Adam Davies was the penalty-saving hero as Barnsley beat Everton under 21s in a Checkatrade Trophy shoot-out following a 1-1 draw at Oakwell on Tuesday.

Ryan Hedges opened the scoring against the club who released him as a teenager but the Reds faded badly in the second half in which the visitors levelled early. 

The Reds won the shoot-out 4-2 to take two points and go to five in Group F, meaning they need to avoid defeat by two or more goals against Bradford City at home in a week’s time to reach the knock-out stage. 

Daniel Stendel made ten changes from the side who beat Southend United in League One on Saturday, with captain and goalkeeper Adam Davies the only player to stay in the side as back-up stopper Jack Walton is injured. 

Several players were out of position with left-backs Ben Williams and Zeki Fryers used in central midfield and central defence respectively and winger Hedges playing at left-back. 

The first half an hour was very dull as Barnsley struggled to break down a defensive away side who played a back five. The first shot was in the 34th minute and was a good one by full debutant Cauley Woodrow from 25 yards which goalkeeper Joe Hilton had to dive at full-length to claw out of his top right corner. 

Jacob Brown then flicked a header over at the front post from a George Moncur corner. Another corner, won by Brown, led to the goal as Hedges and Jordan Williams tried to work a training ground routine with short passes but seemed to get it wrong so the Welsh international cut inside and fired a low shot from 25 yards which snuck past Hilton into the bottom right corner. 

Moncur then shot straight at Hilton from long-range before Jordan Williams blasted over from even further out just before half-time.  Woodrow was brought off at half-time with Lloyd Isgrove coming on to play right wing, which meant Brown moved up front. Ben Williams returned to left-back with Hedges moving forward onto the wing and Moncur, who played on the left in the first half, joining Jared Bird in the middle. 

Everton had their first shot five minutes into the second half when Josh Bowler collected a cross from the left in the box but his effort was tame and easily held by former Everton youth Davies.

Bassala Sambou then saw a 25-yard volley tipped wide by Davies who was helpless as the same player headed in a right-wing corner by Bowler at the near post. 

Hedges was taken off for Mamadou Thiam after an hour but it was Everton who were on top with Manasse Mampala cutting in off the left wing and shooting from inside the box with Davies getting down to save easily. At the other end, Brown headed over a difficult chance from a Thiam corner. 

Stendel’s final substitute saw him bring Mike Bahre off the bench for Victor Adeboyejo. Moncur almost won it late on but his long-range effort was scrambled away by Hilton. The goalkeeper saved again after Bahre’s left wing cross hit Isgrove and went straight at him from close range. 

Davies saved from Boris Mathis – who was brought on after 94 minutes to take a penalty but shot far too close to the goalkeeper – then flung himself full length to his right to deny Northern Ireland international Shayne Lavery. Barnsley scored all four penalties through Moncur, Brown, Bahre and Thiam who secured the victory. 

Barnsley team: Davies; J Williams, Jackson, Fryers, Hedges (Thiam 60mins); Brown, Bird, B Williams, Moncur; Adeboyejo (Bahre 76), Woodrow (Isgrove HT). Subs: Greatorex, Lindsay, Isgrove, Bahre, Thiam, Helliwell, Moon. Goals: Hedges 40. 

Everton: Hilton; Astley, Ouzounidis, Feeney; Browning, Bowler, Adeniran, Markelo (Mathis 90+4), Mampala (Lavery 87mins); Sambou, Kiersey.  Goals: Sambou 53. 

AS IT HAPPENED
  • 18:24pmGame underway
  • 19:31pm
     
    Ryan Hedges is playing left-back, Zeki Fryers centre-back and Ben Williams central midfield
  • 19:34pm
     
    2 Not much happening in the first couple of minutes. Barnsley playing a 4-4-2 with Brown and Moncur on the wings. Victor Adeboyejo and Cauley Woodrow up front
  • 19:36pm
     
    6 A George Moncur free-kick on the left is headed away by the Everton defence
  • 19:39pm
     
    Very little has happened so far, apart from a few crosses which have been easily dealt with.
  • 19:40pm
     
