COVENTRY CITY U21's 2-2 BARNSLEY
City: Burge, Phillips, Rankin, Willis, Trialist, Daniels, Garner, Barton (Lawton 57), Trialist, Manset, Lobjoit (Maddison 79). Subs Bromley, Gott, Maund
Barnsley: Barnsley: Dibble, Patterson, Smith, Joyce, Tunnicliffe, Nyatanga, Jennings, Scotland (Oates 79), Rose, Cofie, McCourt. Subs Sousa, Chadderton, Shillito, McKnight
HT CCFC 0-1 BFC
FT CCFC 2-2 BFC
Goals John Cofie 16, Dale Jennings 55, Billy Daniels 88, Mathieu Manset 92 pen
Referee Lisa Rashid
------------------------------
Coventry City U21's avoided their their third consecutive defeat when they came back to snatch a 2-2 draw against Barnsley.
For this game against the league leaders, Ian Foster named a side which saw City field the same Brazilian trialist who scored against Crewe, Mathieu Manset, Billy Daniels, Adam Barton and another trialist centre half.
It was no wonder that Barnsley were top when you saw their starting line up which included the experience of Jason Scotland, Danny Rose, John Cofie, Paddy McCourt and Lewin Nyatanga.
City looked good in the early stages with Manset looking threatening, Daniels hitting the post from a corner and much to the annoyance of Steven Pressley, Neil MacFarlane and the few City supporters and parents, the assistant referee somehow decided that a foul on Arron Phillips was outside the area and instead of in it, which those in the main stand at Nuneaton could plainly see.
In the 16th minute, Barnsley took the lead when a ball over found John Cofie who finished with a low drive from inside the area.
Despite being a goal down, City kept going with Louis Garner curling wide, Daniels winning a corner before Rankin, who worked hard at left back, headed a Phillips cross from the right at Dibble in the 31st minute.
Dale Jennings fired over from the right and then curled a free kick high into the home terrace behind the goal five minutes later.
The trialist for City at centre half was faring better than the one up front, heading away well but he could do nothing to stop Barnsley doubling their tally through a stunning, dipping lob from Dale Jennings from 23 yards in the 55th minute into the far corner of the net.
After Tim Flowers, who these days works for Northampton, had left and the sun started to appear through the clouds on a muggy day, Danny Rose wasted a great chance in the 66th minute when he found the side netting from 12 yards.
Foster sent on Ivor Lawton and James Maddison and although City swung over some decent crosses, the trialist and Manset were unable to put them away.
City did get a consolation in the 88th minute when the Brazilian trialist sent the ball from the left across the area and the ball squirmed past Dibble and fell for Billy Daniels to bang home.
Deep in stoppage time, City attacked again and the Brazilian trialist was involved being tripped. The referee awarded a penalty and up stepped Mathieu Manset to earn City their first point of the season.