Young guns impress assistant Paterson but he demands more progress Losing start to season for Lioness
Paterson calls for youngsters to keep up ‘growth mindset’ Five make their debut for first team in Newcastle victory Under 18s put on a five-star display against Londoners
BARNSLEY’S policy of bringing through youth players into the senior squad has been scrutinised in the past few years, but there was clear evidence the strategy is working on Tuesday.
John Stones and Mason Holgate are the two most high profile academy products who have gone onto big things – and if the Reds continue to push through youngsters there’s no reason others can’t follow in the same vein.
Aiden Marsh has recently been sent out on loan to Scunthorpe United and last year saw an exodus of Reds players being sent out for minutes at Barnsley’s sister clubs.
But there’s plenty who are still getting their opportunity at Oakwell.
Three academy products, Jasper Moon, Joe Ackroyd and Fabio Jalo, started in the 2-0 win, with a further five gaining a place on Michael Duff’s bench.
Will Lancaster, Keegan Hartley,
Hayden Pickard and Harrison Nejman all entered the fray off the bench.
Assistant head coach Martin Paterson said: “Whilst they’re here they’re working very hard – we work them in training and with their training and individual programmes.
“Ultimately if they’re here Michael wants to develop them and wants a growth mindset within the club in a learning environment.
“If we have the opportunity in games like this, then they will play.
“We showed tonight against a talented Newcastle team our young boys – mixed in with a bit of experience – did excellent. “Michael wants to develop talent.
“He wants to do it in the right way in moments.
“I think it’s an opportunity thinking about the long-term in that we want to develop talent and play young players.
“It’s a positive in the fact we’ve gone and won 2-0 with a clean sheet and we fielded the likes of Fabio, Jack came on and scored the goal and there’s others to mention as well.
“Young Ackroyd in midfield worked his socks off as always.”
It was also a good week for the under 18s as a Josiah Dyer brace and goals from Rafael Monteiro, Fabio Jalo and
Leo Farrell saw them beat QPR 5-2 at the Oakwell training ground on Saturday.
Under 18 manager Nicky Eaden said: “Overall, we played a lot of good stuff, but there are a lot of things we can do better.
“We had a great start to the game but later on in the half we were pegged back to one apiece.
“At half time, I gave the lads a few reminders of what we spoke to them about before the game.”
The under 18s will face Coventry on the showcase pitch at Oakwell tonight at 7pm.
The under 21s’ scheduled game against Burnley was postponed due to the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II.
BARNSLEY’S Bethany England played the final 13 minutes as Chelsea Women lost their opening game of the season against newly-promoted Liverpool.
England, who was part of the successful Lionesses’ squad during the Euros in the summer, came on in the 85th minute with the game levelled at 1-1, but just two minutes later the Reds took the lead through a penalty.
The 28-year-old will hope to make her mark on Sunday as Chelsea host Manchester City in the Women’s Super League.