashed a spectacular shot past Colgan and into the top corner from 25 yards.

Winn was an inch away from an equally spectacular second on 21 minutes as he again raced at the Reds defence before getting a shot away but this time his effort flew wide of the post. It was Winn's last action of the half as he limped out of the game four minutes later after a challenge with Atkinson.

Barnsley finally responded with Luke Potter crossing well on 26 minutes but Christensen could not get his flying header on target. Mostto was again unlucky on the half hour as he tricked his way into the area and onto Ricketts' pass before smashing a shot against the underside of the bar from 12 yards.

A disappointing first half got even worse on 37 minutes when Joel Barnett managed to break to the byline and cross for Daniel McBreen to rifle home from six yards. Taylor again had Colgan scrambling on 43 minutes as he drove the ball wide from 25 yards but the Reds keeper always had it covered.

The second half was a real non-event in the opening stages. The best either team could offer came on 55 minutes when Potter sent a speculative low drive straight at Lillis from 35 yards. Mostto then tried his luck from distance on 60 minutes but his effort was easy for Lillis.

Ricketts was next to force Lillis into a save a minute later when he let fly from 30 yards but again the Scunthorpe keeper was in the right place to hold onto the ball.

The Reds were almost caught out a third time on 62 minutes when Barnett raced in down the right hand side but dragged his shot wide with only Colgan to beat.

Barnsley smashed the woodwork for a third time on 73 minutes as Christensen broke well onto Mostto's pass and slammed the ball goalward but could only watch as his effort rebounded away off the upright.

The Reds turned up the heat on Scunthorpe and Lillis had to be at his best on 75 minutes to turn Butterfield's shot around the post. A minute later Butterfield again went close with a well-struck shot from the edge of the area but this time his effort flew a foot wide of the post.

It just would not go into the back of the net and substitute Jacob White did well on 78 minutes to put the ball on a plate for Christensen but the big Dane just could not get enough onto his header.

The Reds finally had the ball in the back of the net on 80 minutes when White combined well with Dwayne Mattis to give Mostto a tap in but the Peruvian was denied by the assistant's flag.

White again was in the thick of the action on 84 minutes when he guided Potter's deep cross back into the danger area but Mattis could only shoot against a defender under pressure. White almost got in himself on 88 minutes as he raced onto Ricketts' miss timed shot but could not control the ball with Lillis to beat.

There was still time for Christensen to flash a header wide of the target from Van Homoet's cross as the Reds pressed for something in the closing seconds.

BARNSLEY: Colgan, Van Homoet, Atkinson, Meynell, Potter, Ricketts, Mattis, Butterfield, Christensen, Mostto, McGrory (White 63).
Subs: Free, Adam, Jennings, Smith.

SCUNTHORPE UNITED: Lillis, Wilcox, Porter, Webster, Canavan, Smith (Bladen 83), Taylor, Barnett, McBreen, Winn (J. Barnett 25), Gyoury-Hales.
Subs: Turner, Moxon, Coleman.