CITY thumped a young Barnsley side 5-1 last night in the Bristol Street Motors Trophy, as they finished top of their group and secured a last-32 home tie in style.

T&A sports reporter NATHAN ATKINSON was at Valley Parade yesterday and provides the match stats and his player ratings.

MAN OF THE MATCH

He’ll have been gutted to miss a bit of a sitter at 3-0 up, but otherwise Clarke Oduor hardly put a foot wrong in attacking midfield.

He assisted City’s second goal, scored the fifth, had a hand in numbers one and four, and was the home side’s creative heartbeat until he was replaced with 10 minutes to go.

It was his debut under Graham Alexander, and he has left a lasting first impression on his new boss.

MOMENT OF THE MATCH

Andy Cook has struggled at times this season, and missed a hatful of chances in the defeat to Notts County on Saturday.

But he impressed last night and his second goal was a superb finish, drilled low and hard beyond Barnsley keeper Ben Killip from the edge of the box.

Hopefully his confidence soars from that, and having the returning Vadaine Oliver pushing him now should only inspire Cook to keep improving.

MOAN OF THE MATCH

Hard to pick fault really, but Alexander said it himself, there was a period after going 5-0 up when City got sloppy, conceding to Barry Cotter as a result.

Only a brilliant late save from Colin Doyle stopped Barnsley from scoring again, but City did at least wrestle back control towards the end.

Adam Wilson and Brad Halliday went close to making the score 6-1, while Tyler Smith’s run in behind led to Jack Shepherd’s dismissal.

TACTICS

Alexander made five changes, looking to strike a balance between giving players chances and seeing how his team might look at home to Accrington in the league this coming Saturday.

Colin Doyle, Matty Platt, Ciaran Kelly, Harry Chapman and Clarke Oduor all came in, as Harry Lewis, Sam Stubbs, Alex Gilliead, Bobby Pointon and Jamie Walker were rested.

Bringing in Platt and Kelly meant City lined up in a 3-5-2, which had proved so effective for them in the second half at Meadow Lane on Saturday.

Chapman and Oduor played in right attacking midfield and left attacking midfield respectively, but both had the freedom to cut inside and play centrally.

Of the five who came in, Platt and Oduor in particular put forward a compelling case to start at Valley Parade this coming weekend against Stanley.

REFEREE: Will Finnie (Luton)

BOOKINGS: Doyle, Halliday, Chapman, Smallwood (City); Dodgson, Yoganathan (Barnsley)

RED CARDS: Shepherd (Barnsley)

ATTENDANCE: 1,770

POSSESSION: City 44% Barnsley 56%

SHOTS ON TARGET: City 9 Barnsley 6

SHOTS OFF TARGET: City 3 Barnsley 7

CORNERS: City 2 Barnsley 4

FOULS: City 15 Barnsley 12

PLAYER RATINGS

CITY: Doyle 7, Halliday 7, Platt 8, Taylor 7, Kelly 6, Richards 7 (Pointon 67min 6), Smallwood 6 (Gilliead 67min 6), Chapman 7 (Walker 67min 6), Oduor 8 (Wilson 82min 6), Smith 8, Cook 7 (Oliver 73min 6). Subs (not used): Lewis, Stubbs.

BARNSLEY: Killip 5, Hickingbottom 5, McCarthy 5, Shepherd 4, Dodgson 5, Yoganathan 5 (Makiessi 80min 6), Connell 6 (Cotter 68min 7), O’Keeffe 6, Atkinson 7, Marsh 6 (Nzondo 80min 6), Cosgrove 6 (Ackroyd 68min 6). Subs (not used): Flavell, Benjamin, Pickard.