Great game tonight. End to end stuff played at a high tempo throughout with two hungry strikers and a decent team in opposition. We lined up with an exciting selection of players with enough first team regulars to ensure a much higher standard throughout as the others raised their games to suit.  Given  Charvet Hughes Dabizas Talbot  Brady Comineli Antunes Glass  Coppinger Robinson    Subs: S Caldwell, Martin, Elliott, Arnison & Beharall    The Newcastle passing was the main difference in this contest where both sides had a powerful centre-forward with a nippy poacher working off him. We had Robbo as the ball winner and the sublime skills of little Coppinger to support him. Barnsley had Shipperley (ex Crystal Palace) who has been training hard for a pie-eating contest and tiny Clint Marcelle who must be a relation to Blackpool's Junior Bent - the previous "smallest player ever at Kingston Park" award.  We were all over them like a rash in the first half although they created tw o excellent scoring opportunities that Shipperley failed to convert and which Given had covered. Robinson almost broke the deadlock by completely wrong-footing his marker and committing the keeper before attempting to stroke the ball nonchalantly in at the far post. Sadly, this decision to go for style rather than power led to the ball heading wide, yet fortunately Coppy raced in like greased lightning to slot it home from 8 inches. Our next was created by Coppinger going one on one with the keeper after leaving their defence sick and dizzy from his mazy running and frightening pace; 2-0 with not much danger up the other end. Indeed, the only real trouble we were having was from the silly arse in the sound booth who obviously took my taunts about "the quietest tannoy in the World" last season to heart. He feels that a deafening rendition of Fat Boy Slim's "Right here. Right now." Is just what the crowd needs instead of "Local Hero" with no thought as to how away fans will be singing, "Sh*te here! Sh*te now!" And who can blame them? He compounded this crime by also greeting our goals to a an equally ear-busting blast of Blur's "Song 2" which serves no purpose but to stifle the applause as ears cease clapping and go to protect eardrums. We saw Bobby Robson on his mobile at half time, and I swear he was ordering some Bing Crosby records and requesting that Whispering Bob Harris take over on the tannoy.  As well as Bobby as Steve Clarke, Nobby came along and must have signed autographs for almost the entire crowd (1,100) and seemed to spare a smile and a word for everyone. A group of bairns were made up after chanting "Nobby!" Until he grinned and waved which sent them scuttling off with eyes shining. A simple thing to do which has made him a hero to a clutch of future fans.  The second half got a bit tighter as Steven Glass slowed a little, but he had been a constant menace in the first half and was head and shoulders above everyone else on the night in terms of quality. Robbo eventually got his goal in another one on one when he went for the near post shot and hit the ball so hard the keeper had no chance. His celebration was triumphant and ecstatic since he had been showing increasing frustration with Coppinger hogging the limelight. Caldwell and Elliott came on for Talbot and Comineli, whilst Arnison later replaced Charvet. Robinson screamed himself hoarse trying to get Nikos to pass the ball up towards him only to see him hoof it long down the left instead at which he was heard to remark, "Why he always does that I have no idea." When he went on to enquire as to where Tony Bullock, Barnsely's keeper, thought he was going when he pushed a kick further and further forward, the answer he received was, "I'm going up there to score, Given's off his line!"  All in all 3-0 was a fair reflection on our dominance pretty much throughout, and yet that dominance was hard fought and the thoroughly deserved result of constant graft.  Ratings  Given 7 - pulled off two fine saves in the second half but had little else to do, still trying to avoid kicking as much as possible so confidence still a question.  Charvet 8 - end to end and very strong in his preferred role as wing back. Reminding us why he headed the Carling Opta stats in defence for the first half of last season.  Talbot 6 - made himself available for overlaps but crossing was awful and got turned too often.  Comineli 6 - a big lad who enjoys going forward and shows some excellent touches but prone to going prone too much (problems with gravity) which left us exposed a few times. Dabizas 8 - belongs at this level really but still had a good game although bizarrely he failed to win much in the air.  Hughes 7 - acquitted himself well as skipper and was vocal and visible throughout.  Brady 5 - very disappointing; largely anonymous which is unusual for him and I can only put it down to his recovering from injury.  Antunes "Fumaca" 6 - flashes of brilliance and moments of farce still failed to make him really stand out.  Coppinger 9 - marvellous performance from a tireless harrier and goal-poacher; despite his small stature he takes plenty of knocks and comes back for more and put away the two chances he got.  Robinson 8 - worked hard and showed real class at times but seemed to have let the first team go to his head and wasn't doing the simple things well but instead made life difficult for himself; his goal was magic, mind.  Glass 11 - truly magnificent throughout; ran them ragged and his ball control was superb. Went the full 90 so he probably won't feature again until Sunday, but make no mistake, Dyer isn't the only young diamond on our books. People who reckon Stephen is a little lightweight need to run that past Bassinder and McClare who will be feeling the bruises for weeks.  Special mention for the Tykes goes to their number 7, Martin Bullock, who put in some of the best crosses of the match which would have been converted by someone a little faster than Shipperley.  Grand night out, and hopefully a sign of what Bobby is looking to try for the Worthington Cup: a group of the best reserves corsetted with a sprinkling of first team squad members and NO Lionel Perez to f*@k it all up.

The "R " Team are Softie,(Reporter) Jonno (On loan reporter from The Independent courtesy of "Dougal promotions"), and Jon (Location manager) Steph (Camera woman) Rik (Editor) , Eddy(graphics) Gibbo( Key Grip),Cameo appearance by Screacher Last years Marra at the match reports are well worth reading . Every report from every game is here.