Barnsley’s pre-season preparations continued with a comfortable victory over Sky Bet League One outfit Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday afternoon.
Goals in either half from Jordan Williams and Clarke Oduor were enough to secure a 2-0 win at the Oakwell Training Ground as the Reds got more valuable minutes in the tank.
Perhaps the standout performer on a sweltering day in South Yorkshire was Jack Walton, who pulled of a number of magnificent saves to keep the visitors at bay in keenly contested encounter.
In fact, it was our ‘keeper who was first called into action as he stood firm to deny Olamide Shodipo when one-on-one before blocking Julian Börner’s fierce drive moments later in a frantic opening period.
Devante Cole then tested Cameron Dawson with the Reds’ first real effort of note as the Owls’ stopper flung himself to his left to turn an effort wide of the upright.
Five minutes later, though, Barnsley took the lead as Williams tried his luck from distance and Dawson was unable to keep his low shot out at the near post midway through the half.
Our slick passing was clear to see, with Callum Styles and Romal Palmer constantly picking out our wing-backs on the overlap, while Cole, Carlton Morris and Cauley Woodrow linked up seamlessly in transition.
Woodrow came close to adding a second just before the interval, but Dawson was on hand to make a fine save – not wanting to be outdone by Walton at the other end.
HALF-TIME: Barnsley 1-0 Sheffield Wednesday
Shodipo was thwarted once more by our 23-year-old ‘keeper, who repelled everything Wednesday threw at our goal as the visitors made a strong start to the second half.
Walton then made another terrific stop shortly after, palming away a thunderous drive from the edge of the box that looked destined for the roof of the net.
Having rung the changes at the hour mark, Barnsley had a fresh injection of energy and it was two substitutes who combined as we doubled our advantage.
A neat move down the right flank saw Oduor play a deft one-two with Cameron Thompson before bursting into the area and firing beyond Joe Wildsmith from close range.
Fisayo Dele-Bashiru was next to be frustrated as Walton stuck out a leg to divert his strike before the Reds twice came close to a third in the dying stages through Cole and Oduor.
It was another fine performance from Barnsley, who are enjoying life under new Head Coach Markus Schopp and travel to Loughborough for the pre-season camp in high spirits.
FULL-TIME: Barnsley 2-0 Sheffield Wednesday
REDS XI: Walton (GK), Sibbick, Sraha (Ariely, 60), Kitching (Pache, 45), Brittain (Miller, 60), Palmer (Simoes, 60), Styles (Ritzmaier, 60), J Williams (B Williams, 60), Cole, Woodrow (Thompson, 60), Morris (Oduor, 60).
Not used: Jinadu (GK).