The game struggled to get going in the opening stages and both sides were wasteful in the final third. But as the first half progressed, Stendel’s side grew in to the game. Making his first start for the Reds, Cauley Woodrow’s curling effort forced a smart save from Joe Hilton in the Everton goal. 

Barnsley opened the scoring after forty minutes when Ryan Hedges’ superb strike beat Joe Hilton. The midfielder played a one two from a short corner and smashed the ball home from twenty-two yards to give the reds the lead at the break.  

Half Time: Reds 1-0 Everton U21 

The visitors came out in the second half and took the game to the Reds. Bassala Sambou’s half volley forced a save from Adam Davies, but it would be the resulting corner that would force the equalizer. 

Josh Bowler’s left footed corner was perfectly weighted and the aforementioned Sambou headed home from close range to level the scores. 

Neither side carved out a decent opportunity to win the game until a very late George Moncur strike stung the palms of Joe Hilton and forced a corner. However nothing came of it and it would be a penalty shootout to decide who would pick up the bonus point.  

The Reds netted all four penalties with George Moncur, Jacob Brown, Mike Bähre and Mamadou Thiam finding the back of the net. Both of Everton’s substitutes (Mathis and Lavery) saw their penalties saved by Adam Davies and the Barnsley won the shootout by four kicks to two. 

It’s one step closer to the knockout round for Daniel Stendel’s men and a draw against Bradford next week would secure their qualification.

Full Time: Reds (p) 1-1 Everton U21 (Barnsley 4-2 Everton U21 on penalties)

REDS: Davies (GK) (C), Hedges, Fryers, Jackson, J. Williams, B. Williams, Bird, Moncur, Brown, Woodrow, Adeboyejo. 

Bench: Greatorex (GK), Lindsay, Bähre, Isgrove, Thiam, Moon, Helliwell. 

Everton: Hilton (GK), Browning, Adeniran, Bowler, Sambou, Feeney (C), Markeld, Kiersey, Ouzounidis, Mampala, Astley. 

Bench: Hewelt (GK), Mathis, Lavery, Simms.