Latics 0-6 Barnsley - FA Youth Cup

Latics U18s exited the FA Youth Cup after a 6-0 defeat at Boundary Park against a strong Barnsley side.

The tie represented a big step up in opposition for Nicky Adams’ young side, and they nearly got off to the worst possible start just two minutes in.

Josh Whitelaw did well to deny Feyi Afuape from close range inside the box, but the rebound fell into the path of Kieran Graham but he blazed the rebound over the bar to spare Latics’ blushes.

The hosts had to withstand a lot of heavy pressure and that eventually paid off when Owen Warburton got on the end of a corner from the left to poke past Whitelaw and give the Tykes the lead.

Latics looked to respond and it looked like AJ Amadin was through on goal after a long ball forward only to be brought down by Will Thompson who received a booking for his troubles.

Barnsley doubled their lead however just six minutes later Kieran Graham found himself in acres of space and finished low past Whitelaw to double the Tykes’ lead.

The visitors were hungry for more and were rewarded on the 36th-minute mark when Graham, once again, received the ball 25 yards from goal and fired a low effort that sailed into the bottom left corner.

Just as the half looked to be fizzling out the last action saw a ball lofted in from the right-hand side, Whitelaw looked to have been nudged out of the way but the referee and linesman were unmoved and Arley Kay headed into an empty net to send the visitors into the break four goals to the good.

The second-half kicked off and the visitors came out in the same vein as the first.

The dangerous Afuape was slipped through on goal after a clinical counter and the forward calmly took the ball in his stride and finished past Whitelaw.

Latics never stopped working and off the ball were working extremely hard to try to contain the Step Two Barnsley side.

For the next 25 minutes, the hosts were defending resolutely and the game was much more of an even contest.

Until the 74th minute when substitute Kallum Reid crossed for Afuape and from close range, his first-time effort found the back of the net.

Muhammed came close for Latics when his effort from the edge of the area was tipped over the crossbar acrobatically by Aston Wilson in the Barnsley goal.

Ten minutes later the referee sounded his whistle and signalled Latics’ exit from the competition. Nicky Adams’ side will use this as a learning curve against a Step Two opposition and take it forward into the rest of their campaign.

Oldham Athletic: Whitelaw, Mulonda, Dielunvuidi, Mulcahy, Nienguila, Dengoue (Khan 46), Mustafa (Nixon 46), Amos (Leonard 80), Amadin (Wild 70), Holden (Baisley 70), Muhammed.

Subs not used: Wilson (GK), Fryda.

Barnsley: Wilson, Mbogba (Reid 64), Woodcock, Kay, Thompson (Senior 64), Lundoloki, Warbuton, Probert (Price 75), Afuape, Graham, Alker.

Subs not used: Rayner, Woodcock, Ogbu, Andrassy.

Referee: Christopher Porter

Attendance: 251