Barnsley U23s suffered a heavy 3-0 defeat at home to Hull City on Friday afternoon.

Two goals from Billy Chadwick either side of the interval and another from Jake Berry helped the visitors to a comfortable victory, which could have been even more emphatic had it not been for the heroics of Jake Greatorex.

After a slow start, it was Hull who created the game’s first real opening as Ahmed Salam jinked in-field and found Chadwick unmarked, but the City forward fired well over from inside the area.

But, five minutes later, Chadwick’s radar was pinpoint as he curled a fine effort into Greatorex’ bottom corner to give the Tigers a deserved lead.

Barnsley looked to hit back and, following a mazy run from Aiden Marsh, Alex Wollerton took aim from distance but his shot was straight at Harvey Cartwright.

The visitors, however, soon resumed command of the contest and came close to adding a second through Jordan Hickey, but Greatorex was on hand to block with his legs.

Just after the half-hour mark, Hull did double their advantage as Berry rounded off a magnificent team move when he swept home unmarked at the far post.

It could have been three moments before the interval as Berry broke clear again, but Greatorex produced another fine save to turn the ball away.

HALF-TIME: Barnsley 0-2 Hull City

Barnsley tried to grab a foothold in the game after the restart and should have halved the deficit through Marsh. The young striker did brilliantly to block Cartwight’s attempted clearance, but as he raced clean through, he prodded wide with the goal at his mercy.

On the hour mark, Chadwick doubled his tally for the afternoon when he was released by Berry before applying a clinical finish to effectively end the tie as a contest.

The Reds pushed forward looking for a way back into the game, but Hull were able to repel every attack as they defended resolutely.

In fact, the visitors could have added to their lead late on as Salam flashed a header narrowly wide before Chadwick came close to sealing a hat-trick with a fierce drive from the edge of the box.

REDS XI: Greatorex, Barnett, Trialist, Omar, Pinillos, Erhahon, Taylor, Ward (Winfield, 46), Wollerton, Marsh, Willard (Sotana, 69).

Not used: Brown, Gagen, Martin.

HULL XI: Cartwright, Jacob, Leake, Hickey, John, Ritson, Berry, Jones, Chadwick, Snelgrove, Salam.

Subs: Fisk, Bayram, Wood, Guilfoyle, Hinds.