Barnsley Academy 0-2 Portsmouth
Written by Mark Stokes on Saturday 22nd August 2009

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Barnsley Academy faced a tough Portsmouth side at Oakwell today in their opening Premier League Academy fixture.

In the opening seconds Jack Briscoe came close to latching onto a through ball for a first chance at goal, but the Portsmouth keeper managed to get to the ball in the nick of time.

It was a fast paced opening 20 minutes with Barnsley looking the more comfortable and making the forward runs. Briscoe especially causing the Portsmouth defence trouble.

Portsmouth gradually got themselves into the game and nearly benefited from an own goal, but on 22 minutes they broke the deadlock for a corner. A testing delivery found a Portsmouth player who knocked it up for them to score from a header four yards out.

From then on Portsmouth exercised more control on the game and became an ever greater threat. At times Barnsley rode their luck and went in at half time just the one goal down.

In the second half Barnsley tried in vain to unlock the Portsmouth defence despite their efforts from numerous set-pieces and corners, but failed to really test the opposition goalkeeper.

On the hour mark Portsmouth grabbed a second goal and that proved to be the final score.

Barnsley Team: Ruslin, Reffin, Carlisle, Branson, Tieman, Crapper, Fearnehough, Scargill, Taylor, Bennett, Briscoe

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