    10 Good play sees Moncur get in the box and tap it to edges of the left near the byline, He pulls it back but there is no one of the end of it
  • 19:41pm
     
    Everton are playing five at the back. It is probably intended to be a wing-back formation when they are on the attack but they are penned in at the moment and playing a flat back five
  • 19:43pm
     
    13 Decent chance for the visitors. Manasse Mampala gets down the left and pulls the ball back to Bassala Sambou who miskicks from 12 yards out
  • 19:45pm
     
    Victor Adeboyejo has had a decent start, holding up the ball well and showing some good strength
  • 19:49pm
     
    A break in play here with Everton's Josh Bowler - £1.5million signing from QPR - down hurt following an excellent slide tackle by Ben Williams
  • 19:52pm
     
    So far Everton have sat very deep with a back five and no real intention of attacking, while Barnsley's line-up of players out of position and out of fitness have not been able to break them down
  • 19:55pm
    Adam Jackson in action tonight
  • 19:55pm
    Zeki Fryers on his first start of the season
  • 19:56pm
     
    Moncur down for treatment but gets up and walks to side. It's so quiet that you can hear a cry of 'come on Georgie' from one of the fans at the other side of the stadium from the press box
  • 19:58pm
     
    Moncur back on the pitch. He and Ryan Hedges look quite lively on the left but they haven't created any real chances yet
  • 20:00pm
     
    Half an hour in and there have been no chances, no shots and barely an attack
  • 20:02pm
     
    If anything is going to happen in this match, it looks like being from the Barnsley left where Moncur and Hedges are combining well.
  • 20:02pm
     
    32 Moncur corner from the left is headed away
  • 20:04pm
     
    34 We have a shot on target!! Cauley Woodrow curls an impressive effort towards the top left corner from just outside the box and goalkeeper Joe Hilton tips it wide
  • 20:06pm
     
    35 Moncur shot deflected for a corner. Hedges takes an Brown flicks the header from the front post way over
  • 20:08pm
     
    A little bit better from the hosts in the last few minutes. Can they get a winner before the break?
  • 20:09pm
    Ryan Hedges has been one of the better players tonight
  • 20:10pm
     
    GOAL!
    Ryan Hedges fires the hosts in front with a low 25-yard strike into the bottom left corner
  • 20:12pm
     
    It was a short corner between Hedges and Williams which they seemed to get wrong so Hedges cut inside and shot
  • 20:12pm
     
    42 Barnsley take confidence from the goal and Moncur leads an attack with a 30-yard run but his shot from just outside the box is weak and straight at Hilton
  • 20:16pm
     
    Two minutes added at the end of the first half
  • 20:18pm
     
    45+1 Another good short corner sees Hedges and Woodrow combine to play in Moncur whose low cross is half cut out by the goalkeeper then cleared
  • 20:18pm
     
    HALF-TIME: Barnsley 1, Everton under 21s 0
  • 20:25pm
    Ryan Hedges' goal
  • 20:33pm
     
    Lloyd Isgrove is coming on for Cauley Woodrow at half-time
  • 20:33pm
     
    SECOND HALF UNDERWAY
  • 20:34pm
     
    Brown now up front with Isgrove on the right
  • 20:35pm
     
    48 Hedges' free-kick from 25 yards is deflected over for a corner
  • 20:36pm
     
    49 Goalkeeper Hilton catches Hedges' right-wing corner
  • 20:36pm
     
    49 Brown charges down the goalkeeper's kick and the ball sprays narrowly wide
  • 20:37pm
     
    Ben Williams is back at left-back now with Hedges on the left wing, Moncur has joined Bird in the centre
  • 20:38pm
     
    50 Everton finally have a shot on goal as Bowler collects a cross from the left but his effort from 12 yards is tame and easily caught by Davies
  • 20:40pm
     
    52 Bassala Sambou now volleys from 25 yards and Davies just touches it wide
  • 20:40pm
     
    GOAL!
    Bassala Sambou heads in a Josh Bowler corner to level
  • 20:43pm
     
    That goal had been coming as the visitors had started the second half very well
  • 20:44pm
     
    David Unsworth has certainly had a word with his young players at the break as they have come out flying in the second half
  • 20:46pm
     
