Lightening Start For Stendel But Baggies Boing Back

Last updated : 25 July 2018 By Rob Miles

Barnsley's unbeaten start under Daniel Stendel came to an end in their penultimate friendly despite the Reds racing into an early two goal lead.

For the first time this summer Stendel did not play two different sides in each half as he now fine tunes his squad for the season opener against Oxford and with Jack Walton starting here, it may have given a clear indication on who the Number 1 will be when the campaign kicks off in little over a week's time.

Against ex Red Darren Moore's Baggies who saw their Premier League tenure end after eight years in May, Barnsley gave a clear indication that they could be one of the forerunners in League One following their own relegation.

They were cruising after just 11 minutes then they raced into a two goal lead, first when Lloyd Isgrove grabbed his first goal of the summer as he got in ahead of Baggies keeper Jonathan Bond to flick in Alex Mowatt's in-swinging corner and it managed to just nestle inside the near post - it wasn't quite like his winner at Wembley in the League One Play-Off Final but slightly reminiscent of.

It was 2-0 just five minutes later when Dani Pinillos received the ball on the left wing and delivered a superb cross into the area which was met by a fine looping header from Kieffer Moore and he planted it across Bond and in off the post for his second goal of pre-season.

However a West Brom side led by another man with the surname Moore, who made 76 appearances for the Reds between 2008 and 2010 were back in the game just a minute before the break when ex Sheffield Wednesday man Chris Brunt swung in a dangerous free-kick and Wales' Euro 2016 hero Hal Robson-Kanu stole in to power a header past Walton.

And within a minute of the second half starting the game was level, when trying to play their way out of trouble cost Barnsley as Ethan Pinnock was caught in possession at the edge of his own area by Robson-Kanu who knocked the ball to James Morrison to absolutely lash it past an exposed Walton into the top corner.

Unfortunately it was another defensive error that handed West Brom the victory on 51 minutes. In attempting to clear a cross Dimitri Cavare appeared to lose his balance and sliced it into the corner of his own net.

The Reds missed a glorious last gasp chance to grab a draw when Tom Bradshaw slid the ball across the area to an unmarked Moore but he curled it well over the bar.

As well as Darren Moore there were other familiar faces in the WBA ranks, former Reds captain Martin Cranie who made 122 appearances between 2012 and 2015 came on as a 70th minute substitute as he tries to impress on trial, whilst they also gave a debut to on Leicester winger Harvey Barnes who netted five goals in 25 games for the Reds last season, coming on in the 63rd minute.

Barnsley have one more friendly before the Oxford opener, entertaining Hull City at Oakwell on Saturday.

Reds XI:
Jack Walton
Dimitri Cavaré (Jason McCarthy)
Liam Lindsay (Adam Jackson)
Ethan Pinnock
Dani Pinillos (Ben Williams)
Lloyd Isgrove (Victor Adeboyejo)
Brad Potts (Jared Bird)
Alex Mowatt (Cameron McGeehan)
Mamadou Thiam (George Moncur)
Kieffer Moore
Tom Bradshaw