JASPER Moon was pleased to complete 90 minutes for the first time in his Barnsley career this week and is now looking forward to tomorrow’s game against his hometown club Coventry City.
The 20-year-old centre-back grew up in Coventry but was in Leicester City’s academy before moving to the Reds aged 16. Moon is looking forward to seeing about 14,000 fans at Oakwell after playing behind-closed-doors last season.
He told the Chronicle: “It’s my hometown club and it will be an interesting game. I know they won at the weekend but, I think with our style of play and our intensity, they are definitely beatable. I have got a few family members that want to come and friends in the away end.
“It will be good to see all the Barnsley fans back again. We had them there in the play-offs but it wasn’t the full crowd so hopefully, on Saturday, everyone turns up so it’s a good atmosphere.”
Moon played 90 minutes at Bolton Wanderers on Tuesday has now played five times for the Reds. The three appearances before Tuesday were in midfield including off the bench at Cardiff City on Saturday, but he returned to his natural position of centre-back in Bolton.
“Wherever I get minutes I don’t mind playing. If I can play in both positions it will help me in the long run.
“It was good for me to get my first 90 minutes in the first team.
“I just want to keep improving and train at a high level then hopefully my time in the league will come.”
Barnsley lost the cup game on penalties after a 0-0 draw. Moon said: “It’s disappointing to go out but we can take some positives. A lot of lads got minutes who wouldn’t normally play. But overall we are disappointed that we lost.
“The style of play the new gaffer has come in with is trying to play out more, and in the first half we got it going.
“In the second half they stepped higher and pressed more which made it harder for us. They played higher so balls in behind would have been the option but they made it hard for us.”
Devante Cole missed the decisive penalty. Moon said: “He’s going to be disappointed, all the lads are but we just have to hold our heads high and prepare for Saturday now.
“Not many of us have played in the cup before or in a shoot-out.
“It’s a good experience, but to lose on penalties is obviously sad.”