    58 Dennis Adeniran goes through on goal but Davies beats him to it. They collide with each other and both are down receiving treatment
  • 20:47pm
     
    SUB OFF
    Ryan Hedges
  • 20:47pm
     
    SUB ON
    Mamadou Thiam
  • 20:48pm
     
    Hedges has been the best player on the pitch and the goal-scorer
  • 20:49pm
     
    61 Moncur brilliantly controls a pass on the edge of the box but the shot is well over
  • 20:53pm
     
    66 An Everton corner from the right leads to a bit of head tennis before Adam Davies catches
  • 20:55pm
     
    Two thirds of the way through the second half and just over 20 minutes from a possible penalty shoot-out
  • 20:59pm
     
    72 Manasse Mampala cuts in from the left and has a shot which is easily saved by Davies
  • 21:02pm
     
    This second half is really quietening down after Everton made a bright start to it. Barnsley haven't got going at all after the break
  • 21:03pm
     
    75 After a great run by Moncur, the cross comes to Jordan Williams whose shot is blocked
  • 21:03pm
     
    SUB OFF
    Victor Adeboyejo who has just shot off target from a very right angle
  • 21:04pm
     
    SUB ON
    Mike Bahre
  • 21:06pm
     
    Stendel has now made all his substitutes with David Unsworth yet to make any
  • 21:07pm
     
    79 Josh Bowler takes a free-kick from the left and Manasse Mampala is offside as he heads wide from close range
  • 21:08pm
     
    Ben Williams and Tyias Browning crash into each other midair going for a Fryers cross field ball and both are flat out receiving treatment
  • 21:10pm
     
    83 Mamadou Thiam wins a corner on the left
  • 21:10pm
     
    Thiam's corner is headed over by Jacob Brown
  • 21:12pm
     
    84 Josh Bowler, who has looked good tonight, skips past two home players before hitting a 20-yard shot which is deflected and easily saved by Davies
  • 21:12pm
     
    85 Bahre shoots from 30 yards and it is deflected over for a corner
  • 21:13pm
     
    85 Bahre's corner is met at the near post by Ben Williams who misses out on his first career goal as the header goes just wide of the near post
  • 21:14pm
     
    Manasse Mampala off for Everton. Northern Ireland international Shayne Lavery on
  • 21:16pm
     
    88 Moncur's long-range effort is turned wide for a corner which Bahre takes and the ball goes out of play as the cross goes into the box
  • 21:18pm
     
    The attendance has been announced as 2,300.
  • 21:19pm
     
    We're into injury-time now. A draw will bring an immediate penalty shoot-out
  • 21:21pm
     
    90+3 Bahre's left-wing cross is flicked by Brown then hits Isgrove and goes straight at Hilton in goal
  • 21:22pm
     
    Everton bring on Boris Mathis. Penalty expert?
  • 21:22pm
     
    FULL-TIME
  • 21:25pm
     
    Dennis Adeniran will be the first to take for Everton in front of the Ponty End
  • 21:26pm
     
    SCORED Dennis Adeniran sends Davies the wrong way. 1-0 Everton
  • 21:26pm
     
    George Moncur SCORES. Sending the goalkeeper the wrong way to find the bottom right corner
  • 21:27pm
     
    Boris Mathis MISSES. Davies goes right way to save down to his left 1-1
  • 21:27pm
     
    Jacob Brown SCORES. Hilton goes right way but Brown finds bottom left corner. 2-1 Barnsley
  • 21:28pm
     
    Jack Kiersey SCORES, sending Davies wrong way to find bottom right corner 2-2
  • 21:29pm
     
    Mike Bahre SCORES sending Hilton wrong way to find left side of net. 3-2 Barnsley
  • 21:30pm
     
    Shayne Lavery MISSES. Good save Davies diving to right
  • 21:30pm
     
    Mamadou Thiam to take what could be winning penalty
  • 21:30pm
     
    Thiam SCORES. Sends keeper wrong way to win it 4-2 on penalties
  • 21:31pm
     
    The Reds get two points from this match and will go through if they avoid defeat by two or more goals against Bradford in a week's time