Our U18s drew 2-2 in the PDL Cup away at Hull City with goals from Alex Anaman and Josiah Dyer meaning the spoils were shared in East Yorkshire.
With the young Reds winning their first two group games, Tom Harban’s side came into the fixture knowing they had secured safe passage into the next stage of the competition, while the Tigers were unable to progress having suffered two defeats.
It was the Reds who settled into quickest amongst the frost and fog but couldn’t produce a clear-cut chance to match in the opening ten minutes.
Hull gradually began to grow into the encounter, with some fantastic defending from Josh McKay preventing an all but certain opener for the hosts after they found themselves bearing down on Rogan Ravenhill’s goal.
Barnsley were threatening via the flanks, with McKay and Luis Lacey being involved in a lot of good interplay, yet that elusive opportunity was still to be created.
Hull then took the lead after 27 minutes. An incisive pass found a Hull trialist in the area and he slotted home calmly past Ravenhill.
Despite no immediate reaction from the young Reds, they did find a way back into the game ten minutes later. Some good pressure from Anaman reaped its rewards, after the attacker intercepted a pass and finished from close range to get his side back level.
City almost retook the lead shortly before the break, with a combination of Reds defenders on the line and a smart stop from Ravenhill preventing a goal after a Tigers corner.
HALF-TIME: Hull City 1-1 Barnsley
Our young Reds were quick out of the blocks after the interval, scoring just five minutes into the half.
More good pressure on the right from McKay retrieved possession of the ball, he then played the ball inside to Mylan Benjamin, who drove into the box and unselfishly squared for Dyer in the area. The forward made no mistake, sweeping the ball home into the bottom-left corner from close range.
Barnsley weren’t in the lead for long however, with the Tigers converting from a set-piece. The ball was swung into the back stick and after a bit of ‘pinball’ in the area the Hull forward poked home from two yards.
The game opened up after the hosts’ equaliser, with McKay coming close just after the hour mark after a well-struck first-time effort from just inside the area forced a smart save from the City ‘keeper down to his left.
Tempers began to flare with the competitive nature of the game, and on off the ball incident saw Lacey shown a second yellow card and Tigers captain Harry Wallis was also dismissed.
The red cards did little to stop both sides going for the jugular, with Ravenhill pulling off another smart stop at his near post with his legs to stop a late Hull winner on 85 minutes.
Neither side however managed to find a breakthrough, with the young Reds battling it out for a credible 2-2 draw that sees Harban’s side go unbeaten in their PDL Cup campaign so far.
FULL-TIME: Hull City 2-2 Barnsley
REDS XI: Ravenhill (GK), McKay, Lacey, Doyle, Murchison, Joof, Chapman, Hickingbottom (C), Dyer, Benjamin, Anaman.
Subs: Hall, Nejman, Goucher, Hartley, Smith.
