Our U21s put in a tremendous performance as they brushed Bournemouth aside 3-0 at Oakwell on Tuesday afternoon.
Aiden Marsh’s brace either side of Fabio Jalo’s sublime free-kick was enough to secure all three points and a second victory of the campaign for Tom Harban’s youngsters.
The first chance of the encounter came in the opening five minutes as Trialist A surged down the right flank before picking out Mylan Benjamin at the far post, who saw his volley turned away by Cam Plain.
It wouldn’t be long before a dominant Reds side made the breakthrough, and it came when Josh Benson’s free-kick was headed back across the face of goal by Conor McCarthy for Marsh to nod home from virtually on the line.
Keen to extend the lead, Barnsley continued to pile forward and Jalo tested Plain with a stinging effort before coming close with an audacious backheel from the resulting corner.
Making his return to action, Benson rifled a thunderous drive from 30-yards that Plain got two solid hands to and then dinked an effort narrowly wide moments later.
HALF-TIME: Barnsley 1-0 Bournemouth
The visitors made a much brighter start to the second half and pressed with intent as they searched to get back on level terms. Their best opportunity came just after the hour mark when Kian Tydeman was played through on goal, but Nathan James flung himself in front of the shot to preserve our slender lead.
It proved to be a crucial intervention as Barnsley won a free-kick in a dangerous area moments later, which Jalo took full advantage of as he cracked in a magnificent strike off the underside of the bar from 25-yards to put us in cruise control.
Shortly after, the points were sealed when Marsh drove at the heart of the Cherries’ backline and let fly from the edge of the box. His effort took a wicked deflection off the defender and soared into the top corner, leaving Plain completely stranded to make it 3-0.
There were chances to further extend the lead, with Trialist B seeing a header cleared off the line, while Jalo and Marsh also tested Plain with low shots that the Bournemouth ‘keeper gathered comfortably.
Perhaps the only disappointment on the afternoon was that the Reds only scored three in what was a dominant display against the south coast outfit, who came into this encounter with successive wins having not conceded a goal this term.
FULL-TIME: Barnsley 3-0 Bournemouth
REDS XI: Flavell (GK), Lofthouse, Joof (McKay), James, McCarthy, Benjamin, Trialist A, Nejman (C), J Benson (Trialist B), Jalo, Marsh (Dyer).
Not used: Ravenhill (GK), Doyle.
CHERRIES XI: Plain (GK), Tonks (Morgan), Boutin, Wadham (Okoh), Kinsey-Wellings (C), Williams, Sadi, Adjei (Winterburn), Gonzalez, Tydeman.
Not used: Allan (GK), Landa.
