Barnsley U23s brushed Crystal Palace aside with an emphatic 3-0 victory in the Professional Development League on Monday afternoon.
Two goals from Elliot Simoes and another from Chris Sang were enough to seal all three points for Martin Devaney’s side, who were simply brilliant from start to finish at Oakwell.
The young Reds started brightly and came close to opening the scoring through Clarke Oduor, who took aim from range but fired his shot narrowly wide of the upright.
Simoes’ cross-cum-shot then evaded the Palace defence and almost floated in, with Alex Wollerton coming agonisingly close to getting a touch as it drifted past the far post.
But the young forward wouldn’t be denied as he received the ball from Wollerton and picked out the bottom corner from 20-yards to give Barnsley a deserved lead midway through the first half.
The visitors looked to gain a foothold in the game, but a resolute Reds backline was unwavering throughout, with Sam Fielding and Jasper Moon continuously winning their aerial battles, while Harry Gagen and Jordan Barnett stoically thwarted the Eagles’ wingers.
Callum Styles then forced Ollie Webber into a fine save as he let fly from range, but the Palace ‘keeper tipped his thunderous drive onto the post.
HALF-TIME: Barnsley 1-0 Crystal Palace
The second half followed a similar pattern to the first, with Barnsley enjoying a lion’s share of possession and playing an entertaining brand of football.
It was 2-0 shortly after the interval when Styles dispossessed Nya Kirby deep in the Palace half and played an inch perfect ball into the path of Simoes, who showed great composure to fire across Webber and into the far corner.
There was no let-up from Barnsley and they continued to push forward in search of more goals, with Fielding coming close to latching onto Barnett’s devilish deliveries on a couple of occasions.
Richard Shaw’s side threatened a late rally as Jason Lokilo’s deflected effort whistled narrowly past Jack Walton’s post.
But the points were sealed when Sang played a one-two with Simoes before shimmying his way past two Palace defenders and slotting home for his first goal of the season.
It was no less than the young Reds’ flawless performance deserved, and they will head into their next fixture against Colchester United on Friday 13 September full of confidence.
REDS XI: Walton, Gagen, Fielding (c), Moon, Barnett, Wollerton, Oduor, Martin, Styles (Willard, 84), Simoes (Sherlock, 84), Mottley-Henry (Sang, 66).
Not used: Greatorex, Ward.
PALACE XI: Webber, Tavares (c), D Boateng, M Boateng, Mensah, McGregor, Kirby, Street, Flanagan, Lokilo, Pierrick.
Subs: Russell, Chamberlin-Gayle, Ajayi, Steele.