Reds suffer only their third defeat of the season with narrow defeat to competitive Hull City side.
Barnsley Under 18s slipped to their third defeat of the season, losing 1-0 at home to Hull City Under 18s.
The only goal of the game came midway through the first half as Marc Kennedy slotted home from close range after Arron Murphy had parried the ball into his path.
Cameron Simpson’s turn and shot forced a good save out of the Hull goalkeeper early on and Romal Palmer was denied a tap in on the follow up by a last-ditch challenge, while Murphy made a fine save to deny Tigers winger Tyler Hamilton.
Sham Bertie drew a save out of the goalkeeper in the final moments of the half, with Adam Lund also going close just after the restart with a looping header.
Matty Wolfe and Bertie both came close to snatching late equalisers but failed to test the visiting stopper as Hull held on to claim all three points.
The Reds came out the more aggressive of the two sides, fashioning the first chance after only six minutes through Cameron Simpson.
The winger, replacing the injured Kane Swinburn, spun well in the area only to see his low shot parried towards the awaiting Romal Palmer, but a desperate block prevented him slotting home.
Hull’s first effort on target came when a set play from 25-yards was fired straight at Arron Murphy, who made another good save soon after, getting down well to gather a low effort.
Winger Tyler Hamilton was causing all sorts of problems for the Reds defence and but for a flying fingertip save from Murphy, would have given the Tigers the lead.
They did eventually make the breakthrough on 26 minutes when a vicious shot was smartly saved by Murphy, only for the rebound to fall to Marc Kennedy, who slotted home from close range.
Jeff McGowan and Sham Bertie were both unable to trouble the visiting goalkeeper before the break as the Tigers went in ahead at the break.
HALF TIME: Reds 0-1 Hull City
Once again Barnsley started the half the better of the two sides, going close through Adam Lund’s looping header from Louis Wardle’s corner while the visiting captain was booked for fouling Jeff McGowan.
Kennedy failed to add to his tally when he blasted over at the end of a flowing move with Hamilton scuffing an effort wide in the closing stages.
A downward header from substitute Matty Wolfe in stoppage time did not test the Hull goalkeeper with Sham Bertie firing into the side netting moments later.
The final chance fell the way of Louis Rowe, who drilled the ball across the face of goal at the end of a flowing move, but the ball proved too strong for Wolfe to latch onto.
Reds: Murphy (GK), Wardle, Lund, Smith, Bertie, Simpson, Tingle (Wolfe, 81’), Palmer, Saeed, McGowan (Ocran, 58’), Rowe.
Subs: Greatorex (GK), Miller, Clare.
