Reds beat Man City youngsters

Barnsley made it two wins from as many EFL Trophy games with a 3-1 success at home to Manchester City under 21s.

Conor McCarthy – with his first Reds goal – and Jon Russell headed in corners midway through the first half then the visitors replied just before the break.

Teenage debutant Emmaisa Nzondo secured the win late on after coming off the bench.

The Reds now have six points and are top of Group F. They complete their group games at Bradford City on November 14.

Neill Collins again made 11 changes from the last league game but it was a younger and less experienced team than for the first trophy fixture against Grimsby – mainly at wing-back where Danny Benson and full debutant Hayden Pickard started.

Fabio Jalo dragged a shot well wide from just outside the box in the fifth minute then Max Watters curled a 15-yard shot wide of the top right corner after good work by Pickard.

The opener came on 26 minutes when McCarthy met Josh Benson’s left-wing corner at the back post and headed into the bottom right corner.

It was 2-0 six minutes later when Pickard’s right-wing corner was met at the near post by Jon Russell who headed in off the bar.

City finished the half strongly and scored when Joel Ndala ran down the left of the box and crossed low for William Dixon to tap in almost on the line.

Nathan James replaced Jack Shepherd at half-time, then Emmaisa Nzondo, Jonathan Bland and Mylan Benjamin made their first team debuts later in the half.

Jalo almost made it 3-1 early in the second half but he fired across goal and wide when clean through on the left of the box.

The third goal eventually came from teenage striker Nzondo who sent a looping header over the goalkeeper from a Theo Chapman cross.

Barnsley (3-5-2): Killip; de Givegney, McCarthy, Shepherd (James HT); D Benson, Chapman (Benjamin 90), Russell (Yoganathan 61mins), J Benson, Pickard; Watters (Nzondo. 61), Jalo.

Unused: Flavell, Dyer.

Yellow cards: Shepherd.

Goals: McCarthy 26, Russell 32, Nzondo 79.

Man City: Murray-Jones; Samuel, Alleyne, Noble, Galvez; Wright, Taylor; Ndala (Lawrence 60), Heskey (Warhurst 90), Alfa-Ruprecht (Oboavwoduo 60); Dickson.

Unused: Carrington, Grant, Okeke, Adam, Warhurst.

Yellow cards: Noble.

Goals: Dickson 43.