Reds 1 Forest 2
Subs: Alexander-Salmon, Williams, Chadderton.Reds: Lidakevicius, Alderson, Steade, Scott, Kilburn, Shillito, Abbott, Patterson, Rose (Smith 80), Clark (Alexander-Salmon 84), Sousa (Oates 65).
The reply from the Reds was immediate and Rhys Oates almost found an equaliser after galloping into the area but he dragged his right-foot shot wide. Again the Reds pressed but Forest were keeping the ball well to try and see out the tie and an Abbot strike zipped just over the bar in the dying moments.
minute when Forest found the winner. A quick throw-inn caught out the backline and Palmer-Samuels prodded home a rebound after Lidakevicius parried a strike into his path. th Clark was pulling the strings in midfield alongside the hardworking Abbott, Patterson and Shillito as the Reds dictated the pace up until the 80
It was another nine minutes that went past before the Reds attacked and this time they found the leveller. Erico Sousa was picked out by Patterson’s tremendous sweeping cross-field ball, after cutting in onto his right boot, his attempted lob was tipped onto the post and into the path of Rose who couldn’t make a mistake from two yards.
The visitors took the lead when David Morgan’s 20-yarder deflected cruelly past a sprawling Lidakevicius on nine minutes but the Reds kept their heads and responded positively six minutes later through Rose and Patterson. Rose’s shot was well saved by Forest’s ‘keeper smith and Patterson saw his rebounded drive cleared expertly off the line.
With ‘development’ the key word, there seems to be plenty of talent to work with after a display of slick passing and movement, despite going down 2-1 to Forest.
The Reds’ Under 21s’ campaign got underway on the Oakwell Academy pitch on a sun-drenched August afternoon against Nottingham Forest.
(Morgan 9, Palmer-Samuels 80)Nottingham Forest Under 21s 2
(Rose 15)1Barnsley Under 21s
